Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

You are bound and determined to make this nursing thing work, but frustrated because it’s not coming as easy as you thought. Don’t panic! It’s going to take you and your baby a few days to get this nursing thing straight.

The first thing you need to get over is that fact that- hello they lied because, yes it does so hurt! But trust me; it’s just for the first few days. Your nipples have to get used to it.  But when you first start nursing, your poor little nipples are going to be cracked and sore. Your baby will get over this and so will you.

Deciding between breast- and formula-feeding can be a huge struggle for many mothers. And when you work outside the home, there’s a whole new set of considerations. Will my boss be okay with it? Can I find a decent place to pump? Will I remember to bring my supplies to work every day? If you decide to breastfeed and have a career outside the home, the first thing you’ll need is determination. The second thing you need is a realistic look at what it’s like - not to discourage you, but to prepare you.

It can be really hard to get used to the idea of breastfeeding around other people. All through our lives we are taught that breasts are private and should not be shown to others. They are highly sexualized in the media and even our relationships are likely to promote them as private, sexual objects.

Once you have a baby, suddenly these sexual things become useful, even necessary parts of your body. Being mammals, we produce milk that is perfectly designed for our babies. It is perfectly natural and normal to breastfeed. Unfortunately society does not always see it that way.

While it would be nice to see breastfeeding presented in a more positive light in the media, that is still a ways in the future. In the meantime, our babies need to eat, and we need to spend time out in public. So how can you manage without feeling as though you are being inappropriate?

More and more women in America are having breast augmentation surgery each year. Many of these women are in their late teens and twenties who have not yet had any children. When they are ready to start a family, they may begin to wonder if their decision to have breast implants will create any problems with breastfeeding.

The answer is “maybe” or “maybe not” with a lot of variables. Your future success with breastfeeding may be impacted not only by the skill of your surgeon but also by the type of surgery you had. The important factors will be whether there is any lasting nerve damage around your areolas and whether your milk duct system is still intact. In both regards, if you had implants via an incision in your armpit or under the fold of your breast, it is less likely that you will have any problems.