Every mom has a choice to make… whether they will nurse their baby or formula feed. There is no question that nursing is better for your baby. And, besides the obvious bonding benefit, the health benefit is huge. But, let there be no confusion… nursing is HARD.
There are lots of kinks that can be thrown at you when you do decide to nurse. First, if you decide to nurse your baby you must be determined because let me tell you that as soon as you decide you will nurse you will have a million problems and you will want to quit. I know I had friends who told me this and I thought okay, whatever, I am going to nurse my baby, I’ve made up my mind - it is the only way for me… and even I had thoughts of hanging it up!
Second, you need a good support system. This support can come from a good lactation consultant that you feel comfortable with, your mom or grandma, a close friend who has “been there, done that,” and/or your husband. And, the more supports you have the better! If you have people close to you who are telling you to give up or that it really doesn’t matter, you will certainly be tempted to quit. Luckily, I had a great support system. My mom, grandma, co-workers, and husband were all so supportive and helpful and were happy to listen when I was whining about the pain. They were there to lift me up and assure me I COULD do this when I was feeling drained.
Even with a good support system there are going to be days when you think you can’t go on. I know I had friends that said you must make up your mind to nurse at least two weeks no matter what. I would second that opinion now, but thinking back on the first three months of my baby’s life it took me longer than that to get comfortable and for the pain to subside. (Still I am not sure if the pain has stopped or if I have just gotten used to it!). I had a terrible time at first. The baby wouldn’t latch and I used a little cover to help him to latch for the first few days. I continued to try to get him to latch without it and eventually, after a couple of days, we were both more comfortable and he was latching without the aid of the cover. These covers are also great for women with inverted nipples.
After my milk came in and he was latching like a pro I thought the hardest part was over. Boy was I wrong! I had a clogged milk duct during weeks three and four. I wasn’t sure what it was at first, I just knew it still really, really hurt when I was nursing and I figured I would be used to it by then. I noticed a hard spot under the skin and after asking around and looking it up online I figured out it was a clogged duct. I kept doing the things they tell you to do, like pump, feed more often, apply moist heat, and massage but eventually my clogged duct got infected. I got an antibiotic and I felt relieved immediately. I just knew the hard part was over now. Wrong again. The baby got fussy and a little sick due to the antibiotics I was taking – that were safe for me to take while nursing. The pain did ease up though. Since then, I’ve had clogged ducts on and off, none that have required more antibiotics though. If I hadn’t of been determined I would have certainly quit by now. And, believe me, the thought crossed my mind more than once. But, each time I had that fleeting thought, I checked myself, assuring myself that it would be all worth it in the end. I would have a healthy, well adjusted child in the end.
There is still more to the story though, things they forget to tell you about this wonderful thing called nursing. Like the time you fall asleep nursing (you’ll most definitely be sleep deprived) and the baby latches to whatever he can find, leaving a big purple hicky on your body the next day. Or, the way that he will pull at your breast while you nurse, and you think your nipples will look like pulled taffy when he’s finished. And, that your bed will look like a crime scene from all the milk leaking and sweat you’ll secrete while your hormones adjust. And, finally, I thought I would be banished to the house forever because there was no way I would be comfortable nursing away from home. By the third week I did indeed nurse away from home and since then we’ve become pros! Nursing is natural – but it does not happen “naturally!” It is awkward at first and it takes time and patience to get the hang of it, much less become handy at feeding in different places all while wielding a baby and a cover.
In the end though, no matter how many horror stories you have to tell, if you are able to nurse you will not regret it. It is a marvelous experience to look into your baby’s eyes and know that you are giving him the nourishment that he needs. It is truly a miraculous thing. And, you’ll forget about all the hard times, if even for just a moment, when he looks into your eyes and smiles at you while he’s nursing. Your heart will melt and you’ll know in the end it was all worth it.