Breastfeeding myths, truths, and tips.
Common Breastfeeding Myths
It’s World Breastfeeding Week! Most of us are familiar with the benefits of breastfeeding (which would be an entire blog post in itself), but you might be surprised by a few common myths about it.
Common Myth 1: How you give birth has no affect on breastfeeding.
If only this were true! But your labor and delivery process can have a lot of implications on your breastfeeding relationship with your baby. IV fluids, pain medications and even certain positions babies can be in during labor and/or delivery can impact breastfeeding. You can’t always control the things that happen during the birth process but you can learn about it in advance and meet with a lactation consultant who can provide you with guidance specific to your situation.
Common myth 2: A natural birth means I’ll have no issues with breastfeeding.
As someone who gave birth naturally yet still struggled to breastfeed her first baby, I know firsthand that this is false. The birth process itself is not the ONLY thing that affects breastfeeding. If you’re planning to have a natural birth, it’s still vital that you educate yourself on breastfeeding and find resources in your area, should you need them.
Common myth 3: Breastfeeding will always be painful until your nipples “toughen up.”
Please don’t be the person that perpetuates this lie! Can breastfeeding be uncomfortable at first? Yes! Should it be highly painful and lead to cracked nipples? No! No, it shouldn’t. If you cringe through every breastfeeding session, reach out to a local support group and lactation consultant for help. Receiving help doesn’t mean you’re a bad mom or that you’ll never figure me out this mom thing on your own. It does mean however that you’re strong for knowing when to seek help and understanding that support is always something that can benefit a mom.
Make sure you prepare yourself for breastfeeding by learning the truths about it! The comprehensive childbirth class I teach includes an AMAZING breastfeeding class taught by a fantastic IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant). It is a must have for new moms or moms new to breastfeeding, and reason 638,847,902 why you should take the class!
Addressing Breastfeeding Issues with Chiropractic Care
Certain breastfeeding issues can be the result of tightness in a baby’s neck or jaw, or having limited range of motion in their neck. These things can manifest for baby into difficulty latching or maintaining a deep latch throughout a breastfeeding session, preferring certain sides, becoming easily irritated in certain nursing positions, or for mom sore nipples, engorgement, etc. Regardless of the root issue or the symptom, the result is almost always pain and frustration for both mom and baby.
A great, and often underutilized, way to address some breasting issues is through chiropractic care. Chiropractic adjustments can help babies increase range of motion and decrease tightness in their neck and jaw. Adjustments also enable babies to move freely without discomfort and with full and equal range of motion on both sides of their body. These benefits give babies the freedom needed to establish strong breastfeeding habits. Chiropractic adjustments on newborns and infants are so gentle, they can be done while baby sleeps and even while they are still in their car seat. (Yes, the baby in this picture is getting adjusted!)
Dr. Evan at Atlas Chiropractic is an amazing resource for families local to the Charlottesville area. If you’re pregnant or the mom of an infant that has any breastfeeding challenges, reach out to his office today! 434-872-9440 or info@atlaschiropractic.org
Breastfeeding Tips
Take a breastfeeding course: Mama - take the class! You can access Birth Boot Camp’s online breastfeeding class for just $50 and you’ll have access to it for a full 12 months. Message me for more details!
Find a local lactation consultant and schedule an appointment with her as soon as your little one is born. Consultants at the hospital are great, but you’ll want someone to come to your home when you’ve been flying solo for a few days, who can spend plenty of time working with you and your unique situation.
Find a local support group and learn from the mamas who have been there and done that. Aren’t sure where to find one? Message me and I’m happy to help!
Remember, it’s called breastfeeding, not nipple feeding, for a reason: Your nipple is not a bullseye! A common mistake for first time breastfeeding moms is to try to center their babies’ mouths over their nipple and let them suck primarily from the nipple itself. Doing this is what so often leads to painful breastfeeding because the nipples can more easily get pinched and irritated. Instead, think “nose to nipple.” Pulling baby toward you so that their nose is level with your nipple allows baby to get a greater amount of your breast and lower areola in their mouth, helping them to establish a deeper latch.
Help your baby unlatch if it isn’t right and how to unlatch without any pain: While the vast majority of my breastfeeding journey was really great, the first six weeks of breastfeeding my first child were very difficult. Part of the reason that was the case is because my daughter’s latch was shallow and that created a lot of pain for me. Several times during a breastfeeding session I would need to take her off my breast so she could get a better, deeper latch. But have you ever tried to take a baby off of your breast while they are actively sucking? Wow - does it hurt! This is because suction they are able to create with their tongue between their mouth and your breast is incredibly strong. The good news is there’s an easy solution for avoiding the pain of taking a baby off your breast mid-feed. The next time you need to help your baby re-latch, place your (clean!) pinky finger in the corner of her mouth and gently push down on her bottom lip. This will release the suction and allow you unlatch without any pain! For those of us with children who take some time to learn to latch properly, this tip can be a game changer. It was for me, and I hope it’s helpful for you too!
Your story doesn’t have to be her story: I have to be honest - and stick with me here - over the course of World Breastfeeding Week (and in general), I have probably read more negative accounts of breastfeeding than I have positive. Even though I know plenty of women who have loved their nursing experiences, those stories haven’t been as quick to pop up on my feed. I can’t help but wonder how pregnant and new-to-breastfeeding moms who have read some some of those accounts are feeling and what effect it might have on their outlook toward nursing. While I pray that hasn’t been what you’ve experienced this week, if it has, know that’s only part of the story. And it doesn’t have to be yours. I promise you, there are many, many women who have beautiful and amazing and sweet and empowering and joyful and fulfilling breastfeeding journeys. And you can too! Now does that discount those that don’t? Not at all! Those stories are real and deserve to be shared. What I pray you take away from this is simply that just because some women have difficult breastfeeding journeys does not mean you will. You don’t have to walk into breastfeeding with gloves on, ready to fight through it. You can start your own journey with hopeful expectations and a healthy respect for the beautiful complexity of breastfeeding a child.
If breastfeeding is your goal, be encouraged! Every journey is different and I pray your story is one of ease and joy!