Three Breastfeeding Challenges and How to Overcome Them
The baby is crying again.
On only 90 minutes of sleep, you’re exhausted as you settle in to feed her. The goal was to breastfeed for an entire year, but the idea of quitting before then is tempting when it’s been days since your last shower, the house is a disaster and your nipples are cracked and bleeding.
Martha Suronen, owner of Milk Time Lactation, says this is the reality of breastfeeding—not what you see on Instagram. That picture of a woman feeding her child while wearing a flowing gown in a field of flowers with golden light streaming behind her is pure fantasy. Understanding that breastfeeding is hard work is the first step toward finding success. “The idea is that all we have to do is put your baby on and they latch spontaneously—it’s this unicorn and rainbows [idea where] everything is beautiful,” she says. “[But] that’s not most women’s experience.”
Read the rest of this article in the full digital issue below.
Learn More
Local Breastfeeding Resources
doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/WIC/BreastfeedingSupport
National Breastfeeding Helpline: 1-800-994-9662
Local Breastfeeding Support
La Leche League of Vancouver
Legacy Health Lactation Services and Breastfeeding Support
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center’s Breastfeeding Classes and Support Groups
Helpful Resources
American Academy of Pediatrics: Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding after a Cesarean Birth
Breastfeeding After a Cesarean Birth
The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding