That is right! Breastfeeding is not suppose to hurt. Breastfeeding your baby can sometimes be tiring for some mothers in the early days, but it is not suppose to hurt. So, why do so many mothers spend weeks on end enduring significant pain before they either get help or give up? Why? Well, I am frequently told that because they have read or been told that it can be quite painful for the first 2-4 weeks, mothers think this is normal. They suffer needlessly, just waiting for their pain to get better. Certainly for some mothers, their pain becomes less and less as the weeks go on. For other mothers, they may give up because the pain is so bad. And others gratefully receive help from an experienced lactation consultant.
There are a few important facts about early breastfeeding that I work hard to let all mothers know and learn.
#1. Breastfeeding is not suppose to hurt.
#2. If it is hurting, something is not right.
#3. If something is not right and you don’t know what to do to fix it, get help.
#4. Getting help from an expert is a lot less expensive than the alternative… especially in the long run.
#5. When you put your baby to the breast, it should elicit a strong feeling of love and comfort and relaxation.
More on this in my next post.
