5 Breastfeeding Myths 1. Low Milk SupplyAccording to Dr. Jack Newman, author of Guide to Breastfeeding in Canada (revised edition, January 2003), and The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers , most mothers produce enough milk for their baby. So why the worries about supply? A baby who is not gaining weight adequately typically is not latching correctly to consume an adequate amount of breastmilk. It is vital that a mother is shown what a correct latch looks and feels like on her baby’s first day of life. Another cause of low milk supply is infrequent feedings. 2. Measuring Your Milk Production with a Breast PumpMany people believe that you can determine how much milk a mom is producing by having her use a breast pump. This is not true. A baby who breastfeeds using a proper latch can express more milk than a mother can pump. Pumping only measures how much milk you can pump. 3. Pain While Breastfeeding is Normal. A mother should NOT be in pain while breastfeeding her baby. Breast tenderness during the first few days after birth is normal, but it should not persist. Any nipple pain that persists past the first 3-4 days of a baby’s life is most likely due to a poor latch and should be assessed by an experienced professional, such as a lactation specialist. 4.Drink Milk to Make Milk. Another common myth is that a mother must drink milk products in order to make milk. This is far from the truth. A nursing mother should eat a varied diet of fruits, grains, proteins, and vegetables. Calcium is an important nutrient for a nursing mother, as well, but there are many non-dairy foods that contain calcium, including nuts, fish, seeds, and green vegetables. 5. Saggy Breasts One of the most common myths about breastfeeding is that a woman’s breasts will sag from breastfeeding. Plastic surgeon Brian Rinker studied the effects breastfeeding has on breast shape. The results of the study revealed no difference in breast sagging between women who breastfed and those who did not. The study did show that the main factors that caused breast sagging were smoking status, age, and number of pregnancies. Specifically, the negative effects on breast shape increase with each pregnancy. What are some breastfeeding myths that people have told you?? *T*
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 01:00:22 +0000
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