Breastfeeding Challenges and Solutions

Hearing the word challenges may make a pregnant mom may worry that breastfeeding will be troublesome for herself and too hard for her baby. However the challenges that MAY come with breastfeeding all of have solutions. There is no reason that a new mom to plan on having any challenges at all, although it does help to be prepared and know about the different challenges that COULD, but are not a guaranteed, happen while she is breastfeeding her child.

Breastfeeding Reading

Possible Breastfeeding Problems & Answers

Breastfeeding is a very natural thing, however that doesn't mean that is going to come without any challenges. Don't worry the minor challenges that can arise in a breastfeeding relationship all have solutions.

Challenge: Nursing Strike
Description: Despite hunger and offering to be fed, a baby refuses to nurse.
Simple Solution: Go on a nursing vacation, make a point to not only look for ques of when your baby wants to nurse but also offer feeding constantly, make it your top priority, continue this until you find your baby has gone back to a diet of plenty of breast milk.
More Solutions for getting through a nursing strike and what causes them.

Challenge: Nipple Confusion
Description: A baby can not latch on properly and therefore is unable to eat.
Simple Solution: Continue to offer the breast, however if you can get your baby to suckle and need to feed them give them expressed milk by a cup, spoon or syringe until they have gone back to nursing by the breast, avoid bottles completely.
More Solutions for solving nipple confusion and how you can prevent it.

Challenge: Thrush
Description: Thrush is a fungus infection that can be recognized by white spots that appear on your baby's tongue and gums. Also the mom may have tender nipples that are pink and flaky.
Simple Solution: Wash your hand thoroughly constantly and use a medication that your family doctor proscribes or use Humco Gentian Violet 2% Solution on your nipples to clear up thrush that you and your baby have.
More Solutions for thrush and what can causes thrush.

Challenge: Oversupply, also referred to as an over abundance of milk.
Description: Oversupply is when the mom makes more milk than the baby needs, signs such as a baby unable to swallow all of the milk that comes out, the baby is gassy and has greenish watery stools and gets full before they are able to get enough hindmilk, the milk with higher fat content.
Simple Solution: Offer a baby one breast until they drain it, then switch sides.
More Solutions for solving oversupply and what causes it, and more sign of how to recognize it.

Challenge: Mastitis
Description: Mastitis is an infection in the breast.
Simple Solution: When you have mastitis be sure to keep to rest, eat healthy to keep your strength up, as you will likely have flu like symptoms, nurse frequently to keep you breast empty and apply heat to your sore breast.
More Solutions for mastitis and what can cause it.

Challenge: Low Milk Supply
Description: Low milk supply is when your body is not making as much needed breast milk for the baby in time for the next feeding.
Simple Solution: Continue to nurse on demand, and offer to nurse in between feedings, eat foods that increase milk supply and consider taking herbal supplements and herbal tea to increase milk supply. The more you nurse the more milk your body produces.
More Solutions for solving low milk supply and what you can eat and drink to increase your milk supply.

Challenge: Plugged Milk Duct
Description: A plugged milk duct happens when one of the ducts that the milk flows through is blocked, a lump with appear on the breast that is very tender.
Simple Solution: Nurse as often as you can and add heat to the lump, and do not hesitate to get rid of it, because it can lead to mastitis.
More Solutions for solving a plugged milk duct and what causes it.

Challenge: Engorgement
Description: The mom is making more milk than the baby wants to drink that her breast become so full, that they are engorged and in pain.
Simple Solution: Offer the breast to add relief and if your baby does not want to nurse consider hand expressing milk or pumping milk to relieve tension.
More Solutions for solving engorgement and how you can prevent it.

Challenge: Sore Nipples
Description: The mother's nipples are tender due to one reason or another related to breastfeeding.
Simple Solution: Once you establish what is making your nipples sore you can decide what to do. Such things as thrush and your baby not properly latching on can cause your nipples to be sore. Lansinoh Brand Lanolin can help sooth nipple soreness. Also good is making sure your baby is suckling in a good position and latching on properly.
More Solutions for sore nipples, preventing them and what causes them.

Being prepared for any breastfeeding challenges will help you quickly recognize them and solve them fast.