Breastfeeding….

As I sit here with my baby cuddled up on my lap lying across me all cute and hungry nursing like he has never eaten in his life my right breast is sighing with relief while my left breast is screaming in pain. 

Yep, that is what I am dealing with at the moment. 

I have nursed all 5 of my children, but I will be the first to tell you that it is not always easy. 

You hear some women talk of how their baby came out of the womb, latched on and they never had any problems what-so-ever. Yes, this does happen, but more times than any Mom and baby have to work at nursing. 

I have spoke of my experiences nursing with many people. The one thing that I always tell everyone that has decided to nurse their baby is that you really must give it 2 weeks. This is very important. I am sure everyone is different and for some it may take longer than two weeks and for others it may not take as long, but I must say that if you are going to try nursing and you give up within the first two weeks I feel (my opinion here) that it really does take 2 weeks before you can be fully comfortable with nursing. That being said….

My baby is a little over 2 weeks old and I am suddenly engorged and experiencing a ton of cramps in my abdomen (that are completely normal, however had let up some prior to the pains in my breast coming on again.) My breasts are on fire and screaming with pain. They are so sore that if one of the kids hugs me I want to scream. Do I sound like a drama queen? I don’t mean to be, really I don’t, and I do have a high tolerance for pain, however I really do not like for my breasts to feel like they are on fire.

Don’t let me scare you though because breastfeeding really is a truly great thing for you baby.
I can’t even begin to describe the bond that a Mother and baby have when breastfeeding. (I’m not saying you don’t have a bond when bottle feeding, however I am just speaking from experience and I have never bottle fed.)

I nursed my oldest son for 1 year. I nursed all of the other boys for 17-18 months. I have dealt with thrush, mastitis and engorgement. None of which are fun, however all of these things can be cured.
One of the most important things when nursing your baby is to purchase a few really good nursing bras. You are going to need something that offers a lot of support (be sure those babies are being held up because the more they hang the more you produce.) Also, be sure they are being squeezed tight and close to you because a loose bra allows them to move more freely causing you to produce more. Very important to buy some good nursing bras. I did purchase a few before having my baby, however need to go buy more after having my baby because the bras don’t fit quite like I would have liked. I recommend maybe only getting sports bras or something at first (they are great for bedtime as well) and after baby is born and you can get out go get fitted for a good nursing bra.

(Quick Note: If your bra is too tight it can restrict the milk flow and cause you to back up and get mastitis, so be sure to find a happy medium.) 

Also, drink lots of water when nursing. Water helps your milk supply increase, plus it’s good for you and baby. 

Another thing I recommend is that you get some good lanolin based cream for after you have your baby. You can even start putting it on your nipples before baby is born if you would like to help keep your nipples from getting dry and cracked.

If you do get engorged (and trust me you will know if you get engorged) some things to remember are that ice is your friend and bags of frozen peas or corn work great because you can shape them around your breast and they are not near as hard as a regular ice pack, plus we all usually have this in the freezer. Also, massaging your breasts while baby is nursing will help empty all of the milk from the pockets. I sometimes do this when I am really full, but not engorged. You want to be sure to empty the milk so you don’t get clogged milk ducts-They hurt! If the cramps are really strong, or your breasts seem swollen don’t be afraid to take a little tylenol or motrin. This can really help ease some of the pain and swelling. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help. There is always the hospital or lactation consultant if you don’t know anyone or don’t feel comfortable asking someone you know.

Another very important thing to remember is that if your breasts feel hot to the touch, have red bumps or spots along with pain, or you start to run a fever you must call your doctor. Mastitis can be very serious if left untreated, and while a lot of us tend to forget about ourselves after we have our babies, you really must remember that your baby is relying on you.

I hope that this has helped someone in some way.
Now I am off to grab some ice….