Here’s a secret you may not read in your pregnancy books: breastfeeding isn’t always easy.

“Many new moms assume they will instinctually know how to breastfeed their baby,” says Candy Casey, a nurse and president of Columbia Center, a unique birth hospital in Meqon, Wisconsin. “While women have the ability to nurse, learning how to successfully breastfeed often requires a lot of practice and patience. The first 3-4 weeks can be very difficult.”

Shari Criso, a nurse/midwife, lactation consultant, and owner of The Birth Boutique in Denville, New Jersey, assisted in over 600 births before delivering her first child six years ago.

“I had no idea how hard it would be to breastfeed my daughter,” Criso says. “It’s ironic how women take childbirth classes to prepare for labor and delivery, but when it comes to breastfeeding we think we can wing it.”

Criso advises moms who plan to breastfeed to begin taking classes and reading books on the topic as early as the second trimester. She recently filmed a DVD, Simply Breastfeeding, that addresses many of the common problems new moms experience including the baby not latching on correctly, nipple irritation, and engorgement. Criso says she has a 95 percent success rate in teaching women how to successfully breastfeed.

“Women need to learn the basics of breastfeeding and become familiar with the tools they need to be successful,” says Criso who along with her husband, Joe, offers breastfeeding classes to pregnant women and their partners in her boutique. “If a woman’s partner and family aren’t supportive, it makes the process more difficult to continue.”

Criso has also found that many moms encounter problems by not having the right breastfeeding essentials. She recommends that all expectant moms get fitted for maternity/nursing bras, and purchase items such as breast pads, nipple cream, and a nursing stool to help make the process easier.

While both Criso and the Association of American Pediatrics recommend that moms breastfeed exclusively for the first year to give babies the best possible health benefits, that’s not a realistic goal for all moms.

“My own belief is that breastfeeding doesn’t need to be all or nothing,” Criso says. “Even 2-3 feedings per day of breast milk will provide your baby with necessary nutrition and antibodies for both short and long term health benefits.”

For women who have problems breastfeeding, Casey recommends checking with your hospital to see if they have a lactation consultant who can work with you one-on-one. Groups such as the La Leche League can also provide moms with peer support.

While most experts strongly recommend breastfeeding, they also stress that new moms shouldn’t feel like failures if they choose to formula feed their babies. Both breast milk and infant formula can provide the nourishment and emotional bonding that babies need.

“The reality is many babies have been formula fed and have turned out fine,” Casey says. “The decision whether to breastfeed or formula feed is a very personal one and new moms shouldn’t be made to feel guilty about their choices.”

While some moms choose to formula-feed their babies immediately after birth, others transition from breastfeeding to formula after nursing for a certain amount of time.

“Whether new moms choose to breastfeed or bottle feed, they are sharing precious moments bonding with their babies,” Casey says.

MORE ON THE WEB:

Candy Casey and her colleague, Deanne Lawson, a lactation consultant, recommend the following websites for mothers who would like more information on breastfeeding:

kellymom.com - Offers answers to commonly asked questions on breastfeeding, a free lactation consultant directory and message boards.

breastfeeding.com - This website has a live breastfeeding Q & A's with health professionals, and hundreds of articles on breastfeeding related topics.