Within seconds of initiating her first breastfeeding session with her newborn daughter, Sophie, Louise Dame was in excruciating pain. “It hurts! It hurts!” the Calgary mother kept telling the attending nurse. “Just leave it for a minute,” was the nurse’s continual reply. By the end of that session, Louise’s breast was sorely bruised, and Sophie was still hungry. Over the next few days, a succession of unit nurses attempted to help Louise with the womanly art of breastfeeding, each espousing a different method, none of them successful. Louise’s pain increased to the point where one nurse had to force her to feed Sophie, so unwilling was she to put herself through the torturous process again. “I knew I was doing it wrong, but I didn’t know how to fix it,” Dame recalls. “Sophie was crying all night long, she was so hungry. So I walked the halls comforting her, working up the courage to try again.”

The problem, as Dame now realizes, was that her daughter did not have what is known as a “good latch”—her mouth was not attaching to the breast properly to allow her to draw milk. A few days later, the distraught mother met with a special lactation consultant who taught her the proper method for holding and feeding Sophie. (Dame might also have benefited from viewing the Breast Is Best instructional video, available for $60 through the Infant Feeding Action Coalition Canada, www.infactcanada.ca.) But it would take three weeks more of soreness and an additional three of fears that her milk supply was inadequate before Dame would finally be able to relax and enjoy the nursing process. “Breastfeeding is one of the hardest, but most worthwhile, things I will have ever done,” she says.

One of the biggest misconceptions about nursing for first-time mothers—even highly motivated ones—is that the process will be easy. “I thought it would be like those baby monkeys on TV that go straight to the breast and start feeding right away,” says Andra Christie, a Nanton, Alta., mother of three. “But there is a certain method to it. You have to work at it.”

And working at it is highly recommended because the benefits of breastfeeding are well established. Mother’s milk contains the right mix of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals that a baby needs to grow. As well, breastfeeding helps protect the baby from infection, allergies and even obesity (the effort required discourages overfeeding). Breast milk requires no preparation or storage space and is always sterile. Nursing helps a mother lose the weight she gained in pregnancy and facilitates the uterus’ return to its pre-pregnancy state. Best of all, nursing creates an intimate time for moms and babies to closely bond.

Twenty-five years ago, just one Canadian mother in four chose to breastfeed; today, almost four in five mothers do. Unfortunately, however, 30%–40% of these women have stopped by the three-month mark—even though doctors now recommend exclusive breastfeeding until an infant is at least 6 months old. “The drop-off in breastfeeding between initiation and just  a month after birth is huge,” notes Dr. Beverley Chalmers, an international health consultant on babies in Kingston, Ont.

One major problem is that too many women go into breastfeeding without a proper understanding of how it works. “They think there’s some kind of mystique about it, that why some babies will feed and others won’t is a mystery,” she says. “You may be lucky, or you may not have enough milk or your breasts are the wrong shape or size or whatever. There’s all this misinformation and myth surrounding breastfeeding.” Fortunately, in most parts of Canada, the knowledge to dispel these myths is readily available. Many hospitals operate breastfeeding clinics with lactation consultants to teach new mothers both proper nursing techniques and the signs of a hungry or replete baby. Chalmers recommends that new moms check out the principles of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, a joint venture of the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF that was created to promote breastfeeding around the globe. At www.unicef.org, you’ll find information on breastfeeding, as well as basic principles and techniques for mothers and professionals to follow. “If a mom knows how it’s supposed to work, then she’s able to do the things that might make it easier,” Chalmers says.

For Dr. Cindy-Lee Dennis, an assistant professor in the University of Toronto’s nursing faculty, the biggest challenge breastfeeding mothers face is keeping up their confidence. “The number one reason women discontinue breastfeeding is because they think they have insufficient milk,” says Dennis, “but fewer than 1% of mothers actually produce an insufficient amount.” Too many new mothers lose confidence when the baby doesn’t latch on right away or fails to feed properly.

This is where a good support system comes in—to help a mother overcome any doubts and difficulties that arise. Does her hospital have a breastfeeding clinic? Does her family doctor know a lot about breastfeeding? Is there a local moms’ group she could attend? Did her sister or friends breastfeed? “Look at the whole support network, both professional and private,” Dennis says. Studies conducted by Dennis found that women who receive regular support from other mothers with nursing experience are more likely to continue breastfeeding. Peer role models do much to enhance a woman’s faith in herself. “If you see an ordinary person doing it, it makes it seem as if you can do it, too,” she says.

A good support system includes a hospital policy that follows the UNICEF/WHO baby-friendly guidelines, says Chalmers. This means initiating breastfeeding within an hour of the birth and allowing the baby and mother to room together at the hospital. “At the time of delivery, the infant should be given directly to the mother. She should be delivered straight onto the mother’s abdomen and never be separated from her,” Chalmers says. “Any examinations or cleanings should be done while the baby is in skin-to-skin contact with the mother.” If the two are separated or if the neonate is fed water or formula—which often happens in hospitals—breastfeeding becomes more difficult to initiate.

With the right knowledge and loving support, most women should be able to avoid the pains and frustrations that often come with breastfeeding and focus on the joys of nourishing and connecting with their child.