Breastfeeding is one of the greatest bonding moments to share with your baby. You get to cuddle your baby close to you while you nurse her. However, for some reasons, not all mothers can nurse their babies. Here are three of the most common nursing problems and a way to solve each one of them.
Sore nipples – Sore nipples can really get in the way when mothers try to nurse their babies. Sore nipples can be caused by incorrect breastfeeding position, latch-on problems, or nursing pad use.
Baby ears, shoulders and hips should line up during breastfeeding. That means her tummy somewhat faces yours and she does not need to turn her face when feeding. When she latches on, her mouth should cover about one and a half inches of your areola. Make sure the baby is always at the breast level. Babies gain weight fast and soon may be heavy to hold. Use a nursing pillow for support. As for the nursing pads, use the breathable-type, cotton pads.
Engorged breasts – When you begin to produce milk your breasts engorge and become tender. Try to nurse your baby more often so that your breasts would less likely to engorge. If your breasts are still painful, try a warm compress and massage tender areas on your breast to improve milk flow. Hand-express milk a little prior to breastfeeding. It does help in diminishing engorged breasts. You and your baby can then be at ease during breastfeeding.
Inadequate breast milk supply – You will know that you do not produce enough milk when you still need to bottle feed your baby. Milk supply becomes low when you do not nurse your baby on a regular basis. This is a common scenario in working or stressed-out mothers. Increase milk yield by eating foods such as asparagus, carrots, parsley, oatmeal, and peas. You also need to eat enough to promote milk production. Do not restrict your diet for now when you want to increase milk yield. Drink plenty of water as well.
Breastfeeding is an essential aspect of baby care. It does have major drawbacks like discomfit, pain and tender breasts that may truly frustrate you. However, it entails many benefits that you and your baby can have. That is why you should try every single way to nurse your baby with the most precious milk there is.
