Breast Care Basics

Perhaps the most important part of breastfeeding your baby is, well, the breast. How well you care for your breast during breastfeeding, especially those critical first few months, is crucial to your ultimate breastfeeding success. So what exactly does breast care entail and what can happen if you put it off?

Susan Illis of Marietta, Ga., suffered with cracked nipples for quite some time before the problem was taken care of. In retrospect, she feels that she could have been more aggressive in finding a solution to the problem. "I would have sought medical help sooner, instead of suffering," she says. "I'm 34 weeks pregnant and planning to do it again. However, if I have problems again, I will be far more proactive in finding a solution!"

Many women learn to breastfeed their babies without a hitch. Others run into difficulties that could have been avoided with proper breast care and technique. One of the biggest problems women have is ignoring pain. Dottie James, Ph.D., an associate professor at Saint Louis University School of Nursing, agrees. "A woman should know that breastfeeding should not be painful," James says. "In addition, should she notice a warm, swollen area anywhere on the breast, she should contact her obstetrician or midwife immediately."

Ignoring pain can be an invitation for a serious infection. Sometimes the lack of breast attention and care can result in any of the following:

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