Khloé Kardashian Just Opened Up About the Breastfeeding Problem No One Talks About
Khloé Kardashian has never been one to censor her speech. Known for her no-holds-barred approach to telling it like it is, the reality star has, on multiple occasions, used social media to call out naysayers and dish on some of the most intimate aspects of her life. As a new mom to baby True, the star has continued her social media candor, this week taking to Twitter to open up about her recent struggles with breastfeeding.
On Sunday, Kardashian replied to a Twitter user who asked the star if “it hurt breastfeeding?” In her response, Kardashian explained that after trying “for weeks and weeks,” she was unable to continue breastfeeding due to post-pregnancy stress. “I guess due to stress my milk was not coming in,” she explained. “I tried and I just couldn’t give her enough. So I had to go to formula.”
Khloé’s candor struck a nerve. Almost immediately responses began pouring in from women across the Twitter-verse with their own difficult breastfeeding stories to share.
https://twitter.com/delatorremex10/status/1064357262012162048
https://twitter.com/arthur_kristin/status/1064514953732861952
https://twitter.com/KelliGarrett81/status/1064858354974171142
Apparently this is pretty common—especially with first-time moms. “Stress reduces the production of oxytocin, which is essential for milk letdown,” Rallie McAllister, M.D., Nanobebe ambassador, says. “New moms tend to be more stressed in general and more stressed about breastfeeding in particular,” she explains. Translation: It’s not uncommon to end up in Kardashian’s situation.
As a lot of women on Twitter expressed, not being able to breastfeed can be emotionally charged. “I tried everything and couldn’t produce more than half an ounce. I felt like a failure,” one user wrote.
There are some ways to combat this post-natal lactation stress—Dr. McAllister suggests pumping between nursing sessions, drinking plenty of H2O, and getting lots of rest. But more importantly, new moms need the support to do what’s most comfortable for them, whether that’s breastfeeding, formula feeding, or a mixture of both. No matter what new moms choose, thanks to Khloé, there are more opportunities to open up about it.