Myths of Breastfeeding in Early Days Postpartum
Misinformation Hampering the Initiation of Nursing
New mothers are often bombarded with conflicting information about breastfeeding. There are many myths surrounding the art of breastfeeding that hamper its initiation and this article attempts to dispel some of the common ones that mothers may hear in the early days postpartum.
How Often Should Baby Breastfeed?
It is a myth that a mother only needs to breastfeed every four hours to maintain a good milk supply. It is a fact that when a mother breastfeeds early and often, her milk production is greater, her baby gains more weight and she continues breastfeeding for a longer period. Milk production is related to feeding frequency and milk supply declines when feedings are infrequent or restricted.
It is a myth that a breastfeeding mother should space her feedings so that her breasts will have time to refill. It is a fact that a breastfeeding mother is always making milk. The emptier her breast is, the faster her body makes milk to replace it; the fuller the breast, the more the production of milk slows down. If a mother waits until her breasts "fill up" before she feeds her baby, her body may get the message that it is making too much and may reduce total production.
It is a myth that you should never wake a sleeping baby. It is a fact that while most babies will let you know when they need to breastfeed, newborns may not wake often enough and should be roused to feed at least eight times a day and probably more frequently. Drowsiness can result from drugs given to the mother during the birth or afterwards, jaundice, trauma, dummy use and/or shutdown behaviour after a delayed response to feeding cues.
How to Make Enough Breastmilk
It is a myth that low milk supply is usually caused by stress, fatigue and/or inadequate food and drink. It is a fact that the most common causes of low milk supply are infrequent feedings and/or poor latch-on and positioning. Breastfeeding is often blamed when a new mum is exhausted. Parenting is a tiring business, regardless of how you feed your baby. Lactation actually suppresses the nervous system’s hormonal response to stress, enabling mothers to feel calmer and better able to cope with whatever life throws at them when breastfeeding.
Research indicates that a-less-than-perfect diet will not affect a mother’s milk supply. Breastmilk is still the best food for the baby. Even malnourished mothers make enough milk because the body has highly developed survival mechanisms to protect the baby during times of scarce food supply. However, if a mother is eating poorly, she may compromise her own health and energy levels. Eating well will give a mother more energy and make her more resistant to illness. There is no need to drink excessive amounts while breastfeeding, simply drink to thirst.
The Comfort of Breastfeeding
It is a myth that mothers who hold their babies “too much” will spoil them. Modern baby care often seems to lack sufficient physical contact and it is a fact that babies who are held often cry less and exhibit more security as they mature.
While breastfeeding is natural it doesn’t always come easily and the prevalence of misinformation connected with it often leads mothers to quit prematurely. Breastfeeding is no longer a part of society's visual memory in the current bottle-feeding culture and may even have skipped a few generations in a family. In times gone by, new mothers would have learned how to breastfeed from their sisters, mothers, aunts and grandmothers. If you are struggling to breastfeed and confronted by contradictory advice then make it a priority to seek out the support of other breastfeeding mothers.
Also see Womanly Art of Breastfeeding [LLLI, 2004] by La Leche League International.
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