I am an advocate of breastfeeding, having breastfed my eldest for almost 28 months and now, breastfeeding my second.
Breastfeeding is not all a bed of roses. We always read about the benefits of breastfeeding, but nobody tells us what it truly entails. So, let me share with you my experiences on breastfeeding.
1. Breastfeeding is painful. At least during the first month and in the first few minutes of each feeding. When I gave birth to my eldest, I, of course, wanted to breastfeed her because of all the benefits it can offer. However, nobody told me that I would be in excruciating pain when she latched on. So, for every feeding, I had to squeeze the hubby's hands tight just to get through the first few minutes of latching. I was sure it was not a poor latch on my baby's part since she was always satisfied after, and she had very good weight gain. But, things got better after the first month. There was no more pain.
2. Breastfeeding can be messy. Once your milk production is up, your production will be more than what your baby requires, especially in the first few months. Always make sure you have breast pads. If you don't, all your clothes and underwear will be soaked with milk and turn hard and yellowish.
3. Breast milk is a magnet for ants. Make sure you clean every drop, whether you are nursing, expressing milk, or just preparing to feed through the bottle.
4. Breastfeeding can cause milk blister. If you do not express milk frequently, you are at risk for developing milk blisters. So, how do you know if you have it? You may notice a white "blob" under the skin of the nipple which then causes clogging of the ducts under this, leading to hardening of the breast. I had this with my eldest. But to prevent it from getting worse, I had to poke the milk blister with a sterile needle to release it and prevent any further clogging. This did relieve me of the pain of unexpressed milk.
5. Breastfeeding may cause sore nipples. My babies think of me as their personal "pacifier". Naturally, they latch on for prolonged periods, which eventually leads to sore nipples. So,how do I alleviate sore nipples? Try expressing a few drops of milk and applying it to the affected nipple. You can also apply lanolin to the affected nipple.
6. Wear a nursing bra. Nursing bras are there for a reason. It makes nursing infinitely easier.
7. Buy a nursing cover. Babies will nurse anytime, anywhere. It is best to bring along a nursing cover to maintain your modesty so babies can feed uninterrupted. Make sure to choose a nursing cover that will not suffocate your baby though.
8. Nursing blouse/dress does help a lot in helping to protect your modesty. They are a bit pricey though.
But, despite all these minor inconveniences and discomfort, I still chose to breastfeed my baby because the benefits it offers far outweigh the inconvenience . And once you get used to it, you will miss having your baby latch on when they finally stop breastfeeding.
Please check my other blog post on the benefits of breastfeeding below:
http://pedramusings.blogspot.sg/2014/02/breastfeeding-benefits-my-personal.html
Breastfeeding is not all a bed of roses. We always read about the benefits of breastfeeding, but nobody tells us what it truly entails. So, let me share with you my experiences on breastfeeding.
1. Breastfeeding is painful. At least during the first month and in the first few minutes of each feeding. When I gave birth to my eldest, I, of course, wanted to breastfeed her because of all the benefits it can offer. However, nobody told me that I would be in excruciating pain when she latched on. So, for every feeding, I had to squeeze the hubby's hands tight just to get through the first few minutes of latching. I was sure it was not a poor latch on my baby's part since she was always satisfied after, and she had very good weight gain. But, things got better after the first month. There was no more pain.
2. Breastfeeding can be messy. Once your milk production is up, your production will be more than what your baby requires, especially in the first few months. Always make sure you have breast pads. If you don't, all your clothes and underwear will be soaked with milk and turn hard and yellowish.
3. Breast milk is a magnet for ants. Make sure you clean every drop, whether you are nursing, expressing milk, or just preparing to feed through the bottle.
4. Breastfeeding can cause milk blister. If you do not express milk frequently, you are at risk for developing milk blisters. So, how do you know if you have it? You may notice a white "blob" under the skin of the nipple which then causes clogging of the ducts under this, leading to hardening of the breast. I had this with my eldest. But to prevent it from getting worse, I had to poke the milk blister with a sterile needle to release it and prevent any further clogging. This did relieve me of the pain of unexpressed milk.
5. Breastfeeding may cause sore nipples. My babies think of me as their personal "pacifier". Naturally, they latch on for prolonged periods, which eventually leads to sore nipples. So,how do I alleviate sore nipples? Try expressing a few drops of milk and applying it to the affected nipple. You can also apply lanolin to the affected nipple.
6. Wear a nursing bra. Nursing bras are there for a reason. It makes nursing infinitely easier.
7. Buy a nursing cover. Babies will nurse anytime, anywhere. It is best to bring along a nursing cover to maintain your modesty so babies can feed uninterrupted. Make sure to choose a nursing cover that will not suffocate your baby though.
8. Nursing blouse/dress does help a lot in helping to protect your modesty. They are a bit pricey though.
But, despite all these minor inconveniences and discomfort, I still chose to breastfeed my baby because the benefits it offers far outweigh the inconvenience . And once you get used to it, you will miss having your baby latch on when they finally stop breastfeeding.
Please check my other blog post on the benefits of breastfeeding below:
http://pedramusings.blogspot.sg/2014/02/breastfeeding-benefits-my-personal.html
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