Sometimes You Just Need Help
Even mothers who have nursed before encounter issues in breastfeeding that are new. Sometimes the baby has a different “way” to them. For example, imagine if the youngest child is born with a tooth. Not only is lactation more painful than the other children, this influences how the little tyke latches on. You’re unable to nurse because of that tooth.
This sort of thing has happened before. Certainly, over time your nipples become stronger. This can take time, though. You can be tender. If you’re too tender, it’s so hard to feed you might not do it properly. Accordingly, you may want to have some sort of petroleum jelly or lanolin or vaseline solution available to assuage the pain and expedite recovery.
Breast pumps can be important. If your paps hurt too much, pumping your milk will allow you to store up some feedings for your child until the soreness ebbs enough to allow resumption of regular nursing. So these things, while impacting, may not necessarily be the right reason to consult with a professional in lactation—though in some situations, they may be.
Still, there are specific issues which may be a bit more complex than just switching breasts while your child feeds. In the following writing, we’ll briefly explore a few reasons you might want to seek out a lactation consultant.
1. Too Much Milk Production And Blocked Milk Ducts
There are times when your breasts feel as taught as a basketball, they’re so full of milk. Often nursing the baby takes away this swollen feeling. The mornings tend to be the worst.
Sometimes, though, you wake up and some sort of milk duct blockage keeps anything from coming out. You’re sore, you can’t get the necessary release, and you don’t know why. Seeing a consultant in that scenario may make sense.
2. Bleeding From The Nipples
There are times when your breast milk comes out “strawberry”. That’s a joke, but here’s the reality: your breasts may have some amount of blood come out with the breastmilk. For the most part this can be handled without medical attention, but not always.
If you’re really in a bind and are unable to travel, this mobile lactation consultant can find you where you are and get you the help you need. They may prescribe certain actions, exercises, diets, or supplements; or they may recommend you see a doctor.
3. The Baby Won’t Feed
If your baby won’t take nourishment and your breasts are full, there could be an issue. Maybe the baby is having a latching problem, maybe there’s an illness impacting their ability to nourish themselves.
This can be serious, or it might not be terribly serious. There are situations where the baby is just distracted and not too hungry. If you’ve got a chronic issue, though, you may well want to see a lactation consultant.
Knowing When To Get Help
Too much milk production can make your breasts feel firm to the point of soreness. In and of itself this isn’t a big problem, but when you’re nursing and milk won’t come out, there’s an issue that consultation may help. Bleeding from your nipples may be a problem that needs to be checked out, and if the baby won’t feed, similarly, you may want a little assistance.
The best way to go about this is to find a consultant you trust and have them available for whenever something comes up that’s beyond your ability to handle. Breastfeeding is straightforward, but stuff happens; so be aware of that, and plan accordingly.
