In Brief: the Pros Have it, but There Are Cons to Consider
Breastfeeding is best for you and your baby in terms of overall health. There are clear benefits for the mother, and the child. However, there are situations where you’re unable to breastfeed, and certainly, there is no thing in life that has no disadvantage whatever. Everything has a dark side.
Following we’ll briefly explore pros and cons of breastfeeding to help give you an idea what you should expect as a new mother, and whether or not something you’re dealing with is within the realm of “normal”, or if you need to get some help from a professional.
1. Sore Paps, but More Balanced Metabolism
Until your nipples acclimate, they’re going to be sore. They will toughen, and that takes time. The good news is, each feeding extracts a certain amount of calories from you, which is very helpful to a healthy metabolism overall. So you’ll bounce back to your traditional figure quicker if you breastfeed than if you don’t—at least in most cases.
2. Nipple Injuries Are Common, but Babies Are Healthier
It’s quite possible, and not uncommon, for you to get a nipple injury from breastfeeding. Usually such injuries are mild, and you’ll recover in an expedient way. Some nipple injuries are more impacting than others. Either sort are best handled through the help of professional healthcare specialists who are skilled in lactation solutions.
On the bright side, your baby will be healthier if they’re being nourished from your breastmilk, so though nipple injuries are uncomfortable, in the end, they directly help your child develop in a more healthy way.
3. You Can’t Always Express, but You Can Bottle Breastmilk
If you’re dealing with sore or injured paps, you can usually express via pump and store the milk for later. If you’re having trouble properly expressing, there’s a definite likelihood you’ll have to pump anyway. Get in the habit of pumping whenever your breasts are engorged enough to express, and keep pumping until you have fully expressed.
As your body does this, it will get into the “habit” of producing more milk. If you’re having trouble expressing at intervals, put on some recordings of your baby’s voice, smell an article of their clothing, put the lights down low, and try to relax. Such actions can help with expression.
Nourishing Your Newborn
While formula options do exist for newborns, these tend to result in less healthy babies overall. Breastfeeding is best, though pros and cons exist. Expression can be difficult, but you can bottle your milk. Nipple injuries are common, but pushing through them will help your baby be more healthy. Your paps may get sore, but your metabolism will be healthier.
Anything in life will have its ups and downs, that applies to motherhood the same as anything else. The bottom line is, breastfeeding is best, but it is not without its issues.
