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Breastfeeding/breastfeeding problems

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Expert: - 10/12/2007


Question
hi ...
iam having problem with my 1 year old .when she was little she used to bite on me..so i used a lot of lansinoh..Now my nipples get very soft after feeding for 10-15 min ..and my baby cries because she can't latch on to me as my skin becomes to soft to latch..entire nipple becomes like a thin tissue that slides in and out of mouth..It's really heart breaking to see my child crying..so please tell me what to do..

Answer
Dear Arthi,

First, congratulations for giving your daughter the best start in life by breastfeeding her!

My initial reaction is that if your one-year-old is able to nurse for 10-15 minutes on each breast, she is certainly getting the milk she needs and is also experiencing the comfort of breastfeeding. So one solution for you is simply to consider the nursing sessions ended at the point where she finds it hard to latch on, and to take her to another enjoyable activity -- eating solid foods, going for a walk in the park, playing with an appealing toy, etc.

However, if you want to make her nursing sessions longer, you might try a nipple shield. The newer thinner, flexible silicone nipple shields can sometimes help a baby to latch on. Meanwhile, she will be getting your milk through the holes at the tip of the shield. Usually these shields are used with younger infants, but they may help in your case. To be sure you are using shields the right way, you may want to see a lactation consultant or a La Leche League leader who has had experience with the use of the shields. To find a lactation consultant near you, contact the International Lactation Consultants Association (ILCA) at info@ilca.org.

Good luck!

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.  

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Sally Wendkos Olds

Expertise

What do you want to know about breastfeeding? I can tell you what`s good for the baby, what`s good for the mother -- and the father, how it`s related to a woman`s sexuality, how working moms can nurse, how to overcome obstacles, and lots more. As the author of THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING and author or coauthor of 8 other books and more than 200 articles about child and adult development, I can offer sound, sensible advice on breastfeeding, child care and family issues.

Experience

I nursed my 3 daughters and am the grandmother of 5 breastfed children. My book THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING (written in consultation with pediatrician Marvin S. Eiger, M.D.) was first published in 1972, and in 1999 came out in an updated 3rd Edition by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books. It is now a classic, with over 2 million copies in print. I am now revising this book for a fourth edition, consulting with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D. This new edition will be published September 2009. I welcome any and all suggestions for the new edition. I coauthored college textbooks A CHILD'S WORLD: INFANCY THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, and HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; both are leading texts in their fields and have been read by 2 million students. I am the coauthor of HELPING YOUR CHILD FIND VALUES TO LIVE BY and RAISING A HYPERACTIVE CHILD, and author of THE WORKING PARENTS' SURVIVAL GUIDE & THE ETERNAL GARDEN: SEASONS OF OUR SEXUALITY. My newest book, A BALCONY IN NEPAL: GLIMPSES OF A HIMALAYAN VILLAGE, published in 2002, tells the story of the way of life in a remote village in Nepal, where all the women breastfeed! My book, SUPER GRANNY: COOL PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER GREAT STUFF TO DO WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS, will be published March 2009. I speak often to professional, parent and general audiences and make many radio and TV appearances.

Credentials I received my B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, where I minored in Psychology, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude.

Other points of interest I have received national awards for my writing, and am a former president of the American Society of Journalists & Authors. I am listed in the World Who's Who of Women, International Authors & Writers Who's Who, and Contemporary Authors, and am a member of several professional and civic organizations. I believe: that all parents are working parents; that parents employed outside the home need special support; that mothers' well-being is crucial to their children's welfare; and that the family is the best institution in the world and the one for which we are least prepared. My thrills come when parents or kids tell me they were helped by my writing or speaking or just understanding. To find out more about me, go to

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