Some women are lucky to have a good experience breastfeeding from the start. Their newborn baby latches on well, the milk comes in with no problems, and they experience relatively no pain. But not all women are so lucky. For a successful, relaxing nursing experience, you may need time to practice or get used to nursing, it may take your body some time to learn your baby’s needs (how much he eats and how often, etc.), etc. For a positive breastfeeding experience, it is suggested you start breastfeeding right after giving birth, and seek help from a lactation consultant while still in the hospital if needed.

Difficulties you may experience include:

Nipple soreness is common with first time moms. After all, you never had a baby feeding from your breasts before. This can last for a few weeks and if soreness doesn’t disappear, speak to a lactation consultant to see if your baby is latching on correctly or not, baby’s position while breastfeeding may need to be adjusted, or you may need to care for your nipples with creams.

Engorgement, or breast fullness, can be painful and if not treated can lead to infection. Engorgement is caused by congested blood vessels and milk buildup in the breast. The breasts feel swollen, hard to the touch, and painful. This fullness also leads to difficulties for your baby to feed, since the milk is not letting down, which can be frustrating for the both of you.

To overcome engorgement, try a warm bath or shower, and express milk yourself to relieve the fullness. To avoid it, try feeding more often or pumping out milk. If it is caused by difficulties nursing, try different breastfeeding positions and learn to relax while doing so.

Plugged milk duck is caused by milk buildup (which can happen if your baby is not feeding well or you are weaning). Symptoms include tenderness, heat and redness on the breast or a lump close to the surface of your skin. To relive the discomfort, massage your breast with mild pressure.

Mastitis is a breast infection. Its symptoms include fever, muscle aches, redness and tenderness on one breast. If you suspect you are suffering from mastitis, speak to your healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment. Causes for mastitis include: stress and exhaustion, cracked nipples, plugged milk ducts or engorgement, wearing constricting bra.

To treat mastitis your healthcare provider will prescribe antibiotics. Use warm compresses on the infected breast, rest and wear a comfortable bra. Continue breastfeeding from both breasts. The infected breast will heal faster if you keep nursing, or pump if you prefer. It is safe for your baby.

Thrush is a common yeast infection that can be passed between mom and baby through nursing. This type of an infection is hard to cure, but it largely uncommon. Symptoms include tender, deep pink nipples right after nursing, white patches and redness in baby’s mouth. If you suspect you may have thrush, contact your healthcare provider immediately for antifungal medication.

Some women report tenderness and hypersensitivity so early, that this was the first clue to their pregnancy. Other women suspected they were pregnant due to a darkening of their nipples and areolas (the skin around the nipple.) This change in color is caused by hormones which effect the skin’s pigmentation. At the same time, many women notice these types of changes to their breasts much later in the pregnancy or not at all.

Other changes to your breasts, other than their growing size, may include the appearance of green or darkened veins (due to the larger volume of blood in your body during pregnancy.) You may find that your nipples are leaking. This clear/yellow thick liquid is called colostrums and is extremely nutritious for your baby. You may also notice that your nipples stick out more and/or the areolas and nipple areas are larger in size.

These changes are caused by hormonal changes due to the pregnancy and effect different women differently. To handle some of these changes better and avoid being uncomfortable, get a good supportive bra, with an adjustable closure and no underwire.  Do not get a nursing bra before you give birth, as you will not know your final cup size. It is better to wait with this purchase, until about a week after childbirth, when your milk comes in and your breast size has reached its maximum.

After childbirth, if you choose to nurse, you will experience more breast related changes including the difficulties and challenges of breastfeeding, as well as, the joys and satisfactions like giving your baby the best, most suitable nutrition. You should know and accept, now, that your breasts will most likely NEVER return to their original shape. Who said being a mother is easy?

You may find that your plans are harder to execute than you anticipated, your child has their own will, or that your body has issues you may not have been aware of before. If you are interested in breastfeeding, don’t get discouraged by difficulties. You can get assistance from a lactation consultant or speak to your doctor and see what can be done. If for any reason your breastfeeding experience is cut short, try to accept the situation. It may be different with your next child.

Some reasons that may lead to an early termination of your breastfeeding experience may include:

You may have plans to be nursing your baby for x number of months or years, but your baby has his own thoughts in the matter. Some babies wean themselves at some point, while others have a harder time. If your baby looses interest in the breast, he may be ready to wean himself. It may be harder for you to accept if you had your heart set to nurse for a while longer, but as long as your baby is happy and gets the nutrition he needs from other sources, there is no need to worry. You can continue to express (pump) your milk and bottle feed it to your baby if you wish.

Some women experience dry spells, especially when returning to work. When you stop breastfeeding on a regular basis your milk supply may decrease. Also the added stress in balancing your new lifestyle, leaving your baby for longer periods of time and other emotional factors as well as fatigue, all add up and may influence your milk supply.

If you are experiencing a dry spell but wish to continue breastfeeding, don’t give up! There are ways to help your body produce more milk such as fenugreek supplements, mother’s milk tea and more. Speak to a lactation consultant to see what will be best for you.

Some new moms find that a medical condition prevents them from breastfeeding or continuing to breastfeed. If you suffer from a chronicle condition that requires you to take medication that is not safe for your baby, you may have to stop breastfeeding.

Women who have had breast enlargement or reduction may experience difficulties breastfeeding as well. This depends on the type of surgery you had. Speak to your doctor or a lactation consultant about any questions or concerns you may have.

Remember, although breastfeeding is a great way to both provide your baby with good nutrition and bonding time, there are other ways and solutions. If you find that you cannot breastfeed, it is NOT the end of the world. Remember, you may have a different experience with you next pregnancy/child.

Even if you plan to breastfeeding for a while, you may be forced to stop for different reasons. Here are a few of those:

You may have plans to be nursing you baby for ‘x’ number of months or years, but your baby has his own thoughts in the matter. Some babies wean themselves at some point, while others have a harder time. If your baby loses interest in the breast, he may be ready to wean himself. It may be harder for you to accept this hint if you had your heart set to nurse for a while longer, but as long as your baby is happy and gets the nutrition he needs from other sources, there is no need to worry.

Some women experience dry spells, especially when returning to work. When you stop breastfeeding on a regular basis your milk supply may decrease. Also the added stress in balancing your new lifestyle, leaving your baby for longer periods of time and other emotional factors including fatigue, all add up and may influence your milk supply.

If you are experiencing a dry spell but wish to continue breastfeeding, don’t give up! There are ways to help your body produce more milk such as fenugreek supplements, mother’s milk tea and more. Speek to a lactation consultant to see what will be best for you.

If you have certain chronic illnesses, you may be required to return to taking medications you could not consume during your pregnancy. These medications may be harmful for your baby and you will be forced to stop breastfeeding. Speak to your doctor before resuming any medication while breastfeeding. There may be supplements to your medication, but not all medications have alternatives that will allow you to keep breastfeeding.

Mastitis is a nasty breast infection that can infect breastfeeding moms. When infected, you will have to cease breastfeeding during treatment, which may lead to weaning altogether even if it is not your intention.

It is important to remember, that no matter what happens, you have done your best and whether you breastfeed your baby for a couple of months or a couple of years, it will not affect your relationship with your child or dictate how good a mother you are. Don’t be hard on yourself and seek medical (or other) help when needed to assure the health of both yourself and your little one.

Think before you act. If you are ready to wean your baby, try to start gradually and replace breast feedings with the bottle or solids depending on your baby’s age and current diet. Once you are left with one or two breast feedings a day, you may be ready to stop all together.

Depending on your baby’s nature and attachment to the breast, it can be a tough transition for the both of you. You may find your baby having a harder time falling asleep as he has become accustomed to breastfeeding before bed, or it might take longer to calm him down as he has grown used to expecting the breast for comfort. You should expect to face a few challenging days, even weeks, before your baby will accept this change. Make sure to offer the bottle instead and do not be discouraged if he refuses to take it. With time he will change his ways.

While your baby adapts to the changes, your body will take a little while to adjust as well. It usually takes about two weeks for your breast milk to dry out completely, and it can be quit painful for a while. Your milk production will continue in the beginning, not knowing about your decision to stop breastfeeding.

To relieve the pain and get you through this phase, here are some suggestions: wear a sports bra that is one or two sizes smaller, cold cabbage leaves in your bra will both help stop milk production and relieve the pain, you can also take Motrin if the pain is overwhelming. Do not stimulate your breasts- shower with your back to the water stream and try not to get any water on your breasts. Avoid anyone touching your breasts as they are sensitive during this phase. Lastly, do not pump, unless you want to keep your milk supply running. And stick to your decision.

If you break the weaning mid-process, it will be that much harder to wean your baby the second time around.  So before you wean, make sure you are ready for it!

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Creating a solid basis for breastfeeding is important for a good mutual nursing experience for both you and your baby. The key to breastfeeding successfully is a proper latch. When there is a good latch, the baby will get the milk or colostrums needed to grow and get stronger, while simultaneously stimulating your body to produce more milk.

A poor latch can lead to a malnourished and frustrated baby, which in turn may discourage Mom. More so, a poor latch can cause the Mother nipple pain – if not cracking and bleeding. If the baby does not get milk, you may experience engorgement, which is painful and will make it even harder for your baby to breastfeed.

A good nursing position is important in achieving a proper latch. You can start practicing right in the delivery room, minutes after your baby was born. Skin to skin contact is important, and tummy to tummy positioning with easy access to the breast is crucial. If you have doubt or any questions, you should ask to see a lactation consultant in the hospital.

Where there is demand, there is milk. If you wait for your milk to come in before you start breastfeeding, you will miss out on the breastfeeding experience. Almost all mothers can breastfeed, but you have to stimulate your body to do so. All you need to do is allow your baby to do what is natural, for your body to get the signal. It is that simple.

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Once you decide it is time to start your baby on solids, you should take a moment or two to learn what options are available to you. Like anything in life, each of the options has pros & cons. Take the time to learn about them so you can make the best decision for you & your baby.

Readymade foods are convenient. They are designed specifically for babies, so the taste should be acceptable by most babies. If you are not a ‘kitchen person’, readymade food is a great solution that will introduce your baby to a variety of tastes and ingredients. The down side of readymade foods is that they can burn a hole in your wallet. Also, to have extended shelf lives, they must contain preservatives, which affect both their nutritional value and taste.

Making baby food at home it easier that you imagine! You don’t have to buy special products and in comparison with readymade food, the expense is dramatically lower. The benefits of making your own baby food is that you know & control what goes in it, and when it was made. Once you & your baby have experimented and you know what foods get the green light, you can pre make them & freeze, so you don’t have to cook every day.

As with anything new give both yourself & your baby time to experiment.  Whatever your decision is, remember, this is just another taste in your baby’s culinary road. In no time, your baby will be eating what you do, just in smaller pieces…