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Is Breastfeeding Inconvenient?
A Practical Guide to Breastfeeding
By Teri Brown
"If the baby were bottle-fed, the bottles would have to be made, heated, fed, cleaned, etc.," Carney says. "That is tiring! Even though someone else could do the feeding, the joy of successfully breastfeeding your child is completely worth it. Some moms are glad to be able to re-claim their infants when family members tend to take the baby from the mother to hold and rock. This is the mother's chance to cuddle her baby, nurse and relax – something only she can do!"
Truth: Breastfeeding shouldn't hurt if it is done right. The key is education before breastfeeding begins to understand correct latch on the breast. If the baby is only given the breast after birth (no bottles or pacifiers), then he or she will learn to latch on to the breast correctly. When other things are put into the baby's mouth, confusion sets in, and the latch becomes improper – that hurts!
"Exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first 4 to 6 weeks will increase the chances that the baby will learn to nurse properly and comfortably for Mom," Carney says. "Another problem with incorrect latch is that the baby may not be able to obtain enough milk at feedings. This will leave the baby unsatisfied, and long-term may affect growth. Mothers need to educate themselves prior to birth about the correct way to latch a baby to the breast so that these things will not happen and breastfeeding can be successful."
Carney suggests prenatal breastfeeding classes and seeing an internationl board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) in the hospital to make sure things are getting off to a good start. After Mom and Baby go home, Mom needs to know whom to call if problems or questions arise. Breastfed infants should be seen by the pediatrician two to three days after discharge from the hospital for a weight check and to assure that the baby and mother are breastfeeding successfully. This will help circumvent any problems leading to breast pain.
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