Overcoming Baby Feeding Challenges
I鈥檓 a Sisterhood of Motherhood sponsored blog partner, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.
Glancing down at my 37 week pregnant belly, memories and feelings relating to my first child’s birth come flooding through my mind. To be completely honest, the first few weeks of motherhood were some of the hardest of my life. Don’t get me wrong, the love I felt for my son was unlike anything I’d ever experienced; but this didn’t take away from the fact that the adjustment period was a personal challenge. Being a planner, I felt lost not having a set schedule. My son wouldn’t sleep for more than an hour at a time, his colicky cries were heart wrenching, the baby blues empowered my emotions, and worst of all, breastfeeding did not come easy.
Being a naive new mother, it had never occurred to me that breastfeeding didn’t come naturally to all. For the first few weeks of my son’s life, many tears were shed in relation to breastfeeding. I vividly remember holding my screaming son in my arms with tears rolling down my cheeks – I knew he was hungry, but despite my best efforts, breastfeeding just wasn’t clicking.聽To be honest, I was completely devastated – would I still be a good mother if I didn’t breastfeed?
Sobbing to my mother, I expressed my breastfeeding concerns and frustrations. It was then that my whole outlook on parenting changed. Plain and simple she advised me, “Do what works best for YOU. All babies are different – what works for one baby doesn’t always work for another. Find what works for YOUR baby.” I had forgotten what was most important – MY baby. I quickly began to explore many different feeding avenues and through trial and error found a couple of solutions that really helped me to overcome my own baby feeding challenges.
Overcoming Baby Feeding Challenges
1. For engorged breasts, use cold compresses. Take ibuprofen to help with the inflammation.
2. To help boost milk supply, apply heat to breasts. Stand in the shower facing the stream of warm water. You can also try using warm wash cloths and heating packs.
3. Get a nipple shield.
4. Try different feeding positions – the football hold, side-lying, etc.
5. For cracked/sore nipples, apply a lanolin cream. You can also try rubbing some of your breast milk on your nipples.
For the first 5 months of my son’s life, I pumped and bottle fed. When he turned 5 months, something miraculous happened – he started refusing a bottle and would only breastfeed. With the help of a nipple shield, he was able to learn how to latch properly. During the following months, my milk started drying up and I started supplementing with formula. And you know what? I was perfectly okay with that – I was doing what worked best for me and my baby. That’s what I love about Similac’s The Sisterhood of Motherhood Campaign. Despite our difference of opinions (such as how we choose to feed our babies) we are all united in one cause; parents trying to do what’s best for our babies.
Let’s set aside our differences and judgments and join with Similac to offer parents words of encouragement. After all, we are all learning and growing together.
What is the best baby feeding advice you’ve received?
Similac partnered with bloggers such as me for its Sisterhood of Motherhood Program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. Similac believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Similac鈥檚 policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.
This is a great article for any new mom. When I had my first baby, I was a mess when it came to feeding and all of my boob discomfort.
These are some really great tips. I remember how scared I was of nursing and how challenging it was at first.
Your pictures are so cute! You’re making my uterus ache! LOL Seriously though, I tried breastfeeding but it didn’t work for me.
The best baby feeding advice I received is to be patient. It wall works out in the end.
These are some great tips. I had feeding challenges with my oldest son.
OH I so remember those days. Patience patience and patience and being able to relax and have snacks and water within reach was so important for me when breastfeeding my boys. Love all your tips thanks for sharing
I did not breast feed. These sound like great solutions.
Whoever got me the soothies gel pads is my hero. Those helped me so much!
I have breast fed all three of my children. My first was not so easy, but we got the hang of it. Great post!
Such great photos. Since I am not a birth mother, can’t really comment on the breast feeding issue. But, I can comment on the “what works for others” issues. When you are new at anything, it is easy to dive right in to trying what works for others because it is right there in front of us. It’s the easy way. When it doesn’t work for us we become frustrated and question all the why’s without realizing that we are all different and unique. No moms are the same just like no babies are the same. Trial and error for many.
Oh how I love that advice to just do what’s best for you!! That’s advice to keep close to the heart. 馃檪
You know, I don’t think I ever received any parenting advice, feeding or otherwise! 4 children later it’s all worked out. Trial and error! I’m expecting my first grandbaby now and this article is so great I’ll be fwd it on to my daughter. Thank You!
Those tips can help a lot of people. Problems like these seem to be really common!
I have heard that breast feeding can be quite challenging for some. Thankfully, I didn’t have much trouble at all!
What adorable pictures. It has been so long since I fed a baby so I can’t think of anything. I fed them formula from the day they were born.
Nipple shields are magical. I wasn’t able to bf for very long, but these helps when I did.
yes! I am so happy you mentioned a nipple shield. It totally saved me with breastfeeding and alleviated a lot of pain and stress. I feel like so many moms don’t know about or never hear about a nipple shield, it is hardly ever recommended.
The best advice I got the as to do what I felt was right and not listen to any negativity. I can’t believe the negatives I got while formula feeding and breastfeeding! Crazy to me
This is all really good advice. I have breast fed everyone of my children, and i am currantly breastfeeding my youngest.
I was so clueless when I first breastfed my child. I’m definitely appreciative of the advice I received along the way
The best advice I got was and give is to relax. If you can breastfeed that is great but if you can’t that is okay also.
I had the hardest time with breastfeeding. Then it turned out that my son couldn’t even have real milk!
The best advice was actually quite similar to what your Mom told you that you do what works! All babies arent the same, and although breastmildk is best (in my opinion for health reasons) it doesnt always work out.
I had mine eons before the internet I dont think new Moms realize how lucky they are with the wealth of info out there and networking.
This all sounds like really great advice. It has been so long that I don’t remember what advice I was given.
I never had any intention of breast feeding when I had my boys. They were both bottle fed from day one 馃檪