Medically reviewed to ensure accuracy.
You’ve given birth and you’re committed to giving your baby breast milk.
But nursing doesn’t always come naturally.
Here are the most common obstacles:Trusted SourceU.S.
How to treat sore nipples:The best treatment is to teach your baby how to latch on properly.
you might also apply cool compresses on your nipples.
Talk to your doctor about taking an OTC pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen before feeding.
Get into the right breastfeeding position, then compress your areola between your fingers.
Put your finger into the corner of your baby’s mouth and pull your breast out.
give it another spin until you get a seal with both the nipple and the areola covered.
Around two-thirds of all women experiencebreast engorgementthose initial days postpartum.
Don’t use ones with plastic or waterproof liners, as they can cause nipple irritation.
Disposables, or washable cotton pads, are better bets.
Don dark-colored tops or prints, which camouflage milk stains.
Breastfeeding keeps milk flowing, which will eventuallyunclog the duct.
(Massaging more than that can stimulate more milk production.)
Once your baby is done, drain the affected breast, either manually or with a breast pump.
Up to 10 percent of all women may experience it, usually within the first six weeks of delivery.
How to treat mastitis:Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics that will make you feel better quickly.
While it’s not clear why women get thrush, it is typically related to your baby’s mouth.
How to treat thrush:If you think you may have thrush, see your medical provider.
He or she will prescribe a topical antifungal cream or gel, which will kill the yeast.
You should also involve your pediatrician to confirm thrush for your baby and have her treated as well.
Uneven breasts
What are uneven or lopsided breasts?Some babies play favorites with breasts.
As a result, you may notice that one starts to look more lopsided than the other.
you could also try pumping on that one side daily.
The good news is once youwean, the lopsidedness should go away.
Your breast milk becomes thick and hard as a result, which blocks milk flow near your nipple opening.
Sometimes, a small amount of skin even grows over the bleb.
They’re usually a tiny white or yellow spot on your nipple.
The skin surrounding it may be red and inflamed, and you may notice severe pinpoint pain while nursing.
The act of suckling may actually bring up the blister.
Don’t take a stab at bring up the blister yourself because it could become infected.
They can also turn white or blue and then return to pink when the blood flow returns to normal.
How to treat nipple vasospasm:take a stab at keep your whole body warm and dress warmly.
Cover your nipple immediately after feeding, and use warm heat if you feel symptoms starting.
Check with your doctor and ensure you are not taking any medications that can cause this phenomenon.
That’s usually not the case.
The best way to tell if you have an adequate milk supply is to monitor your baby’s weight.
If that isn’t the issue, you might venture to feed more often to stimulate more milk production.
you might alsopump between feedingsto stimulate more milk production.
Some women, especially first-time moms, actually make too much milk.
Your baby may also fuss a lot and seem hungry, even if she’s constantly eating.
How to treat oversupply:If you think you have oversupply, let your medical provider know.
Let your baby interrupt feedings, and burp her often.
Try not to pump, because it can stimulate even more milk production.
you’re free to apply cold water or ice to your nipples to decrease leaking.
This means your baby can have trouble nursing, since her tongue movements are so restricted.
If you think your baby might havetongue-tie, see your pediatrician or lactation consultant, who can diagnose it.
If it’s attached low on the gum, she may have one.
Check in with a lactation consultant, who can work with you on specific positional techniques.
If that doesn’t work, your pediatrician can perform a quick procedure to revise the lip-tie.
Your baby can just be born with it, or it can worsen with behaviors such as chronicthumb-sucking.
The shape of the roof of the mouth can cause your baby not to be able to latch correctly.
This can lead to sore nipples, as well as too-short feedings.
Now gently pull your finger out before she tries to latch.
(Some babies are born with both.)
This makes it much harder for her to stimulate milk production and letdown.
So when (or if) you encounter them, don’t give up.
That said, you don’t have to go it alone.
