Breastfeeding dilemma.....?

Question

I am pregnant and looking forward to breastfeeding once my baby is born. I have been reading a lot of information about it and it is starting to seem scary and hard with all the possible things that they say can go wrong. I just wanted to know if any women out there have actually had a really hard time breastfeeding. I don't think that it will be that complicated but I know it isn't as easy as my husband thinks it is. He thinks you offer the breast, baby nurses and all is well.

Answer 1

Breastfeeding is something you have to learn while doing it. I breastfed all 3 of my children....1st one for 2yrs, 2nd one for 1yr., and my 3rd one for 1 yr. Some babies latch on easily, but most babies also have to take time to learn. Once they get it, they will do great. It might seem tough at times, but believe me, it's such a special bond you will create with your baby and every bit of work is worth it. My experiences with breastfeeding were absolutely wonderful!! You can do it, just believe in yourself. Congratualtions!

Answer 2

It is new and challenging in the beginning for a lot of us. You think, stick your baby up to your breast and that's it. It can become complicated since that really isnt the case for a lot of babies. Some babies are apparently born with the sucking reflex (like my daughter, who's problem was letting GO), where others apparently have a 'weak suck'. No need to give up though, you just need to work around it. You'll also get a LOT of very poor information, like if your baby isn't gaining 'enough' than your body can't produce enough so give formula. That's wrong, but many nurses/Dr's will say it. You'll hear some saying to give bottles right after birth so they don't lose any weight, that is wrong as well. It's completely normal for babies to lose 5-10% of their birthweight before starting to regain again. That's because in the first few days women don't produce milk, only colostrum which is enough for your baby but doesnt make them gain weight. You can get sore/cracked nipples that are really uncomfortable for the first week up to a month, but it passes so you sorta have to 'suck it up' until the pain goes away. Putting on Lansinoh cream helps alot, at least it did for me. You'll get some telling you breastfeeding is disgusting, or isn't enough for baby, or who knows what so you feel even more unsure of yourself. It can be draining on you emotionally, when it should be the most exciting thing in your life. You are literally giving part of yourself to your baby so they can grow up big and strong. You have to be strong and get through all that. These are just some of the things that CAN happen, not that they will, but it's nice to be aware of them beforehand. I never gave it a second thought, just knew I would breastfeed, and so when the problems came I was blown away by them and was a bit depressed for a while. Finally worked through it, and got to disregard anyone telling me it was weird I was breastfeeding, or my baby was starving, or whatever crap some can throw at you as a new mom, and continued until my girl was 13mths. She's turning two next Sun, and I'm so happy I gave her such a great start to life. You will be too with your baby. Good luck.

Answer 3

For some women, it IS as easy as your husband thinks...they are also usually the ones who thought ahead and took a bf'ing class and attended a La Leche League meeting *before* the baby arrived.

I was not one of those women.

I had a really hard time in the beginning, I had cracked nipples, thrush, my baby had reflux, I had over-active let down, nothing seemed to go my way.

But I made it.

Even if it's hard, the problems are not insurmountable. There is a solution for almost every breastfeeding problem, especially if you have a good support network.

Some of the best things you can do to ensure an easy nursing relationship is 1. let baby nurse within the first hour or two of birth, 2. SEE nursing in person before baby arrives and ask lots of questions of nursing mothers and 3. Have the number of an IBCLC (international board certified lactation consultant) or your La Leche League leader's number on hand.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Answer 4

I do agree, time helps with breastfeeding. I breastfed my daughter (now 3 nearly 4) and I only got to 10 days after she was born. Sore boobs, cracked bleeding nipples, engorgement, and tiredness all contibuted, oh and being a first time mother, plus my daughter had a hard time attatching to the breast, and I just couldn't cope.
I had my son 10.5 months ago and I was sleeping better and he was a sleeper, and a good feeder and it still took about 2-3 months before we got it good. I did find that having a shower as early in the moring as possible can set up your milk supply for the day and how easy it is for your baby to access. Now it doesn't matter whether it is midnight, or 5am, or 3pm we have got it together.
Persevere, but if it gets too hard you can't cope, or you don't like it, let it go and formula feed, my daughter is a beautful little angel and was bottle fed. My son is also an angel and is breastfed, it doesn't matter. I just find that at the same age I am a little closer to my son then I was to my daughter, but my girl is a daddy's girl anyway.
There is a lot that can go wrong, but remember there is so much more that can go right. It helps bonding with your baby, reduces the risk of breast cancer, helps to reduce your uterus after birth and decreases the length of post natal bleeding. It is free, perfect temp all the time, you don't have to be up at midnight washing and steralizing your boobs (trust me on that one, I lost so much sleep bottle feeding my daughter becuse of bottles), No insulated carriers to keep milk from spoiling, no getting a shop keeper or waitress to heat up a bottle while out to lunch. I have done it both ways and once you get the nack of breastfeeding it is so much easier. Try and do it, listen to your midwives, if all else fails see a lactation consultant and get as much help as possible. If you like it you will love it.

Answer 5

I truly looked forward to breastfeeding, researched it extensively; had even read all of LLL's "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding." I was fully aware of how difficult it could be for some women but still had rose colored glasses that told me it would be easy for me and my child. My son had other plans. He refused to latch so we had to supplement with formula from day one. Each feed would go something like this...

I would put him to the breast, he'd try to suck, not be able to, I'd switch him around etc., he'd start screaming, I'd keep trying to position him the right way, he'd keep trying to eat or would be pushing me away until we were both crying and miserable. This usually lasted 20-30 minutes, when I'd hand him off to my husband for a bottle and I'd go attach myself to the pump. When I was done it was almost time to start the whole process again. Oh, throw in a lovely case of thrush, which feels like someone slicing your nipples with a razor blade, and the entire process was one of the most miserable of my life. Both my son and I were totally stressed out and I swear I spent most of the day crying.

I went to three or four lactation consultants, rented a hospital pump, had all the doo-dads for breastfeeding, tried nipple shields (torture devices!) etc. before finally throwing in the towel at almost two weeks. Then one day I just decided to try it again ... did I mention how much I had looked forward to breasfeeding before he was born? :)

I don't know what we did differently, I don't know what happened, all of a sudden he just did it, correctly. Of course, by that point my milk supply had diminished and it never did get up to where it would sustain him fully, so I always supplemented with formula, but he did get quite proficient at breastfeeding and it did become as rewarding an experience as I had hoped.

So, if I were you, I'd plan on breastfeeding as you had hoped, just be aware that it may not be a smooth ride. If it is a difficult ride rest assured that it will be a wonderful experience once you get through the initial difficulty. I would also get your hubby to read as much literature as possible so that he too understands that it might not be the easy scenario that he's picturing. I never would have made it without the support of my husband.

Congratulations and good luck.

Answer 6

Breastfeeding may be a little hard to do at first, but the complications do not outweigh the benefits to you and the baby. I have a 3 month old and I wouldn't do it any other way. When other moms are getting up late at night to make a bottle, I'm just rollin' over and whipping out a boob. Neither one of us has to even wake up all the way.
Also, there are so many health benefits to your baby. Some of the vitamins, minerals, and immunities in breastmilk can only be found in breastmilk. It's also easier on you baby's digestive system. It takes 2 hrs to digest breastmilk and 4+ to digest formula.
Sorry to be longwinded, but my final point is that breastfeeding is great!! I would recommend that you at least give it a try.


P.S. If you end up choosing formula it doesn't make you a bad mom.

Answer 7

Yes, it can be challenging but so rewarding! The challenge, really is in the beginning. It's very important that you ask for a lot of help in making sure your baby latches on correctly to save yourself sore, bleeding nipples. Also, there are great lanolin products and other products that literally save you from getting sore nipples, invest in it. Also, after the shower when you get out, rub your nipples a little with your towel, this sounds weird and actually rubbing your nipples can cause contractions but if you do this before your baby comes it will toughen them up. If you can get your baby to latch on correctly and if you nurse often, you will get the hang of it and things should go well. My second baby and I developed thrush, that was a nightmare! I had to go off sugar and do some things naturally because nothing else worked, so there are those things that can happen that make nursing very difficult. I pushed through that and all went well. I've nursed all 4 of my children and the 3rd and 4th were a breeze but I'd learned and experienced a great deal by then so don't be afraid to ask and get help when trying to breastfeed.

Answer 8

Take your time, breastfeeding is a personal decision. I nursed my oldest and nursed twins for two weeks after they were born. It's harder to nurse two at once than it is to nurse one. Some babies are born sucking their fingers. Nursing is the best thing you could do for your baby and even if you don't nurse the whole time that first milk is the best.
Tell hubby some babies naturally latch on and some don't.
What is it your afraid of? How are you gonna have the baby? Naturally or c-section? Or will ya be have an epidural?
I had all mine naturally without the aid of drugs. I personally didn't want the aide of drugs. They asked and I declined. The reason I asked is because some babies are a little sluggish if you have the drugs. Just be wise in what you do. Good luck to you and your hubby.

Answer 9

I'm in agreement with your husband. I never had so much as sore nipples, despite having had them for much of my pregnancy.

Your baby will know what to do even if you don't!

Do keep yourself away from misinformation (on Yahoo! Answers, from hospital nurses, etc etc), and do know where you can turn for help if you need it, but.

You're a mammal. This is nothing new for the species. It used to be that women just did it and got on with it without a lot of fuss. They still can. I reached a point of breastfeeding information saturation while pregnant, and thought: What on earth am I doing? I'm making myself a bit neurotic. This is NOT that complicated. And it wasn't. "No, I never had any problems," said my mother, too (I'm the oldest of four; I grew up with breastfeeding being (1) normal, (2) simple).

http://www.drjacknewman.com/ and http://kellymom.com/ are my favourite sites for breastfeeding info. If you insist on doing a bit more reading, get "Dr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding" (in Canada, aka "The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers" in the US) -- BS and neurosis-free info.

All that said, your husband should at least be hovering around ready to pass you a glass of something cold. It is work. Pleasant work, to be sure, but work.

Answer 10

I think you should stop reading then! I've been breastfeeding for eleven months. It didn't hurt after the first two weeks and besides a few clogged ducts, I've had no problems, no mastitis, no cracked nipples. None of that. Sometimes people put out the worst case scenario just so you're prepared, but it ends up scaring you instead. Stop reading, I suggest. You might be scared out of the greatest relationship ever, not to mention the health benefits.