Honesty Is the Best Policy
June 18, 2007 by Amy Spangler | 2 questions or comments
credits: iStockphoto
Dr. Christa M. Kelleher of the University of Massachusetts interviewed 52 women from Canada and the United States about their breastfeeding experience approximately 1 month after giving birth. Details of the interviews can be found in the November 2006 issue of Social Science & Medicine.
According to Kelleher, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of the women interviewed described breastfeeding as painful and/or uncomfortable. Most of these women were surprised by the extent, intensity, and duration of the discomfort and pain, which reportedly ranged from mild to severe.
Assistance provided by health care professionals was perceived as both positive and negative. Many women reportedly felt overwhelmed, anxious, and guilty. Kelleher concluded that acknowledging the physical challenges of breastfeeding would better validate many women’s breastfeeding experiences.
In other words, if women are told that breastfeeding won’t hurt as long as their baby is positioned well, they will assume they’re doing something wrong if breastfeeding is painful. But if women are told that some mothers describe breastfeeding as painful, health professionals can then define the pain (pulling, tugging, or stretching that occurs at the start of a feeding and lasts only a few seconds) so that mothers will clearly know when to seek help.
If health professionals acknowledge the physical challenges as Kelleher suggests, perhaps mothers will be better able to overcome the psychological challenges - key among them, lack of confidence.
Health professionals can begin by telling women that while making milk is natural, breastfeeding is a learned skill. And like every new skill, it requires patience, practice, and persistence!
Kelleher’s research was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
I am currently breastfeeding my 5 month son. I also successfully breastfed my 4 yr old son until he was 2 1/2 yrs. old. But I am having pain in my right nipple. I’ve checked positioning…and last week I actually had a clogged duct and now the opening of my nipple is extremely painful. I am not currently engorged but would like to resolve this issue. My son also has really bad eczema and am wondering if it could be to anything in my diet?
Nipple pain can be caused by a number of conditions, including a plugged duct. I would recommend you see an International Board Certified Lactation consultant (IBCLC). You can access a list of IBCLCs in your area through the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) website - http://www.ilca.org.
Eczema can be aggravated by certain foods in your diet but more often there is a strong genetic component. If there is a history of allergic disease in your family, that may explain your son’s eczema. Before you eliminate foods from your diet, you might want to consult with a pediatric allergist who can give you guidance regarding long-term management.