I Almost Stopped Breastfeeding Until I Learned THIS Position
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“Breastfeeding is natural and easy.” At least that’s what I thought until it was my turn to do the deed. I had seen almost every woman in my family doing it with so much ease that I had no qualms about it. I had never heard of any struggle or pain related to breastfeeding. So, when it was my turn, I was pretty excited and looking forward to the bonding time with my little angel. But unfortunately for me, breastfeeding was anything but easy. My body couldn’t adjust to the suction, friction or the strange positioning of holding my baby while breastfeeding.
It wasn’t just uncomfortable, but painful too. But in spite of this, I tried various positions of holding my baby and latching techniques. But none were able to provide me any relief. I then decided to see a lactation consultant hoping to find some solutions. She asked me to change the posture and buy a different nursing pillow.
I invested in a special nursing pillow and with better posture, my pain seemed to reduce slightly. But it wasn’t what I had hoped for. The latch was even worse, and the propping didn’t seem worth the effort. My friends and family advised me on various holds and positions. But nothing seemed to work. I felt useless and blamed myself for not being able to feed my daughter. My body was recovering from all the blood loss, and the stretching and tearing down there. And because I was surviving on very little sleep, I felt stressed all the time.
Then one day, it dawned on me that maybe I’m not cut out for breastfeeding. I decided it was time to abandon breastfeeding as it’s doing neither of us any good. I had prepared myself to switch to formula milk. At least that way my baby will be getting enough nutrients and I will be able to spend more bonding time with her. My husband felt bad for me and started searching the net to see how he could help. It was then that he came across a position that I hadn’t tried. I thought of giving it one last try before accepting my defeat.
This Position Helped Me To Continue Breastfeeding
Laid Back Nursing – it was something that saved my sanity and helped me to continue breastfeeding. I wonder why I hadn’t tried that before. It’s so much easier than any other position that I’d tried and taps into the natural reflexes of my baby. In laid-back breastfeeding, all you have to do is lie down in a semi-reclining position and place your baby above your chest in a tummy down position. You can lie back on your couch or bed, anywhere that you feel comfortable. You can make use of pillows and cushions to support your neck, back, and shoulders. I find my bed most comfortable when breastfeeding. This way even if I fall asleep breastfeeding, I don’t have to worry about anything. Sometimes my daughter and I fall asleep after a good feeding session. During the initial stages, my baby would push her feet and wriggle her thighs as she moved to my breast. She would also keep bobbing her head. But once she used her senses to find the nipple, the latch was great and we both settled into it pretty easily. There are various positions that you can place your baby for a feed when you are laid back. Though this position worked for me, I’m not sure if it will be helpful for everyone. But still, if you are struggling to breastfeed and haven’t found a position yet, I suggest you try it out. As someone who has tried every trick in the book, I’m sure this position would come as a savior to every struggling mommy out there.
Still, I find it strange that even after seeking professional help from a lactation consultant, what helped me was something my husband found online. It just goes to show that there is a big gap between breastfeeding theory and reality. So, if you too are about to give up, make sure you’ve checked all the options before you do!
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