3 Breastfeeding NIGHTMARES!

I don't want to scare any of you mom's-to-be.. but ALL nursing moms say that no matter how difficult it was to nurse, or how much you struggled in the beginning, it was ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT. I learned that nursing is NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PAINFUL. Soreness is normal, but should go away in a week or so. If its pain, then there's something more.

I never really spoke about my breastfeeding journey. I nursed Henry and now am nursing Emilia, but it was not easy. It was really tough with Henry (latch and thrush). Breastfeeding Emilia was easier, but not without its challenges (mastitis). No one ever talks about the potential AWFUL things associated with breastfeeding & I wish I had known so I would have been more diligent to AVOID these things from happened.

• POOR LATCH-  Henry had an awful latch.  I learned that breastfeeding is NOT supposed to be painful. It should have hit me around week 2, that the pain I was feeling was not normal.  I spent countless hours going to a lactation consultant, breastfeeding support group, searching Dr. Sears and La Leche League website for help. It was SO painful for him to latch, and I felt that he was not efficiently drinking milk because of his poor latch. Eventually I figured out that in addition to poor latch and cracked nipples, I had thrush. At about 4-6 weeks, it just clicked. Thankfully the babies grow big enough where all of a sudden, they just get it.  I was supposed to go back to work after 7 weeks, and I had set the goal that if we did not get the hang of nursing by that time, I would be ok with formula feeding. Henry caught on at 6 weeks & thrush went away, right before my short maternity ended. It was worth the journey and I am happy I was able to nurse him until he was 15 months old. My advice is STICK IT OUT and get help! You and your baby will eventually figure it out.

• Nipple THRUSH- Unfortunately you are at higher risk for thrush if baby had antibiotics (Henry got some in the NICU) and/or you have cracked and sore nipples. Thrush is a yeast infection of the nipples, super painful and super annoying to get rid of. With thrush, you have sharp shooting pains during feedings/letdowns, pink tender nipples that hurt even when you are wearing a bra. I could only wear loose fit cotton nursing tanks. Even disposable nursing pads hurt, so I switched over to the bamboo reusable nursing pads (bamboobies). The super soft nursing pads were a lifesaver and I still use them today!! For treatment, I took grapefruit extract, probiotics, and a homemade version of Jack Newmans All Purpose Nipple Ointment - a mix of steroid, antifungal and antibiotic. (mix equal parts of: miconazole cream or clomitrazole cream, 2% bactroban ointment, betamethasone or hydrocortisone ointment). Henry ended up taking oral nystatin also. For more info: http://www.llli.org/faq/thrush.html

• MASTITIS - When an engorged duct is not relieved, it can quickly become mastitis. Mastitis is an infection of the milk duct, usually by Staph aureus, a bacteria that normally colonizes your skin. Emilia was an EXCELLENT nurser. Great latch from day 1 and very efficient at drinking her milk. Newborns nurse every 2-3 hours so your body produces milk in a pattern that is made for your baby. When Emilia was around 2 weeks old, my mom was helping us with the baby at nighttime and she let me get a full nights sleep in (6 hours). I woke up in pain and engorged. I tried feeding the baby, pumping all day, but to no avail. Around evening time, I started feeling dizzy, exhausted, got chills and a fever. I was basically bedridden.  My breast was engorged and super painful to touch. It was hot and red and NOTHING I did made it better. I called my OB in the morning and she prescribed me dicloxacillin. It took about 3 days of antiobiotcs and 1 week of rest before I felt normal again. . My advice is to continue night feeds! It sucks to have to wake up every 2-3 hours, but it really helps with your milk production & preventing engorgement. Think of it as baby bonding time, because it's not FOREVER!

Good luck!  Most of these issues are not a big concern once you hit the 6 month mark. YOU CAN MAKE IT THERE!!

All moms should strive to breastfeed and it should not be stressful. It should be nurturing and special time. It's a bond that ONLY a MOM and BABY  can develop. Don't get me wrong, both Henry and Emilia were supplemented with formula because of jaundice. and Henry had to undergo phototherapy in NICU for worsening breastmilk jaundice, So I know FED IS BEST. Fed is best, but Breast is More Best!