Surviving the Early Days of Breast Feeding

Breast is best! That’s what they say, but truly, a fed baby is the best baby. I’m sure we’ve all heard how beautiful of a bonding experience breastfeeding can be. But, has anyone ever told you the specific struggles and rawness of breastfeeding? Did they tell you it might feel awkward initially? That you’d be getting up every few hours of the night to feed? Did they tell you that when your milk comes in your breasts will feel like they are about to burst (a.k.a engorgement)? Did they tell you that your nipples might crack and possibly scab over? And until they heal, every time your baby latches it feels like you’re being punctured by tiny needles? But don’t worry, these are all common issues. 

My daughter had tricked us into thinking she was an excellent nurser because she was feeding within an hour after birth and did so well with it the next few days in the hospital. But when we arrived home, breastfeeding soon became a struggle and all of the above was my reality. 

There is no way to make the first few weeks of breastfeeding completely painless and easy, but there are a few ways to ease the difficulty. The following are some tips I’ve gathered from my experience to make it through the early days:

• Relax. Caring for a baby is overwhelming and making sure that they have enough nourishment is anxiety-inducing. Everything is going to be okay. Your baby will get what he/she needs and you will heal. 
•  Pump when your milk comes in. And get your pump before you have your baby! I made the mistake of getting it a few days after delivery, so I manually extracted for hours the first night my milk came in. I don’t advise that, not even in the slightest. It is insane when your hormones are wild, when sleep is almost nonexistent, and then your milk comes full force. Pumping that extra milk your baby doesn’t drink immediately eases the tension (literally) and prevents you from getting mastitis, what all breastfeeding mamas dread. 
• Supplement. You may think that supplementing with formula will cause your baby to prefer formula to the breast or will cause nipple confusion. This is not true! Remember, a fed baby is the best baby. The goal is to have a baby who is getting enough milk to grow and develop. I had to supplement with formula when I got home because my milk supply ended up not being sufficient. But I didn’t want to give up breastfeeding, so I balanced both until she was about 6 months. Then once she started eating solids, my milk supply was enough because the solids made up for the formula. 
• Keep calm and use nipple cream. There are various nipples creams to help with the healing of your scabs and chapped nipples. I preferred to use virgin coconut oil. It can speed up healing, improve antioxidant levels and increase levels of collagen, a protein that helps in wound healing. It is also a moisturizer which is obviously essential when you’re dealing with chapped anything. You may also be familiar with lanolin, a common nipple cream. It’s natural, but did you know it is made of wool-grease that is secreted by sheep and other wool animals?  I may have gagged when I learned that ugly truth. And this is what the hospital provides you and sends you home with (in my experience anyway). Coconut oil isn’t a bodily secretion, it’s organic/vegan, and affordable so that’s why it’s my go-to.  
• See a lactation consultant. If you are struggling and feel like you are at a loss, find yourself a lactation consultant. If you are on WIC they are FREE. My lactation consultant was fabulous. She encouraged me to pump even if I didn’t have any milk. This would stimulate the breasts to produce more milk. So there was lots of pumping that went on since my milk supply struggled to meet the demand. She also helped me with my baby’s latch. We struggled with that- a lot. And she provided me a delicious recipe for lactation cookies that actually worked. If you make lactation cookies, know that brewers yeast is the same as nutritional yeast in these recipes. I was unaware. ???? 
• Let yourself cry. The emotions are High. It’s frustrating. Let it out. A good cry can be a needed release. And somehow you feel better afterwards. 
• Ask for help or take up those offers from loved ones who asked to help so you can rest. Research has shown that sleep aids our body in healing wounds. So the rest will feel like a dream, but will also help your body heal- nipples included. 
• Don’t give up or let your anxiety get the best of you. It gets easier. Your body is still healing. Once your nipples have healed, breastfeeding will most likely be smooth sailing. And if you struggle with it feeling awkward initially, it gradually feels more natural over time. Then your bond with your little one continues to grow one feeding at a time. I will confess that I didn’t fully enjoy breastfeeding until 6 months postpartum. That was when my baby finally seemed to enjoy it and our bond was able to blossom. I waited 6 months. Ladies, I am not trying to toot my own horn, but all I’m saying is that it can get better in most cases if you are patient! 
• Bottle-Feed 100% if you need. If breastfeeding is not an option for you, there is no shame! Your baby is still getting the calories and nutrients they need. Mom’s who bottle-feed sacrifice too e.g. cleaning bottle after bottle and preparing the formula to the perfect temperature every. single. time. – including at the crack of dawn. You can still form a bond with your bundle of joy when feeding them with a bottle. Having that time to interact and gaze into each other’s eyes can be such a beautiful bonding experience. I know, because I experienced it! Your partner can build their bond by feeding the baby too. If you want to learn more about bonding with baby while bottle feeding, click the link here. 

I know there are several other things you can do to make breastfeeding more comfortable. Your experience will not or has not been the same as mine, but this is what I have to offer based on my experience. Breastfeeding is not as peachy as I anticipated, but it is worth the sacrifice. Do you have any other ideas on how to ease the pain of breastfeeding? Message me and I’d love to hear [Facebook and Instagram (@eliselilaa)]. Or if you just want to chat about the struggles, I can be a listening ear and empathize! Remember, the most difficult things in life are usually the most rewarding. 

Have a breast day! ????

Elise

Elise Blaser lives in Southeast Idaho with her husband Zach, and beautiful one-year-old daughter, Violet. Before becoming a mom, she earned a bachelors degree in Business Management from ISU. She is passionate about humanity and has worked for two nonprofit organizations. She is currently a volunteer Crisis Counsellor for Crisis Text Line, where she helps texters navigate and cope with crisis. She has found a new hobby in writing, but has always loved music, exercise, anything sugar and sharing her life experiences to help uplift others.