I am breast feeding for the fourth time, which means, I suppose, that I am going into my 6th year of breastfeeding. I have spent these years learning a lot about nursing, I have talked with lots of women about it and the issues around it. I know how to solve lots of breastfeeding problems, I know what to expect, how to wean, how to night feed, how to feed in a sling. I have breast fed during pregnancy and tandem fed, I really do have a lot of breastfeeding 'experience'.
And despite this....
I have been struggling this time around. I have had agonizingly painful breasts. Dry, cracked, bleeding nipples. Baby Juliet has colic, She has wind, she fusses. I have NOT been enjoying breast feeding and have been dreading and cringing every time she needs to feed.
I have been breastfeeding for years, how is this possible!
So the other evening, after really coming to my wits end, I contacted my friend, who just happens to be a La Leche League leader. After a ten minute Facebook chat she and I concluded that my problems are simply Juliet's latch. Within hours and literally two or three feeds my problems disappeared. My nipples are nearly healed, breastfeeding is no longer painful.
So the other evening, after really coming to my wits end, I contacted my friend, who just happens to be a La Leche League leader. After a ten minute Facebook chat she and I concluded that my problems are simply Juliet's latch. Within hours and literally two or three feeds my problems disappeared. My nipples are nearly healed, breastfeeding is no longer painful.
I am totally committed to breastfeeding. I knew everything would sort itself out eventually. Still though, the fact remains that in spite of all my experience and all my knowledge my problem was simply a poor latch. This has really made me think.
What about the new mothers? What about the mothers new to breast feeding? What about the mothers who don't just happen to have a friend who is a La Leche League leader? In fact, what about the opposite, what about the mothers who are given poor advice about breastfeeding from people who lack true experience and knowledge?
No wonder it is so easy to stop breastfeeding. No wonder the breastfeeding rates are so low for babies older than six months.
Breastfeeding should be a pleasure, breastfeeding a newborn should be a pleasure. There are solutions to nearly every single problem. If you are being told otherwise you are talking to the wrong person.
And so, I am creating a Breastfeeding Resource page.
What are your recommended sites, groups, books etc. that give good breastfeeding advice and support?
Linking up with Small Town Simplicity today for Mindful Mothering Mondays
1 comment:
Brilliant post. And doesn't it show why and how we have such low breastfeeding rates? It's so easy to give up. If women could just understand that breastfeeding IS meant to be pleasurable then they could use that as a guide to work through their problems and challenges.
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