Breastfeeding is a beautiful and intimate method of feeding your baby, but it can be full of challenges that new mothers might not predict. While beneficial in numerous health terms for both mother and child, many women actually face side effects in breastfeeding that complicate the experience.
9 Side Effects of Breastfeeding
Let's face it, breastfeeding is the best way to feed your baby and bond with them, though sometimes a few unexpected challenges come into the picture not expected by new mothers. Breastfeeding changes the body in many ways, causing one kind of pain and hormonal fluctuations. Here are some of the most common side effects of breastfeeding.
● Back Pain
It can cause backache, especially when you are often bending over your baby to feed them. That is caused by bowing the head and straining in an abnormal position.
● Bruising
Most women have bruises on their breasts while they and their babies learn to nurse correctly. It's not uncommon for your baby's fingers to pinch or squeeze your breast quite hard, causing bruising.
● Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Some breastfeeding mothers will develop carpal tunnel syndrome. This is because of pressure on a nerve at the wrist, which may be painful or numb and tingling to your hands. Don't make matters worse, though, if you're always placing your baby in one specific position, which can exacerbate this. If you think that perhaps you have carpal tunnel, talk to your doctor. They may suggest using a wrist splint to help alleviate the pain. Use of pain medicine. Some of these drugs get through breast milk. Always get your doctor to check before you start anything.
● Muscle spasms
During breastfeeding, oxytocin your body releases to shrink back your uterus to its normal size post-pregnancy. This often comes with cramps, especially in the first weeks of breastfeeding. The symptoms are uncomfortable but an indication of healing. You may choose to take ibuprofen, some over-the-counter pain medicine, and be sure to consult with your physician first before taking any other medication.
● Bone loss
The amount of bone density loss due to breastfeeding is small since your body utilizes calcium to make breast milk. It usually is temporary, and most women regain their bone strength once they stop breastfeeding. To keep your bones healthy, eat foods rich in calcium, like leafy greens and dairy products, and try to stay active. If you are worried about your bone health, talk about taking a calcium supplement with your doctor.
● Tiredness
Breastfeeding is very tiring, especially in the early months. Frequent feeding, primarily nocturnal feedings, affects the mother's sleep cycle and hence her fatigue and exhaustion. The energy expended in producing breast milk sets a strain on the body and, in conjunction with the demand of caring for a newborn, can exhaust mothers. This lassitude can be countered with proper rest, support from the partner or family, and nutrient supply. This is a normal condition seen in many breastfeeding mothers.
● Hormonal Changes
Breastfeeding sends hormonal changes that tend to affect both physical and emotional feelings. Since it involves the release of oxytocin, also known as the "love hormone," it tends to make mothers feel love toward their babies and helps eject milk during breastfeeding. However, prolactin causes milk production in the breasts and can control mood, making a mother emotionally sensitive or causing her mood to fluctuate. Moreover, breastfeeding delays the resumption of menses-that is, a condition referred to as lactational amenorrhea-and it may influence hormonal levels and thus emotional states.
● Low Libido
Elevated prolactin, caused by breastfeeding, stimulates milk production but can also suppress ovulation and lower estrogen levels. At times, this may lead to low libido in some breastfeeding mothers. Other contributing factors may be generalized tiredness and the physical labor of taking care of a newborn. These effects are usually temporary, and in most cases, the libido is regained as the breastfeeding starts to cease gradually.
● Weight Loss
A pregnancy retains the weight it has accrued and can even be augmented because breastfeeding expends more energy by the body in the production of milk. For most women, this is beneficial in losing weight soon after delivery due to the body using its reserves of fat to fuel the new requirements of breastfeeding. To what degree this can be so will often differ from person to person depending on such things as diet and metabolism besides the level of breastfeeding. Some women may lose some weight soon after delivery while for others, some time has to elapse before noticing a difference.
Weighing the Benefits and Side Effects: Is Breastfeeding Right for Me?
It's a big decision: to breastfeed or bottle-feed the baby. Breastfeeding isn't always easy. Some moms may feel pain, their baby will have trouble latching onto the breast, or they may worry they're not making enough milk. If you decide to breastfeed even with these hard moments, you are making a brave choice. But in case you do not want to do that, it's perfectly fine too. What matters at the end of it all is that your baby is contented, healthy and both of you are doing well.
Some reasons why breastfeeding may be a good idea:
- Breast milk contains all the right nutrients that help your baby grow strong and stay healthy. It also contains things that help prevent your baby from getting sick, such as preventing a cold or infection.
- It creates a special closeness between you and your baby. You will get to have the feeling of closeness when you have your baby close and feed.
- Breastfeeding is good for babies-but it's also good for moms. In fact, it may even help protect against some forms of cancer, such as breast cancer, and can help some moms feel less sad or stressed after having their baby.
- Another great advantage of breastfeeding is that the milk is always available at your baby's whim, and it is fresh and at the right temperature. This can make feeding a bit easier, especially for those middle-of-the-night feedings.
- Breastfeeding is free, so you will not be forking out money for formula. This can save you thousands in the long run.
But remember, if it does not work for you, or if you don't want to do that, that's okay. There are other ways of feeding and caring for your baby, which can work just as well. It is about making a choice that might best suit you and your baby in the first place without having to feel bad about it.
Tools and Tips to Deal with Breastfeeding Side Effects
Understanding these side effects and having the right tools and tips to counteract them could make that transition into motherhood so much easier. Below are some effective strategies on how to tackle common breastfeeding side effects.
- Posture Does Matter: Sit up straight while breastfeeding and lift your baby close to your chest by using pillows so as not to bend forward and the pressure thus exerted on the back.
- Baby's Grip: Some women opt to put mittens or socks on their baby's hands while nursing. Also check that the baby's lips are well-aligned-your baby may tuck the bottom lip in, which can cause sore nipples and bruising. As your baby improves at feeding, this should be rectified by itself over time.
- Switch Breasts often: The avoidance of pressure on your wrist is achieved by frequent changes in breastfeeding positions. If the symptoms do not subside, a wrist splint is advised. Use of pain medicine. Some of these drugs get through breast milk. Always get your doctor to check before you start anything.
- Keep Comfortable: Oxytocin can induce contractions because your body is healing. You may find some over-the-counter medications that can help with contractions but first talk to your doctor.
- Calcium: Focus on a diet that is high in calcium, which means making sure you are getting a lot of green vegetables and dairy. Talk to your doctor if calcium supplementation is recommended.
- Rest and Support: Let your partner and family support you in getting the rest you need while nursing, and eat well to combat fatigue
- Identify Mood Swings: Understand that hormone levels affect emotions and moods. Discuss your emotions with a partner or other loved ones.
- Mostly a Temporary Illness: Realize that lack of sexual interest is normal for many women at this stage of life and may subside over time as the responsibilities of breastfeeding start to ease.
- Health Promoting Lifestyle: Weight loss is not uniform among all nursing mothers. Focus on healthful eating and advice from a healthcare provider.
- Use a Breast Pump: Utilizing pumping devices such as the Momcozy V1 Pro, this way you can comfortably and more flexibly handle your breastfeeding routine, alleviate some of these side effects, and maintain your milk supply. Listen to your body and ask for help when you need it.
FAQs about Breastfeeding Side Effects
- What happens to a woman's body when she breastfeeds?
When a mother breastfeeds, her body changes in ways that stimulate its glands to produce more milk and also bind her closer to her baby. The process burns about 300-500 calories a day. This might be beneficial in weight loss and also supports the shrinkage of the uterus back to its normal size, reducing postpartum bleeding. In addition to this, her breasts may be swollen and sensitive, and she should continue on a healthy diet.
- Does breastfeeding cause emotional changes?
Yes, breastfeeding may cause a change in emotions through hormonal fluctuation that brings the feeling of calm, but it could also result in mood swings. Meeting all the demands of breastfeeding can be stressful, mostly when the issues are encountered, and some women develop postpartum depression, which affects their breastfeeding. Women must receive help if they start feeling overwhelmed.
- Does breastfeeding mess with your hormones?
There is a great effect on hormones when breast-feeding - levels of prolactin and oxytocin increase, stimulating the production of milk and bonding, whereas the levels of estrogen and progesterone decline, causing it to be very normal for menstrual cycles to be postponed. Some hormonal alterations can also cause emotional modifications, examples of which may include mood swings in some mothers as their bodies adapt to the process of breastfeeding.
- Are breastfed babies more clingy?
Breastfed babies appear more clingy because of the nature of close bonding and frequent feeding time that keeps them near their mothers. More importantly, babies have developmental stages that might make them clingy as they grow and experience phases of separation anxiety.
Conclusion
Breastfeeding can bring challenges and side effects for both moms and babies. Correct information and assistance can help mothers overcome the side effects of breastfeeding and have a positive experience due to the special bonding that comes with mothering the babies.
