Lactation Doesn’t Always Come Easy – Lactation Consultant
Lactation is a biological function of human females. Accordingly, you would expect breastfeeding to be simple and straightforward, right? Well, for some mothers, it is. But for many mothers, quite a few different problems make the act difficult. Despite such difficulties, it’s absolutely fundamental for you to nourish your newborn in this way.
Formula won’t be nearly so healthy for your child’s development in both the short term and the long term. Also, breastfeeding is much more healthy for you—here’s an article on associated benefits for both mother and child as regards breastfeeding.
In this writing, we’re going to go over a few different issues new mothers tend to have with breastfeeding. You may deal with some of these, you may deal with none of these, but know there is help for when you need it.
So, we will discuss the probable situations when you may want to visit a lactation consultant:
1. Excessively Sore Paps
If you’ve never breastfed before, get ready for sore nipples. There’s no dancing around it. Your nipples are going to be very sensitive until they “toughen up”, which they will in the fullness of time. However, this soreness can be so impactful, if you don’t do something to assuage the pain, it could seriously impact your ability to nurse.
There are a few things you can do, one of the best being using petroleum jelly as a means of metering the pain, and pumping breastmilk when your nipples are too uncomfortable for traditional nursing. Certainly, this isn’t ideal, but it’s better than feeding your child with formula.
2. Clogged Milk Ducts
Clogged milk ducts can result from all manner of issues. They could be a result of the way the baby latches, the sort of clothes you’re wearing, or the times during which you nurse.
Sometimes you can “adjust” things to fix the issues, sometimes your best move is to see a Lactation Consultant. There are a variety of different solutions, so whatever you do, don’t panic.
3. Production Issues
Sometimes you’re not producing milk, and that’s the issue rather than some sort of clog. Production problems may have to do with your diet, they could have to do with your overall healthcare, or they could be an indicator of a serious condition. It’s hard to know without a little help from Lactation Consultant who understands lactation intimately.
4. Failure To Latch
Don’t feel bad if you’re having latching issues right off the bat. Your baby has never eaten anything in his life, and you’ve never had to nurse a baby before. There are a number of different ways you can hold the little tyke, and there are a number of features that can impact latching.
Maybe he doesn’t have enough of your breast in his mouth, maybe he’s on there sideways. Sometimes the baby is latched, but you’ve got a clogged milk duct. Sometimes there’s a medical issue with the baby that requires attention by Lactation Consultant.
5. Getting Help You Need When You Need It
Working with a healthcare lactation consultant can help you get over notable issues that often make nursing a real nightmare. Several common issues new mothers have to include sore paps, clogged milk ducts, issues in production (both engorged and under-filled breasts), and failure to latch.
You’re going to have things happen as a new mom which are unexpected, and which make it hard for you to carry on. However, with a little help from Lactation Consultants in breastfeeding, at minimum you can get past associated hangups. For other mothering issues, it can be a good idea to find a parental support group, and lean on friends or family members.
