Sore nipples
Engorged breasts
Blocked milk ducts
Mastitis
Breast abscess
Undersupply of breast milk
Oversupply of breast milk
Breastfeeding is an art, as well as a skill that both you and your baby need to learn. This can sometimes require a degree of patience and practice. For many women, the early days (and occasionally weeks) of breastfeeding can present unique challenges, before their feeding comes 'naturally'. For other women, a challenge may present itself down the track, when their baby is older (such as
mastitis).
If you do encounter problems with your breastfeeding, it can sometimes feel hard to keep persevering. With some conditions, such as a blocked milk duct or mastitis, you will need to continue to feed or express, at least until you recover, to avoid further complications. For women who weather their breastfeeding challenges, and continue to breastfeed, it can be a marvellous sense of achievement to overcome them and to be able to enjoy feeding your baby.
The following are some breastfeeding variations that can occur during the time that you breastfeed. To read about some unique physical changes that women can experience during breastfeeding, you can click on
breastfeeding and physical changes. Or you may wish to read about
expressing and storing breast milk.