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Why is breastfeeding important? This question is often raised by pregnant women in the last weeks before birth when it’s time to decide on how they want to feed their baby.
Finally, the long wait is over. You have made it through birth and are holding your newborn in your arms for the first time. But when is it time for the first breastfeeding session? Most new mothers have lots of questions about when, where and how to start breastfeeding. What to expect the first few days of breastfeeding? What challenges should young mums prepare for? And does breastfeeding hurt in the first few days? Read the answers here.
For many expecting mothers and their partners, preparing for birth and parenthood is an integral part of pregnancy. But one aspect many future parents forget about is to prepare for breastfeeding.
The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Thereafter, breastfeeding should be continued alongside solid foods for up to 2 years (or even longer). This means that, even if a mother decides to take the full 52 weeks of maternity leave she is legally entitled to in the UK, there will be an overlap between breastfeeding and the return to work.
There are many different breastfeeding problems that can lead to pain during the nursing period, one of them being a thrush infection on the nipples. Breastfeeding thrush can develop both on the mother’s nipples and in the baby’s mouth. Giving a clear thrush diagnosis is not always easy because the symptoms may be similar to other causes of breast or nipple pain.
It’s not uncommon for a woman’s nipples to become sore during the first few days and weeks of breastfeeding. While sore nipples can be a real nuisance, the pain gets much worse when the nipples crack open and start bleeding.