Shortly after my son was born, I remember coming to the realization that, despite persistent myths otherwise, breastfeeding is not easy. It took me months of discomfort before I learned that my son was not gaining the appropriate amount of weight because he was not latching correctly to my breast when nursing.
In hindsight, I had several indicators that something wasn’t right. I had persistent back pain for straining to hold my son to my breast, my nipples were sore, nursing my son took a very long time, and he was ready to eat again a short time later. All of the aforementioned should have prompted me to seek assistance earlier, but I somehow felt that I should intuitively know how to breastfeed my child. That feeling of embarrassment, and perhaps sleep deprivation, made me delay in finding a solution.
Once I sought the advice of a lactation consultant, I realized that I had never learned the appropriate latching technique. After my son and I mastered latching, my breastfeeding was no longer painful and the aliments that plagued me disappeared. I felt such enormous relief, but I also felt a sense of guilt for not remedying sooner. As a mother it is easy to feel that we must know everything there is to know about feeding and taking care of our children, but in reality and as with all things, there is a learning curve.
Unfortunately, after months of incorrect breastfeeding, my breast milk supply was depleted and the only solution was a constant regiment of frequent pumping to stimulate my production. It took some time, but regular pumping eventually worked and my milk production increased. I wish that I would have had the Devyn Bag http://www.thedevynbag.com/ at that time, as it would have been a godsend in preserving and storing my excess breast milk throughout the day.
The truth is that breastfeeding is fantastic on virtually all levels. It creates a one-of-kind bond between you and your baby. It provides your infant with the highest level of nutrients and helps foster a strong immune system. However, breastfeeding does not come naturally to all women. Some of us have to work on it, but breastfeeding is unquestionably worth any challenges that you might encounter.
Embrace Your MOMentum!
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