DEALING WITH BREASTFEEDING FEARS

Should I breastfeed or not? This is a common question asked by many first-time mums. Before I had my baby, I was almost certain that I wouldn't breastfeed. I wanted to maintain my perfect perky breasts of course, and I couldn't ever imagine breastfeeding in public places and risk displaying my breasts for all to see. In addition to this, was the fear of pain. I had heard so much about how painful it was to breastfeed especially within those early weeks after birth. Also was the fear of dependence. I didn't want my work and social life to be inhibited in any way simply because I had a baby. And I thought to my self, even if I overcome these fears and decide to breastfeed, I was sure I wouldn't produce enough milk for my baby. I just knew I would fail even without trying.
But I was wrong. It is surprisingly amazing how holding your baby in your arms re-sets the way your brain works. I was totally overcome by this inexplicable feeling of love and the urge to protect him, that I temporarily cast away my fears and sought ways to sooth him with my breasts as he cried in my arms.

The decision to breastfeed is a difficult but important one to make. But as a new mum, it is yours to make nonetheless. No one can make the decision for you. Nevertheless, the things that often hold a mum back form breastfeeding has little to do with whether it is beneficial for her baby. In most cases, it is a variety of fears. However, these fears can be overcome simply by trying.

Every woman's body is uniquely designed to breastfeed. For some, breastfeeding is as easy as brushing their teeth. They can do it anywhere, regardless of who is watching, and the milk gushes out easy like running a tap. However, a lot of women today are having difficulties breastfeeding because of the fears and pressure surrounding them. The truth is that many new mums set up to fail even without trying. They start-off with the notions that breastfeeding hurts, is primitive, will make them gain weight, will make their breasts unattractive or will make it impossible for them to work or socialize. While some just believe that they simply cannot produce enough milk for their babies. These are all myths! Breastfeeding isn't as difficult as it seems, however, it requires some efforts as well as skills to be mastered by mum and baby.

It can be compared to learning to drive a car. Before you ever drove one, you were intimidated and scared because you had never done it before and were frightened because of tales of car accidents you had probably heard about in the past. But did that stop you? No! Rather, you mustard up courage and confidence until you became an expert . Just like learning to drive, breastfeeding requires a commitment to succeed . You have to learn to read your baby's hunger cues, how to position your baby appropriately, and the baby needs to learn how to latch on efficiently to milk your breasts.

Dealing with fears surrounding breastfeeding requires patience, planning and determination. For instance, expressing milk can help you boost your milk production while at work. Likewise,wearing discreet comfortable clothing will make it easier to breastfeed in public.

However, for those mums who are unable to breastfeed due to reasons beyond them, they need not feel guilty as their babies can still get the necessary nutrients for growth from Formulas, and be as healthy as breastfed babies.