by Leslie M.

Created on: November 07, 2008   Last Updated: November 23, 2008

When I was pregnant with my son, I thought anything other than breast milk was as toxic as alcohol in a bottle. The new "f" word around our house was formula. Breastfeeding was best, and that was what I was going to do. In my mind, it was like choosing to eat an apple for a snack, or giving your kid a greasy burger. Who would chose something sub par for a fresh new baby? My kid was getting the best.

About 48 hours after I delivered; however, imagine my disappointment when my son wouldn't latch on. I started crying immediately. I felt like a failure for not being able to feed my child the "liquid gold" colostrum I'd planned for his first meals, but the icky formula that I vowed he would never put into his perfect little body.

After my ordeal in the hospital, I realized that my situation was not uncommon. Lots of mother's have difficulty getting started with breastfeeding although ultimately most women end up loving it after that initial few weeks. Of course some lucky ladies will have a perfect experience where there babies latch on immediately after birth for a fabulous 8 to 12 months of flawless feeding with no problems, but that's more of an urban legend than a reality.

I say that there is generally no such thing as a perfect breastfeeding experience with no glitches because most everyone experiences some discomfort associated with breastfeeding at the beginning. For starters, when your milk supply comes in approximately 2-3 days after delivery, it can be a little uncomfortable as your breasts will feel very hard and full if the baby is not draining them from the start. Then of course there is the problem of having your nipples become chapped and sore as your skin gets used to the process.

Fortunately for committed mothers, there is lots of help available to help those who want to breastfeed. Most hospitals offer lactation consultants to women recovering postpartum, and these professionals can let you in on techniques to help breastfeeding along. They can suggest different ways to hold your baby and your breasts to present to your infant. Also, they can recommend products to try in order to assist with feeding such as nipple shields to elongate flat or inverted nipples, or cream to help sore nipples. Additionally some will even come to your house for a private lesson after you leave the hospital and suggest breastfeeding support groups in order to make sure that thing are still going well.

Unfortunately for me, I never did get to where my son would latch on. I tried private lactation consultants, group meetings, and every nipple shield they make. But, in the end, I rented a breast pump, and supplemented my milk with formula something I had to convince my self wasn't actually bad for my child, but just wasn't as good as breast milk. I hear that breastfeeding is a wonderful bonding experience, and I encourage every mother to do what they can to achieve a good feeding relationship. But if you can't, remember that there is more to being a good mother than breast milk alone.

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