Breastfeeding Myth - Pain is Part of Breastfeeding - Truth - You CAN Enjoy Pain Free Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding and Pain

Many women are led to believe that pain is part of the breastfeeding story and some new mothers experience excruciating pain in their breasts and nipples.

Because even many professionals believe that pain is par for the course when help is sought to support breastfeeding, pumping or just getting on with it is often the advice we get. As a result mothers continue to suffer while being concerned about weight-gain and bonding with their baby.

Breastfeeding Without Pain

The truth is that pain is not part and parcel of breastfeeding. Your body was designed specifically to feed your baby with your breasts. You baby was designed to be able to access your milk with his mouth.

Pain is your body's way of letting you know that something is not quite right. Oftentimes it is the nature of the latch that is off in some way. And establishing a deep latch is a skill that needs to be learned by baby and mom. Or it could be the angle at which you are bringing your baby to the breast.

Even though breastfeeding is natural, it is a skill with many different components. Thankfully we can learn them and teach them to our baby so that joy in breastfeeding becomes our experience.

Breastfeeding Support

In order to experience breastfeeding success without pain, it is necessary to have the support of people who believe this is possible and can show you step by step how to achieve a pain-free latch and a beautiful breastfeeding experience with ease and joy.

Breastfeeding Differences and Disparities Still Exist

Unfortunately, breastfeeding differences and disparities still exist. In fact, only a generation ago, many women in America would not breastfeed. It was not the "acceptable thing to do." Women were even warned that it was better to formula feed a baby...something we know is not true.

Now, as more and more women are learning the advantages of breastfeeding, more mothers are once again choosing to breastfeed their babies.

However, there are still some rather significant differences between women who nurse and those who choose not to.

What New Research Shows:

Differences by education:

Big improvements in overall breastfeeding rates have occurred over the last ten years among women with at least some college education. Anyone who graduated from college were much more likely than those with less education to nurse their babies. In fact, almost all breastfeeding studies show that educational achievement was the strongest predictor of a woman's choice to breastfeed.

Even if researchers took into account the differences in income and other factors that may affect breastfeeding rates, they find that a mother's education played the most important role in the likelihood that she will breastfeed her children.

Differences between income groups:

Women in the highest income groups are the most likely to breastfeed their babies. These breastfeeding mothers were significantly more likely to breastfeed than were moms in the lower income groups. However, the income differences in breastfeeding rates can be explained mostly by differences in educational levels.

Racial/ethnic Differences:

Although efforts have been made to attempt to close the gaps between Whites and both African Americans and U.S.-born Latinas who breastfeed...the gaps actually appear to be getting wider over the last ten years.

African American women and US-born Latina women are less likely than white mothers to choose to breastfeed.

However, when other factors were considered, the racial disparities in nursing remained significant but appear to be explained by differences in education and income.

The saddest part of these statistics is that we could save lives of so many little ones who die of illnesses that could have been prevented if their mothers would have exclusively breastfed their children for the first few months of life.

It is a shame, because we just need to educate new mothers so that they know these things!

How Can We Change This?

Three simple things: information, support and encouragement. Only when all breastfeeding moms have these things will we see these statistics change.

Baby, Birth & Breastfeeding - 7 Reasons To Consider Breastfeeding When Your Baby Is Born

Is Breastfeeding For Me?

We tend to engage in the same behaviours as our peers or those with whom we spend most time. So unless others in your family or circle are breastfeeding or open to the idea, you may not even consider it as a possibility.

This has occurred in a climate during which the special and sacred gifts of women, nurturing and the power of love have been perceived as less important than intellect, rationale and logic.

As an empowered woman you may wish to be aware of the following benefits for you and baby of using your breasts to nourish this precious new addition to your family.

Breast-milk is Alive

Unlike formula that has been produced in a factory somewhere, travelled extensively and sat on a shelf for some time, your breast-milk is alive and oozing life force.

Breast-milk is Superior

Plain and simple, your breast-milk provides the very best food you can give to your baby. Your amazing breasts accommodate to the needs of your baby and depending on what has happened in the last feed, will provide exactly what your baby needs for optimum nourishment.

Each meal is tailor made for your baby's requirements. For example, the content of breast-milk for premature babies is different to that for full terms babies because premies have unique needs.

Breastfeeding Bonds

As your baby feeds, your body releases Oxytocin known as the 'love hormone' or the 'bonding hormone'. Oxytocin provides a sense of well being and calm for both mother and baby.

It also facilitates bonding and creates the desire for further contact between you both. So this hormone, produced while breastfeeding actually elicits those feelings of love and deep connection that support you in becoming the mother you really want to be....calm, relaxed, connected and happy.

Breastfeeding Inspires Love

Not only does the breastfeeding and release of oxytocin enhance the bond between mother and baby, it also lays the very foundations for the experience of love for your baby.

In the breastfeeding act, your baby learns to be very comfortable being close to mum. She learns about being fully present with another as she stares into your eyes and you joyfully return her gaze.

She learns that it is safe for her to receive love and that she is worthy of deep connection. Breastfeeding provides her cells with the experience of being cared for physically, emotionally and spiritually in a very intimate, healthy and satisfying way.

These skills not only help her to recognise and choose relationships that are nourishing for her as she develops, they also support her to nourish herself and others in an healthy way.

Breastfeeding Requires Less Work

From a purely practical perspective, breastfeeding is so much handier as you don't need to spend endless time shopping, preparing the bottles or cleaning up afterwards.

You Deserve To Breastfeed

As women in the western world, many of us have been conditioned to deny, conceal or suppress the full expression of our femininity.

Your breasts were designed to feed your baby. You have the right to experience the wonder of breastfeeding. You are worthy of creating and knowing first hand the beauty and magic of breastfeeding and realising the deep wisdom of your body in this process.

Breastfeeding Is Empowering

Breastfeeding allows you to come into your own power and embrace your sacred feminine energy.

We have been downloaded with the idea to aspire to a more male expression of ourselves. And while manhood and maleness is beautiful and sacred, so too is womanhood and matters uniquely female.

It is time for us to allow ourselves to rejoice in who we are, in the perfection of being a woman and give ourselves permission to experience that fully. In doing so, we also free men to be themselves fully and pave the way for a generation of babies comfortable in their own skin and honouring both the masculine and feminine within.

So just ask yourself what you truly desire. What would you love for your baby? If you thought that you could do it and felt supported around breastfeeding would you try? Because there is support available.