Breastfeeding is the way most recommendable and healthy to feed a newborn baby during the first months of life and even during the first two or three years. But breastfeeding is not always easy. Often, the lack of information in practice by the baby and mother and even misunderstanding and little or no environmental support causes problems that can jeopardize breastfeeding. But these problems, if detected early and corrected can be solved quite easily.
Cracks in the nipple
Cracks in the nipple are perhaps one of the most common problems with the many mothers who are beginning breastfeeding. The cracks are minor injuries that may bleed and even become infected if not treated in time.
Breastfeeding does not have to be painful, so by the time the baby causes the slightest discomfort in his mother has to find a solution. The cracks occur when the baby is not nursing correctly, because it has taken poor posture, have tongue-tie or use other objects to suck as pacifiers or bottles.
The first thing to do when cracks appear is to try to correct the position of the baby trying to take the areola and not only the nipple, to prevent this one from rubbing with the child’s mouth. If little manages to correct the posture the cracks will no longer hurt and will heal in a few days.
If the problem persists, while the baby learns to suckle properly, it is important to keep the damaged area as dry as possible. To this we must try to avoid abusing protective disks and creams. Instead you can use own breast milk remaining after a decision to extend in the damaged area.
There are also some plastic covers that create a gap between the chest and fabric that are very useful to keep in dry chest. If despite all these precautions, the wound is maintained and there is suspicion of infection, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
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Engorged mammary to mastitis
In the early days of breastfeeding breasts tend to fill in excess causing an engorgement that makes the chest to disturb and even pain. Its excessive swelling makes that cost the baby engage correctly and the milk flows with difficulty.
This congestion used to be suffered by a chest drain insufficient so often resolves feeding the baby more often or emptying the breast manually or with the help of a breast pump. An engorgement can lead to clogging of a duct blocked by withholding milk for a long time. The solution is the same as in the previous case, get empty chest.
When a breast engorgement or plugged ducts are not cured in time, the local pain in the chest derives from a general malaise, fever, fatigue and even nausea. In these cases it is best to consult a doctor to follow an antibiotic treatment.
Fungi
The candida are microscopic fungi that can appear on the chest for several reasons: for thrush in the child’s mouth, that is, some white patches on the gums of the baby; by excessive moisture in the nipple or even for taking any type of antibiotic. Fungi should be treated by a physician.
Flat or inverted nipple
Although many mothers think the inverted nipple can become a problem to breastfeed, it does not have to be. Actually the baby what it introduces in his mouth is the aureole and not only the nipple, because then the earlier cracks occur. When a baby sucks correctly it goes so far as even to extract a flat or inverted nipple out and breastfeeding normally.
Social incomprehension
This is not a medical problem as itself a community problem. The loneliness of a mother, especially if it is first-time, lack of support and understanding from their relatives, which may be increased when the feeding is prolonged in time, early return to work or other social factors may jeopardize breastfeeding.
This is why it is so important the support groups that exist in many points of geography and which are formed by accredited professionals who not only provide solutions to the various problems that may arise as the above described but also, and most importantly, help mothers not to feel alone and misunderstood for successful breastfeeding.