by Ashley Cormier

Created on: November 13, 2009   Last Updated: November 16, 2009

Breastfeeding is believed by many to be a natural instinct, believe it or not it's not! Many women have tried with very little success, the baby won't latch, mom doesn't know how to hold baby...etc, there are many reasons why breastfeeding is actually quite complicated, but there's are so many other reasons why it's so easy too!

Reasons why moms may be discouraged from breastfeeding:

1) Inverted nipples; while it is very hard to breastfeed with inverted nipples it is in fact possible! There are actually breast shields you can purchase to enable your nipples to be pulled out while baby is feeding.

2) Nutrition; lets face some facts... a lot of us do not follow the Food Guide as to how much of everything we should eat daily and believe that if we're not eating well, neither is baby. Wrong! Your breast milk will always be the most nutritious for your little one. Our bodies will provide baby rather than provide ourselves.

3) Baby just won't latch; While this is very common, it is fixable. Visit a local LaLeche League and there are many people willing and able to teach you and baby how to feed, and hold properly. Some hospitals have specialist come in and visit if they know you are planning to breastfeed.

4) No alcohol? This is a common myth. After you have established a healthy milk production, you can go out with friends and have a couple drinks. Research shows that babies will not drink as much alcoholic milk as regular milk as they do not like the taste. You can go out on the weekend, but make sure you have either pumped, or prepared enough formula to allow yourself plenty of time after you've finished feeding. Allowing yourself 24 hours after the last drink is recommended unless you want to use big complex charts to calculate how long it will take for your body to be cleared from alcohol. Do not attempt to breastfeed baby while intoxicated! This can cause serious injuries or even fatalities. For you information as well.. pumping and dumping does no good, it will continue to be in the breast milk. Only pump and dump if you feel engorged.

Things that are great about breastfeeding:

Baby's crying in the middle of the night, and you are really super tired and just don't feel like sitting in a chair feeding baby? That's alright! Bring baby into bed while laying on your side, and allow baby to nurse. This is called the "laying down position".

You know all those bottles in the cupboard that you had to sterilize before baby was born? You got lots more ahead of you if you choose to bottle feed! Washing them in itself is a huge job, then after you wash them you have to take out a pot, fill it with water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. I've actually forgotten pots of bottles on the stove while trying to calm baby down, it doesn't turn out pretty. THEN to top it off, you've gotta get them out of the pot, at a risk of burning your fingers. Wouldn't it just be easier to use one bottle all day (don't do this, unless you are washing/sterilizing in between, I was referring to a breast).

Oops! You forgot baby has no formula mixed, it's 4 am.. and, she's screaming while you are trying to prepare formula. There's none of that with breast feeding. You feed baby whenever, wherever, no preparation required!

Does this sound familiar when planning a trip? "Burp cloth, check. Wipes, check. Pampers, check. Bum cream, check. Extra clothes, check. Mom's keys, check. Baby bottle.. AH *. " It doesn't to those breastfeeding! If you forget to pack a bottle in the rush of trying to get everything gathered up, it's not the end of the world, you've got your own packed under your shirt!

It's so simple just to breastfeed, if at all possible.

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