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.

A great way to relieve the pain of sore nipples is, after your baby has nursed, express a little milk out and rub it around your nipple (tell your husband, no he can’t watch) Then let it air dry before you shove it back in a nursing bra. 

If you can soldier through the first painful week of nursing, things will get much better.  The other pain comes from your stomach.  Holy cramps Batman!  Every time she nurses you feel like your having a labor pain.  That’s your uterus contracting- which is a good thing if you ever want to get back into those skinny jeans!

Ok so the cat is out of the bag; nursing hurts for the first week or so. (Hey they said that breathing stuff would alleviate the pain of labor too!) Now that you know you aren’t doing it wrong you will be better able to relax into nursing.

The other thing you and your baby need to figure out is where you like to nurse.  Some new moms find it easy to lay on their side in bed (no pillow) with their baby.  This way they can help the baby latch on easier.  If this works for you, just flip over on the other side when it’s time to switch breasts.

If you’d rather sit up, try different chairs.  A rocking chair might be too hard to maneuver at first.  Try out a couple of chairs in your house and find the one that works best.  You can also put a pillow on your lap to help support the baby while you are nursing.  This won’t be necessary once you and your baby get the hang of things.  But when your milk first comes in your breasts are going to be so big they will practically need their own zip code.  You need one hand to hold the baby and another hand to hoist up that breast!  So a pillow to support the baby might make things easier.

Be patient while your baby learns to latch on.  It’s a frustrating time, but you two will get the hang of it.  Try taking some deep breaths, talk gently to her, and eventually she will get the hang of latching on.  If your breasts are so full she can’t get a grip on your nipple, try expressing some milk.  Standing in a hot shower expressing a bit of milk is sometimes the easiest way to relieve some of that pressure.

Make sure you always have a glass of water beside you when you nurse. (Can you believe how thirsty you are!)  Once your baby latches on the pain will go away and you can sit back and relax.  Drinking water at this time is a great way to make sure you’ll keep producing lots of milk.

Getting the hang of nursing takes a little time, but the rewards are well worth it.  In a couple of weeks, when your baby is hungry you will be able to pick her up and feed her without even giving it a second thought.  (no bottles, no formula, and it’s the perfect temperature)  Just allow yourself a little adjustment time.