Getting Started Can be Hard
I’m sure you’ve heard many horror stories by now, breastfeeding can be very hard in the beginning. Not only is it exhausting, but a woman whose baby has a bad latch can suffer immensely with cracked, sore, and even bleeding nipples (the rumors are true!). In fact, a new study in TIME Magazine revealed that about half of nursing moms quit within the first few weeks because of difficulties, anxiety, and lack of support, which is a real shame.
The Big 3 Hairy Monsters of Nursing
Most nursing moms will experience one or more of the following three issues at some point in their nursing career: thrush, blocked ducts, and mastitis.
Yeah, it sucks. I’m not gonna lie.
Overcoming it
There is a lot you can do to avoid these. The better educated you are, the better off you’ll be. Keeping your nipples dry and addressing a clogged duct situation before it becomes mastitis — these things are key.
Getting blocked ducts, mastitis, or thrush is a bummer, but it’s nothing you can’t deal with. These can all be treated within a day or two, so it’s really not that bad. Almost everyone has to pay the “breastfeeding tax” at one time or another. It