World Breastfeeding Week 2019: First Week Breastfeeding Problems You Need To Know About And Ways To Tackle Them

Hey! Are you going to be a mom soon? Congratulations. But remember that your little bundle of joy would bring a lot of responsibilities along one of which is breastfeeding. As a new mother, you are supposed to face several problems related to breastfeeding your child, especially in the first week. Here are some common problems with effective solutions from our experts.

Problem 1: Breastfeeding is painful

Pain while breastfeeding is very common with first-time mothers. As you are to breastfeed your baby every two hours or so, it may aggravate the pain if you have sore & tender nipples.

Solutions

1. Check if your baby is latching properly or not. Your infant might not be latching properly which is why you are experiencing pain during breastfeeding. 

2. Change breastfeeding position: Don’t just feed in a regular position, try different positions like cross-cradle, laid-back, lying-down hold, etc. to ease the pain.

3. Soothe the nipples. Another way to get relief is by applying cold hydrogel pads on the nipples. These are ideal for nipple healing.

Problem 2: Child is not latching properly

Generally, premature babies suffer from this issue of not being able to latch properly. Or babies whose mother have inverted or flat nipples find it har to latch.

Solutions

1. Visit a breastfeeding specialist to get yourself and your child checked. The doctor would be able to diagnose the real problem and suggest provide solutions.

2. Use nipple formers to draw our flat or inverted nipples and better breastfeeding process.

3. Hold your baby differently in a relaxed manner to help him reach out to your breast and latch properly.

Also Read: World Breastfeeding Week 2019: Step By Step Guide On How To Breastfeed A Baby

Problem 3: Insufficient breast milk

In the initial weeks, you would produce less breast milk as your body needs time to adopt hormonal changes. Don’t panic as milk production will increase slowly. 

Solutions

1. Feed only when your child is hungry and not by any schedule. Your baby would need to be fed every two hours in the first few weeks. This would eventually escalate milk production.

2. The initial days would be tiring where you won’t get time to look after yourself. Try to eat healthily and timely. Do not skip meals otherwise you won’t be able to provide necessary nourishment to your newborn.

Also read: Common Difficulties while Breastfeeding

Problem 4: Overproduction of milk

In some cases, women have suffered from the milk oversupply problem. This also makes their breasts sore and painful. However, this problem would last a few days only until your hormones settle down.

Solutions

1. Express only a little amount of milk during the start to control the force of milk.

2. It is better to feed in the laid-back or cradle position to control the flow of milk. This would help an infant to drink in moderation.

3. You can use a milk collection shell to collect the extra milk and catch any leaks.

4. If you face this problem even after a few weeks, see a lactation consultant. They would give you the best advice.

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