Experts discuss common breastfeeding/weaning struggles

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – August is National Breastfeeding Month and local experts are talking about how nursing and pumping impacts a mother.

We’ve all heard “breast is best” and the counter “fed is best”, but that is not the end of the discussion of breastfeeding. 

While it may be natural, breastfeeding isn’t always smooth sailing, and that is where an expert comes in to help.

“The most common issue we see is pain from or latching. It’s hard because breastfeeding is supposed to be, you know, natural. However, it’s actually socially learned behavior, which means that we learn to do it by watching other people do it, and we don’t see other people doing it,” said lactation consultant Jacqueline Cropper.

Cropper advises mothers to ensure a deep latch and stresses milk removal is the tried and true way to encourage your milk supply.

“The biggest thing is making sure that babies are transferring efficiently and effectively, which means hearing a swallow every one to two sucks.” said Cropper. “Some really simple positioning fixes can really make a difference for new families.”

And then there is weaning. 

Some mothers nurse as long as they want to and end on their own terms, while others have to stop before they are ready to. 

Both come with hormonal and relational changes.

“Emotionally, you know, you have this connection with your baby in this way to see them and mother them. And when that is gone, it’s hard to figure out how to replace it. And we really miss that loss,” said Cropper.

Local mom and former doula, Heaven Kieffer, finds joy in nursing her children. 

“The way a child looks at you on their thing, and then they’ll let go and smile and it’s just like the most precious thing in the whole wide world. Makes you want to have 10 million babies. My heart does want a million more and I breast feed them all,” said Kieffer.

Kieffer encourages moms to listen to their intuition and do what is best for their family.

“And if your intuition is screaming like, I want to breastfeed, I want to do this. Just do it. You’re just going to have to stick it through. It’s hard. And like I said, it is tons and tons of work. I have had my days where I’m like, wow, did I really want to do this? Especially going into still breastfeeding my toddler through pregnancy and then, you know, adding a newborn into the mix. There were definitely nights while pregnant that I was like, ‘Get off me and don’t touch me for like 12 hours’,” laughed Kieffer.