Whose Girls?
Pre-baby, your tatas were your own. Whether you wore sports bras, push-up bras, lacy bras or practical bras - or none at all - they were undeniably yours to do with as you pleased (and perhaps your spouse enjoyed them too, wink wink). Post-baby, all rules fly out the window. Those jugs aren't yours, they aren't your spouse's. Fun makes way for functionality because they are now the baby's plates.
Baby gets them anywhere from five to 45 minutes at a time, every two hours (at the beginning, anyway). And if you feed on demand, the baby will demand those boobs whenever he has a hankering, day or night.
And while your spouse may have even more of an interest than before now that your cup size has increased,
you will likely have
less of an interest in having them touched. Not only are they likely to be lumpy, sore and leaky, but they've also been sucked on, scratched, grabbed and mauled so much by the baby, that it's hard to fathom any woman being game to have her girls touched by anyone. Ever.
Goodbye Symmetry
You may not be able to tell at first glance, but most of our bodies are asymmetrical, and women's lady lumps are no exception. For some mamas, this anatomical quirk can be exacerbated by nursing, as model Chrissy Teigen learned when nursing her daughter Luna, who apparently preferred one side more than the other.
Some women may find that one side tends to produce more than the other, which can also account for some serious lopsidedness. And while some mamas may not care too much about the size difference, others may find it super annoying. If that's the case, rest assured that there are things you can do to help mitigate lopsidedness, including nursing first or more frequently on the smaller one, to help increase supply (if it's a supply issue), as well as pumping the smaller one in between feeds. Another option is to head to the doctor to make sure there isn't an underlying reason that the baby prefers one of the girls over the other.
When It Hurts
I remember the first few days of breastfeeding as being so tortuously painful, I couldn't fathom continuing. It was so bad on Day 3 that I begged my husband to buy a couple bottles and some pre-mixed formula, just so I could have it on hand in case I needed to jump ship.
After getting confirmation from my midwives and a lactation consultant that my daughter had a decent latch and no tongue tie, I decided to power through, and within about a week, she had become more efficient at nursing, and my poor tortured nips got used to being tugged and sucked. And lo and behold, the pain subsided.
Painful breastfeeding can be caused by a number of issues. The first and most important one to figure out is the latch since a bad latch can cause the baby to chomp on your nip - essentially slamming it into her hard palate - destroying your nips and your milk supply in one fell swoop. Ugh.
Plugged ducts, painful letdown, tongue tie, and thrush can also make nursing painful, even between feedings. If nursing hurts at first, consult your doctor, midwife, or a lactation consultant to rule out any of the above problems. And rest assured that it does get better!
Cracked Nips
By the time I had gotten the latch figured out, my tiny new bundle of joy had gnawed my poor pepperoni slices straight into a pulp, making it agonizing to feed her. It felt like she had razor blades in her tiny, hungry mouth, and she was sawing off my nips with each painful suck.
Most women who experience cracking or bleeding have a baby who hasn't learned to latch properly, and the best way to mitigate all that distress is to work with a lactation consultant who can show you how to tweak head and holding positions, to optimize latch and save your nips.
While some mamas swear by store-bought ointment (like lanolin) to combat cracked nips, I've always found that the best remedy was the most natural: simply hand-expressing a small amount of milk onto each one after a feed, and letting the milk air dry before putting my top back on. Both methods (lanolin or milk) are known as "moist wound healing", and are a great way to mitigate potentially crackings before symptoms even arise.
Engorgement And Mastitis
Ugh. Mastitis: it real, and it's awful. Take my word for it.
Mastitis - which affects about one in 10 breastfeeding mamas - is an infection of the breast-tissue that comes with a host of awful side-effects like a red, painful, swollen patch on your jugs, as well as flu-like symptoms like fever, chills and the general longing for death. A mom may find herself with mastitis if her baby miraculously sleeps through the night, leading to engorged breasts that aren't emptied quickly enough.
The good news is that this crappy illness is totally treatable, and can clear up fast if you catch it soon enough. If you think you've got mastitis, keep feeding baby from that breast, and apply a warm compresses. If it doesn't get better, or you start getting the dreaded chills, head to the doctor for some antibiotics.
The Low Down On Letdown
All breastfeeding women experience letdown, but women with oversupply may experience letdown on steroids. Oversupply may sound wonderful - I mean, mom will have no problem keeping her baby fed. But, like under supply, oversupply comes with its own set of problems, including what's known as "forceful" or "overactive letdown", which can cause babies to choke or cough as the milk comes rushing into their mouths. Babies whose mothers have forceful letdown are also more likely to pull off the girls or clamp down on the nips to ease off on the milk, spit up or become gassy, or refuse to nurse altogether.
As with most breastfeeding issues, there are ways to combat oversupply and forceful letdown, including reclining or changing the baby's position so that gravity is working against the letdown. Reducing supply can also help, but should only be done in consultation with an expert.
