troubleshooting

Breastfeeding may be entirely natural, but it is still a learned art, and it is understandable if things don't go perfectly smoothly at first. Below you can find the most common problems faced by newly breastfeeding mothers and some suggestions for dealing with those problems. If following these suggestions doesn't provide relief, call our hotline number and a counselor will call you back.

engorgement

When your milk comes in two to four days after you give birth, and any time you have delayed a feeding, you are likely to experience engorgement. Engorgement is defined as swollen, hard breasts, with no other symptoms. If baby feeds frequently, engorgement will probably be relieved within 48 hours. To keep the areola soft so the baby can latch on to feed, try the following:

Apply moist heat to the breast before feeding. Hand-express enough colostrum or milk to soften the areola, which can become so firm as to be difficult for the baby to properly latch on to.
Stand in a hot shower with the water at your back, allowing the water to run over your shoulders and breasts. Hand-express or pump milk while in the shower to soften the areola.
You might need to limit the time the baby feeds on the first breast to make sure the baby will take the second breast during the feeding.
Use cold packs to relieve pain and swelling after feeding.

sore nipples

Some soreness of nipples is to be expected, but severe cases usually result from improper positioning. If sore, review positioning and also follow these steps:

Feed baby first on the less-sore side.
Provide short, frequent feedings rather than long, infrequent feedings.
Change feeding position to allow baby's jaws to exert pressure on less sore areas.
Remember to remove baby from the breast by breaking the suction with your finger.
After each feeding, wipe baby's saliva from the nipple, express a few drops of breast milk on the nipple area to promote healing, and air-dry breasts for 15 to 20 minutes.
Click on the link to see proper latch on.