Breastfeeding First Week

The First Week The first week of breastfeeding is usually the hardest, this is when most women have breast tenderness, okay, it is painful both the breasts themselves and sometimes the nipples. When a woman's milk comes in after a few days they can feel sore and heavy; many women quit breastfeeding at this point, this heaviness is treatable and only lasts a few days until the body is able to regulate the production of milk. To treat the over fullness of the breasts, a woman should try the following steps: First, take a very warm shower, letting the water soothe the tenderness of the breasts, the woman can relieve the pressure of her tender breasts using flat hands to help the milk release, start closest to the body holding one hand above

It's important not to over pump because the body will produce as much milk as the breasts dispensed the previous day; so once the woman is able to cope with the fullness to the point that she no longer needs to pump, the breasts will stop over filling, they will only produce what the baby needs. Sleeping at a slight incline will help the breasts from feeling so leaden in the morning and letting the baby nurse as often as they want will help to keep the breasts from producing too much milk and alleviate the uncomfortable feeling. Sore Nipples Sore, dry, or even cracked nipples are actually common the first week of breastfeeding; to help combat sore nipples the mother should allow the nipple to air dry as often as possible, once the nipple is completely dry she should apply some lanolin to the nipple. The lanolin will moisturize the skin and protect the skin from chapping which can occur from nursing; if the nipples are too sore to apply the lanolin, it may be applied to a nursing pad, and then placed on the sore nipple. Sticking With it Many mothers want to breastfeed their babies then quit for one reason or another after a few weeks; during the great depression when formula was only available to the wealthiest people over 80% of women were able to breastfeed their babies, today less than 40% of women breastfeed