The Importance of Breastfeeding
I overheard her conversing over the phone.
I had paid little or no attention since I was attending to the next client and didn’t want to lose situational awareness.
But I can boldly confess she muttered the word NAN MILK.
Lazy me; I kept wandering while the postnatal ward was constantly filled and the unnecessary struggle of expectant mothers wanting to have their babies delivered on the 25th of December.
Later, the same day, she beckoned to me, and I sensed the distress all over her. Using Nigeria Pidgin English, she said:
‘’Nurse, my body the hot me
E get as my body the do me
My breast the heavy me’’
I had to quickly escalate the findings after taking her vital signs.
Your guess is as good as mine….my inner expression was ‘’Na wa oo’’
Upon examining her breast, they were so ENGORGED, but we had seen her breastfeeding her baby frequently and this was unexplainable.
She yielded to pressure,
She wanted her breast forever firm for her spouse.
Moreover, her beauty was paramount to her.
She kept repeating; that her breast is her only asset.
I am still in awe of how she managed to hide the feeding bottle in between her clothes during breastfeeding. Her friend taught her those tricks- she shamefully voiced out.
I had to do my job; using a syringe to withdraw the milk as a measure to help relieve her pain. Even the blind could tell she was in pain.
She childishly asked, Nurse, what is Breast Engorgement?
According to Myles’s textbook- This is a condition that occurs around day 3 or 4 following a baby’s birth, making the breasts become hard, often oedematous, painful, and sometimes appear flushed. This is an indication that the baby is not keeping pace with the stage of lactation.
The causes of breast engorgement
An engorged breast can arise either from the mother or the baby. The common causes of breast engorgement are:
Maternal causes: One of the major maternal causes of breast engorgement is the refusal to breastfeed or restricting breastfeeding. Other causes include:
- Sore and damaged nipples
- Inverted and flat nipples
- Long and short nipples
- Poor positioning and attachment during breastfeeding
Health issues: Conditions such as cleft palate or lip, tongue tie, blocked nose, Down syndrome, and prematurity affect the baby’s sucking abilities which can lead to breast engorgement.
How to prevent breast engorgement
- Breastfeeding! Except contraindicated.
- Use of pumps
- Tackling underlying issues that can affect breastfeeding
- Proper positioning and good attachment during breastfeeding
The need to breastfeed cannot be over-stressed. Breastfeeding is not only beneficial to the infant, but to the mother and the family at large. This is why adequate support from families is recommended to help a breastfeeding mother.
In contrast to the popular opinion that breastfeeding makes the breasts fall making mothers restrict their babies from sucking. The number of pregnancies, weight loss or gain, and gravity are some of the factors responsible for fallen breasts.
Again I say-----BREASTFEEDING.
No matter what, the Breast must fall.
Happy Breastfeeding Week!!!!
By: Ejeh Agbi R.N
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