My Breastfeeding Experience: (Part 1) The Super-suction Baby
Note: This post corresponds to the Momic chapter: Breastfeeding Part (1) You can read it on Webtoon here.
My breastfeeding experience began 30 minutes after I gave birth when a nurse asked me if I wanted to try nursing my son. “Why not?” I thought. I had always seen women nursing in movies and shows. My body was MEANT for this. Compared to pushing a whole human out of my vagina this was going to be a piece of cake!
Wrong.
I was not prepared for the torture my newly minted 7 pound baby unleashed on my poor, unsuspecting nipples. I might as well have named him “Super Suction” because that kid’s mouth was like a high-powered vacuum cleaner set to level : NIPPLE DESTROYER.
In short, it was painful.
My experience didn’t get much better in the two days following his birth. Although I was happy that my son was a breastfeeding natural, I wasn’t. Every three hours it felt like near torture to start a nursing session. Not only was I healing from the birth, but now my nipples were on fire. It felt like a never ending friction burn. Not cool.
Now, let me tell you breastfeeding is NOT supposed to hurt. Lactation consultants will tell you that if it does hurt, you are most likely experiencing issues with a bad latch, but let’s be real. There really isn’t anything that can prepare your nipples for a suction-demon assaulting them every three hours. I think initial pain is inevitable unless your nipples are made of steel, and mine weren’t. Thank god I had the foresight to pack nipple-cream in my hospital bag.
Nipple cream is a product often made of lanolin, a wax made from sheep’s wool. It is non-toxic and safe for you and your baby. If you’re planning on breastfeeding in the hospital, BRING NIPPLE CREAM. Seriously, your cracked, chafing nipples will love you for it. I used mine for the first three weeks of my son’s life, and it was integral to the success of my breastfeeding journey.
I now feel very comfortable with breastfeeding and it’s a great bonding experience for the super-suction demon and I. However there are a few things I would go back and do differently. Read my post Four Things I would Have Done Differently in my Breastfeeding Journey, to find out more.
What was your first experience with breastfeeding like? Did it hurt? Share your experience in the comments below.
