Breast Feeding Problem Solutions and Help

Breast Feeding Problem Solutions and Help

I'm nursing my third baby, and I have had experience with several common breast feeding problems. Some women sail through nursing their kids with ease, having no breast feeding problems at all, and others, well, are not so lucky. Breast feeding is healthy for mothers and babies, though, and there are ways to combat a breast feeding problem you may encounter.

Breast feeding problem #1: Engorgement.

Engorgement is when your breasts swell and feel very hard, even like there are rocks in them. Women who choose not to nurse will experience this after their baby is born. Women who do choose to breast feed may experience this a few days after baby is born when their milk 'comes in.' The best solution to this breast feeding problem is to nurse often, and express milk by hand or with a pump if your breasts are stll very full after nursing.

Breast feeding problem #2:

Sore or cracked nipples. This breast feeding problem often occurs within the first few days of nursing and may last a few weeks as you and your baby adjust to nursing. Use a pure lanolin ointment, like lansinoh, and keep your breast clean and dry to prevent infection.

Breast feeding problem #3:

Sore breasts. If your breast is sore, this breast feeding problem may either be a plugged duct or mastitis. Mastitus is an infection that will require antibiotics, usually accompanied by a fever. A blocked duct is best alleviated by frequent nursing. It helps to massage the breast to encourage milk flow through all the ducts, and change nursing positions (cradle hold, football position, side lying position) at least twice in a twenty-four hour period.

Breast feeding problem#4:

Low milk supply. Simple ways to alleviate this breast feeding problem are frequent nursing -- every 2 hrs, during the day, and every 3 to 4 hours during the night (wake baby to feed if you need to)., drinking plenty of water and eating healthy food and an adequate calorie intake, using a breast pump in addition to feeding to stimulate milk supply, and taking the herb fenugreek (2 capsules 3 times daily).

Breast feeding problem #5:

Baby not gaining adequate weight. This breast feeding problem is tricky, because doctors, lactation consultants, and nutritionists all seem to say something different. Lactation consultants might say nurse baby more frequently, and doctors might say supplement with formula. Discuss with a health professional you feel most comfortable with. If your baby is under four months old, and you suspect you have a low milk supply, you can use something called a supplemental nutrition system (little tubes that give the baby formula at the same time you are nursing) until your milk supply is adequate. If your baby is over 4 months old, starting cereal/solid foods in addition to breast milk may be the way to solve this breast feeding problem.

Visit a local breast feeding support group (many hospitals and community centers now offer them, free), talk to a lactation consultant, or visit the La Leche League for more information.

Amy Finley is a freelance journalist for Pulse Media International and mother of three. To find out more about Amy Finley, contact her, or find links to more of her articles on Pulse Media, please visit her 'Best Place for Moms' blog at http://bestplaceformoms.blogspot.com/.

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