Actress Olivia Munn, mom to 2-month old baby Malcolm, admitted struggling with breastfeeding. She posted a video that she had a low milk supply and illustrated different techniques to boost supply.
She tried wearing a small device filled with formula in her chest, then taping feeding tubes to her nipples to help stimulate milk flow while Malcolm was nursing. Sadly, Munn said that did not work.
Munn made an exhaustive list of all her efforts to boost her milk supply. The list involved:
- 2 lactation consultants
- 3 breastfeeding pillows
- 3 different breast pump
- Skin to skin contact
- Nipple ointments
- Heating pads to increase circulation
- Liters of coconut water
- Lactation teas
- Lactation gummies
- Lactation vitamins
- Lactation cookies
Despite everything, the actress admitted that none of it worked. She admitted crying and worrying that she could not bond with her baby.
Afterward, Munn showed a video with the words, "Breastfeeding is good. But so is the formula," showing a clip of Malcolm contentedly feeding with formula milk.
Breastfeeding problems
Munn is not the only mother who has breastfeeding problems.
A former pre-school teacher, Katie realized that it is not always automatic even though breastfeeding is natural after she gave birth.
On her blog page, HappilyEverMom, she said that every time she tried to nurse her newborn baby, her baby would let out a scream. She remembered feeling alone, overwhelmed, and a failure.
Like Olivia, she would cry and ask herself what she was doing wrong and what can be so hard about breastfeeding?
According to Jessica D'Argenio Waller, a board-certified holistic nutritionist who focuses on women's health, women find it hard not to blame their bodies when breastfeeding goes wrong, as per Mother.ly. She added there is also pressure from family, friends, medical history, and society to get breastfeeding right. Moms struggling with breastfeeding are not a failure, and admitting their struggles takes a lot of strength.
Carol Smyth of Kellymom, a website that promotes evidence-based information on breastfeeding and parenting, and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), shares the following tips on moms like Olivia and Katie who are struggling with breastfeeding:
Breastfeeding takes time
Breastfeeding is like learning how to walk. Although it is a man's instinct to walk, it takes practice, several trials, and errors to finally learn to take several steps ahead on their own. Similarly, nobody expects a person who just brought a piano but has no previous piano experience to learn to play it on its first day at home. She assures moms that everyone struggles in the early breastfeeding days and that it takes patience and time to get it right finally.
Get Support
According to Smyth, 98 percent of babies in Norway are breastfed. In Norway and Northern Ireland, breastfeeding is considered a norm. They have a support system for moms struggling with breastfeeding and a vast network to discuss the concern.
KellyMom advises moms struggling with breastfeeding to find women who support them on this motherhood journey. Finding a local IBCLC to help moms with breastfeeding concerns also helps. Waller suggested that the earlier local IBCLC can help, the better it is for mommies.
