Nursing is a different experience for every mother and baby, so what works for one woman may not work for the next.
That said, there are plenty of time-tested techniques for improving milk flow, clearing blocked milk ducts, and more. Read on to find out how BabyCenter moms faced, and overcame, some of the most common breastfeeding challenges.
I attended a class offered at the hospital. It gave a lot of the basics along with the encouragement that if breastfeeding wasn't easy at first, baby and mom eventually would find their rhythm.
— R.L., Racine, Wisconsin
Don't watch the clock to see how often or how long your baby is nursing. Instead, go with your instincts. If your baby is rooting around or crying, then feed him or her — even if you just did.
— Gina Locke, Grapevine, Texas
Make sure your baby's mouth covers a large part of the underside of your nipple. I spent the first few weeks in a lot of pain because my baby wasn't latching on properly. What a difference the correction made!
— Heidi Hudson, Oakland, California
I'm a pediatrician mom of a 3-year-old whom I breastfed for eight months. My son was extremely hard to start: Despite making our first attempts (unsuccessful) in the first hour and knowing what to do, it took almost two days to get him latched on. In the interim, we finger-fed with an SNS (supplemental nursing system) and glucose water while I pumped to get my milk supply going. The SNS was a lifesaver. We finally hooked it to my breasts and were able to get him latched on by the third day.
— Dara Hogue, Cupertino, California
I used lanolin ointment
on my nipples faithfully morning and night and never experienced any
cracking or bleeding when I started nursing. My soreness was minimal,
and the ointment soothed my skin when it was chafed. I have very fair,
thin skin, so that was a wonderful tip for me! I included a tube with my
shower gift to a friend.
— Rachel L. Sarantopoulos, Dayville, Connecticut
I've been solely nursing my baby since birth and now, at 9 weeks, she's a big healthy baby. I had very sore latch-ons at the start, and I found that if I stayed ahead of her intense hunger I was better off. I would check on her around the time I thought she would be waking to eat and watch for tongue-sucking and lip-smacking in light sleep. If I put her to the breast when she showed early signs of hunger, she wouldn't suck as hard as when I waited until she was fully crying and really hungry.
— Kathy Kent-Knurek, Chicago
The best — and probably hardest — breastfeeding advice is to relax! Remember that you and your baby are learning.
— Sandy Kenniston, Green Bay, Wisconsin
When I had my daughter, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. Unfortunately, she didn't latch on right away, so I began supplementing with formula. Hospital staffers tried everything from round-the-clock attempts to pumping and inserting feeding tubes in the baby's mouth while I tried every nursing position known. The baby knew how to suck, but she just wasn't getting the knack of it. Finally, we tried the plastic breast shield. My baby was able to suck the large plastic nipple and draw the milk rather than search for my small nipple.
I had visions of using the shield from then on, but luckily I lost it and was forced to teach the baby to take my own nipple. I had to use a syringe to "pull" the nipple larger, but in time, thanks to the baby's suckling, my nipples conformed. The rewards for not giving up have been great!
Read more at http://www.babycenter.com/0_24-tips-from-breastfeeding-veterans_8478.bc
That said, there are plenty of time-tested techniques for improving milk flow, clearing blocked milk ducts, and more. Read on to find out how BabyCenter moms faced, and overcame, some of the most common breastfeeding challenges.
I attended a class offered at the hospital. It gave a lot of the basics along with the encouragement that if breastfeeding wasn't easy at first, baby and mom eventually would find their rhythm.
— R.L., Racine, Wisconsin
Don't watch the clock to see how often or how long your baby is nursing. Instead, go with your instincts. If your baby is rooting around or crying, then feed him or her — even if you just did.
— Gina Locke, Grapevine, Texas
Make sure your baby's mouth covers a large part of the underside of your nipple. I spent the first few weeks in a lot of pain because my baby wasn't latching on properly. What a difference the correction made!
— Heidi Hudson, Oakland, California
I'm a pediatrician mom of a 3-year-old whom I breastfed for eight months. My son was extremely hard to start: Despite making our first attempts (unsuccessful) in the first hour and knowing what to do, it took almost two days to get him latched on. In the interim, we finger-fed with an SNS (supplemental nursing system) and glucose water while I pumped to get my milk supply going. The SNS was a lifesaver. We finally hooked it to my breasts and were able to get him latched on by the third day.
— Dara Hogue, Cupertino, California
Video
10 tips for breastfeeding success
Watch a lactation consultant help a new mom learn how to breastfeed her baby.
— Rachel L. Sarantopoulos, Dayville, Connecticut
I've been solely nursing my baby since birth and now, at 9 weeks, she's a big healthy baby. I had very sore latch-ons at the start, and I found that if I stayed ahead of her intense hunger I was better off. I would check on her around the time I thought she would be waking to eat and watch for tongue-sucking and lip-smacking in light sleep. If I put her to the breast when she showed early signs of hunger, she wouldn't suck as hard as when I waited until she was fully crying and really hungry.
— Kathy Kent-Knurek, Chicago
The best — and probably hardest — breastfeeding advice is to relax! Remember that you and your baby are learning.
— Sandy Kenniston, Green Bay, Wisconsin
When I had my daughter, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. Unfortunately, she didn't latch on right away, so I began supplementing with formula. Hospital staffers tried everything from round-the-clock attempts to pumping and inserting feeding tubes in the baby's mouth while I tried every nursing position known. The baby knew how to suck, but she just wasn't getting the knack of it. Finally, we tried the plastic breast shield. My baby was able to suck the large plastic nipple and draw the milk rather than search for my small nipple.
I had visions of using the shield from then on, but luckily I lost it and was forced to teach the baby to take my own nipple. I had to use a syringe to "pull" the nipple larger, but in time, thanks to the baby's suckling, my nipples conformed. The rewards for not giving up have been great!
Read more at http://www.babycenter.com/0_24-tips-from-breastfeeding-veterans_8478.bc
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