Is breastfeeding hard? Other mothers do have problems that interfere with effective breastfeeding and which sometimes cause them to stop breastfeeding before they would really like to.
The majority of mothers fall somewhere in between, with some problems, but overall, a good breastfeeding experience.
One of the main keys to successful breastfeeding is recognizing when you need help and getting it, either from a health professional that is supportive of breastfeeding, such as your ob/gyn, your Pediatrician, or a lactation consultant, or from a friend or family member with breastfeeding experience.
It is important to prevent breastfeeding problems, because in addition to putting the baby at risk of serious medical complications, such as dehydration and jaundice, it can also cause the mother to feel guilty about not being able to breastfeed. And not being able to breastfeed deprives the child and mother of all of the benefits that breastfeeding offers.
In addition to knowing when breastfeeding isn't going well, it can also be helpful to recognize some of the risk factors that make it more likely that you will have difficulty with breastfeeding, so that you can get help before problems begin.
Risk factors that indicate that an infant may have problems with breastfeeding include:
- prematurity. Keep in mind that even children who are just a little early, even at 36-37 weeks, can still have problems with breastfeeding.
- infants who are small when they are born (SGA or IUGR), especially if they
- are less than 6 pounds. twins or other multiple births, especially if they are small or premature. newborns with birth defects, including oral defects, such as cleft palate, chromosomal disorders (Down syndrome), or neuromuscular problems.
- systemic illnesses, such as infections or congenital heart disease, especially if they cause separation of mother and child for more than 24 hours. discharge from the hospital before 48-72 hours after delivery.
