It should be one of the most natural things in the world, and for many mothers it is. Breastfeeding can however be problematic and can actually be much harder than many new moms anticipate. Not only can you have issues with the baby latching on, but you may have problems with your supply. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you may have a glitch or an unforeseen problem come up that leaves you wondering why this is so tough.
The beginning is often the hardest part, though there can also be some rather difficult obstacles along the way. If you get an infection or if the baby seems to resist, then you may have the urge to give up. If you keep with it and keep in tune to what is working well for the baby, then it can be a natural and enjoyable situation for both baby and mother alike. It is important however to remember that breast milk may cause a problem in some babies down the road.
There Can Be a Problem
Though there are some babies out there that can be allergic to breast milk, this is considered to be a very small percentage. There are those babies that have a reaction to their mother’s milk and therefore little can be done to solve this problem. This is usually an exception to the rule however because most babies that have some sort of a reaction are having one to the foods that their mother is eating. If a reaction from the baby comes on, then chances are that mom ate something spicy or acidic that caused a terrible reaction in baby. More so than in pregnancy, everything that the mother eats is transferred directly to the baby through her breast milk. In pregnancy, this was true through the placenta but the same type of reaction was not necessarily a possibility. However when the baby’s main food supply comes from the mother’s breast milk, everything that mom eats goes directly to baby and reacts accordingly.
Watch for Symptoms
First and foremost, you want to be in tune to what is going on with your baby. Are they constipated or alternatively do they have diarrhea after a feeding? Do they seem to be in pain just after or even during a feeding? Watch for how your baby reacts because if they are having issues with what you ate, then this will show up rather quickly and it will be quite obvious. It will also be more of an isolated incident once the food in question is out of your system. If however the baby seems to have issues all the time, then there may be something else going on. They could have a reaction to breast milk specifically or they may even have some sort of gastrointestinal problem going on for which they need the attention of the pediatrician for.
Watch What You Eat
Breast milk is the best thing that you can feed your baby, there’s no doubt about that. It is however important to remember that whatever you eat or consume is going directly to your little one. Just as you had to watch what you ate during pregnancy, the same holds true if not more so during breastfeeding. If you eat spicy foods, gassy foods, or even alcohol, this can cause a serious and very frustrating reaction in your baby. You have to be mindful of everything that you put into your system. Therefore keep a journal so that you can become aware if something is causing a problem. All of this will help to keep baby happy and ensure that feedings stay on track.
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