If you’re a first-time mum, you’re likely to have lots of questions about your nursing experience. We help you shoot the awkward ones to the experts.
Will breastfeeding interfere with my sex life?
Like the vagina, the breasts can play both a practical and sexual role, notes Dr Christopher Ng, obstetrician and gynaecologist at GynaeMD Women’s and Rejuvenation Clinic.
While these roles are not mutually exclusive, they can be a source of conflict for some couples during lactation.
Some men find breastfeeding a sexual turn-on. Others find the leaking milk and chapped nipples less than exciting, although as breastfeeding becomes a part of everyday life, this adverse reaction tends to lessen.
Sometimes, a nursing mum may feel that her breasts get more than enough attention from her baby and discourage her spouse from taking full pleasure in them. It may be difficult for her to reconcile her identity as both a mother and a sexual being, Dr Ng says.
So don’t worry, you’re not alone if you feel this way. The important thing to remember is that women’s breasts are designed both for nursing babies and foreplay!
Should I accept breast milk from a friend since my supply is low?
It depends on how much you trust the source, says Dr Natalie Epton, specialist paediatrician and neonatologist at International Paediatric Clinic.
Although breast milk is the ideal nutrition for babies, it can also be contaminated. HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other viruses can be transmitted via infected milk.
A mother is tested for HIV and hepatitis B carriage during pregnancy, so you can perhaps ask for her status – if you feel brave enough, Dr Epton suggests. Other lesser known viruses not routinely tested include cytomegalovirus, which can make newborns unwell.
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