Some of the most common Breastfeeding Myths

Today I wanted to look at some of the most common Myths about Breastfeeding. Women are misleading every day with wrongful information that does not encourage them to believe in their natural ability to breastfeed their babies naturally. So please read the following Myths and don't let any one mislead you.

Myth number 1: Many women do not produce enough milk. Not true!

The vast majority of women produce more than enough milk. Indeed, an overabundance of milk is common. Most babies that gain too slowly, or lose weight, do so not because the mother does not have enough milk, but because the baby does not get the milk that the mother has. The usual reason that the baby does not get the milk that is available is that he is poorly latched onto the breast. This is why it is so important that the mother be shown, on the first day, how to latch a baby on properly, by someone who knows what he or she is doing.

Myth number 2: It is normal for breastfeeding to hurt. Not true!

Though some tenderness during the first few days is relatively common, this should be a temporary situation, which lasts only a few days and should never be so bad that the mother dreads nursing. Any pain that is more than mild is abnormal and is usually due to the baby latching on poorly. Any nipple pain that is not getting better by day 3 or 4 or lasts beyond 5 or 6 days should not be ignored. A new onset of pain when things have been going well for a while may be due to a yeast infection of the nipples. Limiting feeding time does not prevent soreness.

Myth number 3: There is no milk during the first 3 or 4 days after birth. There is no (not enough) milk during the first 3 or 4 days after birth. Not true!

It often seems like that because the baby is not latched on properly and therefore is unable to get the milk. Once the mother's milk is abundant, a baby can latch on poorly and still may get plenty of milk. However, during the first few days, the baby who is latched on poorly cannot get milk. This accounts for "but he's been on the breast for 2 hours and is still hungry when I take him off". By not latching on well, the baby is unable to get the mother's first milk, called colostrum. Anyone who suggests you pump your milk to know how much colostrum there is, does not understand breastfeeding, and should be politely ignored.

Myth number 4: A baby should be on the breast 20 minutes on each side. A baby should be on the breast 20 (10, 15, 7.6) minutes on each side. Not true!

However, a distinction needs to be made between "being on the breast" and "breastfeeding". If a baby is actually latching on correctly for most of 15-20 minutes on the first side, he may not want to take the second side at all. If he latch only a minute on the first side, and then nibbles or sleeps, and does the same on the other, no amount of time will be enough. The baby will breastfeed better and longer if he is latched on properly. He can also be helped to breastfeed longer if the mother gently massages the breast to keep the flow of milk going, once he no longer swallows on his own. Thus it is obvious that the rule of thumb that "the baby gets 90% of the milk in the breast in the first 10-15 minutes" is in a sense accurate.

Myth number 5: A breastfeeding baby needs extra water in hot weather. Not true!

Breast milk contains all the water a baby needs.

Myth number 6: Breastfeeding babies need extra vitamin D. Breastfeeding babies need extra vitamin D. Not true!

Except in extraordinary circumstances (for example, if the mother herself was vitamin D deficient during the pregnancy). The baby stores vitamin D during the pregnancy, and a little outside exposure, on a regular basis, gives the baby all the vitamin D he needs.

Myth number 7: A mother should wash her nipples each time before feeding the baby. Not true!

Formula feeding requires careful attention to cleanliness because formula not only does not protect the baby against infection, but also is actually a good breeding ground for bacteria and can also be easily contaminated. On the other hand, breast milk protects the baby against infection. Washing nipples before each feeding makes breastfeeding unnecessarily complicated and washes away protective oils from the nipple.

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