Breastfeeding Myths
There are innumerable myths regarding breastfeeding. Often passed along by people with good intentions, these bits of incorrect or misleading information can prevent or destroy a healthy breastfeeding relationship. Here are some common breastfeeding myths, and an explanation of why they are not true.
“Breastfeeding Hurts!”
Breastfeeding should not hurt if done correctly, unless there are complications involved such as cracked nipples or an infection. In the beginning, nipples can become chapped and sore while still adjusting to their new duties, but this is usually a temporary and only mildly annoying problem. Occasionally nipples will crack or bleed, but this usually happens only when the baby’s mouth isn’t positioned properly. Generally speaking, if the baby has the proper latch on mom’s nipple, there will be no pain.
Other sources of discomfort while nursing include plugged ducts, mastitis, engorgement, or the let-down reflex. If a milk duct becomes plugged, there may be a bit of soreness in the breast. The cure is massage and more nursing. Mastitis is a breast infection, which can sometimes accompany a plugged duct or cracked nipple. If mastitis occurs, fever and flu-like symptoms may be present, and part of the breast may become red and swollen. Antibiotics are usually needed to clear up the infection, but the antibodies in breast milk will protect the baby from getting sick. Engorgement, an uncomfortable condition caused by swelling and an excess of milk, usually only happens during the first few months of breastfeeding. It can be prevented by nursing frequently, and can be relieved by pumping, hand expression, and cold compresses. Some women find the let-down reflex to be mildly painful, but this usually diminishes in time.
“You have to feed formula until your milk comes in.”
Breast milk isn’t usually present, at least not in quantity, immediately following the baby’s birth. Instead, the mother will produce a clear or yellowish fluid called colostrum. Should you supplement until the “true” milk appears? Certainly not! Colostrum is the perfect food for newborn babies. It contains antibodies and all the nutrition the baby needs. And the more a baby nurses, the faster “true” milk will come in! Mothers who supplement with formula or glucose water will often have trouble getting a sufficient supply of breast milk. More importantly, supplementing during these crucial first days can make the baby reluctant to nurse because getting milk from a bottle takes less effort.
“The baby’s always hungry because you’re not making enough milk.”
There will be days when the baby nurses more often than usual, and it can be exhausting. In most cases, however, this is not caused by insufficient milk and is not detrimental to the baby. It usually means that the baby is having a growth spurt and has a temporary need for more nutrition. The constant nursing helps to build up the supply. In other words, if you’re not making enough milk, keep nursing and you soon will be.
“There’s no way to tell if the baby’s getting enough to eat.”
Breasts, unlike bottles, don’t come with a measuring guide. Nursing mothers will never be able to say “he took eight ounces at his last feeding!” But that doesn’t mean there’s no way to know if he’s getting enough to eat. What comes in must go out. If the baby’s making lots of dirty and wet diapers, he’s getting plenty.
“The baby’s crying and uncomfortable because your milk isn’t good enough.”
All babies cry. Babies get gassy and uncomfortable, and sometimes suffer that dreaded condition called “colic” whether they’re breastfed or formula fed. But unless the mother is suffering from severe malnutrition, there’s no such thing as “bad breastmilk.”
One day while we were visiting my husband’s parents, I had a bottle of expressed breast milk to feed our daughter. (My in-laws were very uncomfortable with nursing, so I did it out of respect for them.) My father-in-law grabbed the bottle, held it up to the light, and exclaimed, “That’s not milk! It’s too thin! Here…” He went to the refrigerator, and brandished a half-gallon jug of milk in my face. “This is milk! No wonder that baby’s so skinny!”
It happens. Don’t let it get to you. Your baby is not a calf, and you don’t eat grass and moo.
“Breastfeeding mothers can’t eat certain foods.”
A nursing mother can eat anything she wants to, including spicy food and garlic. These flavors do alter the taste of the breast milk, but babies seem to enjoy the variety. Occasionally, babies do become sensitive to foods in the mother’s diet and develop uncomfortable gas or become restless and inconsolable. Common culprits include chocolate, caffeine, and dairy products, but there are others. A nursing mother should try to eliminate these foods from her diet before giving up and weaning the baby.
“You won’t have enough milk because your breasts are too small.”
Pre-pregnancy breast size usually has nothing to do with the ability to produce milk. Fatty deposits in the breasts determine their size, not the number of milk ducts. While breasts usually swell a cup size or two during pregnancy, you’ll be able to nurse just as well even if they don’t. Engorgement following delivery isn’t necessary, either.
“You’ll have to wean when you go back to work.”
Depending on your job, it’s quite possible that you can continue a wonderful nursing relationship even after you return to work. Many employers are becoming more supportive of breastfeeding mothers by providing breaks and areas for expressing milk, and there are effective, inexpensive pumps that make it easy to do so. But even if you can’t pump during work hours, nursing while you’re home with the baby can still continue. Your breasts will adjust to the schedule, and while you may produce less milk and not be able to satisfy all of the baby’s nutritional needs, he’ll still benefit from the closeness and comfort of nursing.
There are many other misconceptions about breastfeeding. If you have any concerns or questions, discuss them with your doctor, midwife, or a lactation consultant. La Leche League, an organization that supports nursing mothers and advocates breastfeeding, can provide information and direct you to a local support group.
Author: Baby First Year -BabyFirstYear.Org
