Breastfeeding basics: 10 myths about breast milk

• FACT: This is NOT true. Most women produce an over-abundance of milk. Babies that lose weight or aren't gaining weight appropriately are not in decline because the mother isn't producing enough milk, rather they are not gaining weight because they are not getting enough of the mother's milk that is in ready supply. This is often due to problems with the baby latching on to the breast, or because of rigid feeding schedules that are designed for formula-fed babies. 

MYTH: Women don't make enough milk to feed the baby for the first 3 - 5 days after birth. They must feed the baby formula while waiting on breast milk to "come in". 

• FACT: There is enough milk in the breast to feed the baby as soon as the baby is born. Women's bodies begin preparing for lactation from the fifth month of pregnancy. Immediately after birth, progesterone levels in the woman's body drop, and the mammary glands respond by producing milk for the baby. The first few days after birth, a woman's breasts are filled with colostrum and antibodies that help boost the baby's immune system and rid the baby's body of meconium stools. Some regular breast milk is present as well, but it is produced constantly in small amounts that are perfect for the baby's small stomach. Newborn babies' stomachs can only hold about 2 - 3 teaspoons at a time immediately after birth, and they must learn to suck, swallow, and breathe in a rhythm that won't hinder any one of those processes. Breast milk is perfectly balanced nutrition immediately after birth, and to deny a baby the early milk's colostrum and antibodies would be to omit feeding what many medical authorities view as one of the most beneficial elements of breast milk. Supplemental feeding can also interfere with a woman's ability to produce milk and can cause nipple confusion for the baby. 

• FACT: It is not abnormal for a newborn to want to eat almost continually after birth. They are brand new humans that don't know how to do anything yet, but they are very hungry by instinct.  This hunger will not be well satisfied if the baby is suffering an inability to latch on, either because of poor positioning during feedings, misinformed mothers or hospital staff who don't understand how to help the baby latch, or possibly because of tongue tie. Babies need to learn to latch properly on to the breast after birth, and this is best done with the help of a Lactation Consultant. If an LC is unavailable to help the mother immediately after birth, then diligent reading and research should be done (preferably before the baby arrives) on what it means for the baby to latch on correctly. When a baby isn't latched on to the breast well, then it will have a difficult time getting milk out of the breast and its mother will quickly become sore. Newborn babies that do latch on well may be hungry and wanting to nurse "all the time" because it's natural to them. Breast milk is very easy for babies to digest, so the baby digests the milk quickly and is soon ready for more. Tiny newborn tummies don't hold a lot of milk at one time, but tiny newborn babies need as much milk as they can get to grow and gain weight. Thus, newborns will eat frequently and this is normal.   

• FACT: Food allergies may occur in breastfed babies because of something that the mother ate, which was then present in her milk. Once the offending food is removed from the mother's diet, the baby should be fine. Human breast milk is the most physiologically healthy substance that a baby can ingest. 

MYTH: Poor milk supply is usually a result of a mother's inadequate nutrition/fluid intake, stress, or fatigue. 

• FACT: While these can be factors in poor milk supply, most supply problems are related to improper latching of the baby onto the breast, poor positioning for nursing, supplemental feeding, or nipple confusion as a result of supplemental feeding. Interference with the "supply and demand" nature of lactation can reduce milk supply. A woman's body has natural "failsafe" survival mechanisms that help to preserve milk supply for a baby in case of food scarcity. 

MYTH: Breastfeeding too frequently empties the breasts too often and leads to poor milk production. A breastfeeding mother needs to give her breasts time to refill with milk. 

• FACT: Breast milk production operates on a "supply and demand" principle. As the baby nurses, it indicates a demand for more milk. The mammary glands in breasts respond accordingly and make even more milk to provide plenty of food for the baby. A woman's breasts are always in the process of producing milk for her baby, and the faster they are emptied, the faster the body will work to produce even more milk. This burns calories in the mother's body and can help her lose "baby weight" faster than if she feeds her baby formula and does not benefit from this "internal workout". 

MYTH: Babies need to be breastfed "x" amount of times in "y" amount of hours. 

• FACT: Feeding schedules are most important for formula-fed babies to prevent over-feeding. Formula does not digest or supply nutrients as efficiently as breast milk, so it stays in the baby's stomach longer as the baby's body attempts to process it. Applying a rigid feeding schedule to a breastfed infant may very well lead to poor milk production and a frustrated, hungry baby who has digested its previous meal in half the time (or less) that it would have taken them to digest formula, and is now ready to feed again. 

MYTH: If a woman's breasts stop leaking or feeling hard, swollen, or full, her milk supply is drying up and she should wean her baby onto formula feeding. 

• FACT: A woman's breasts eventually adjust to the lactation process and stop leaking, becoming engorged, and otherwise over-producing milk. As the baby grows, it becomes more efficient at emptying the breast of excess milk each feeding. Breastfeeding is a learning process for mothers and babies, and it's not only based in mechanical skill, but physiological adjustment of both parties. Milk supply often dwindles as a result of missing, skipping, or replacing breastfeeding with formula, usually because the mother is provided with incorrect information and begins "supplementing" her baby to ensure good nutrition. Some medications (for example, some oral contraceptives) can inhibit good lactation. Any medication taken by a breastfeeding woman should be prescribed by her doctor, with whom she has discussed her breastfeeding goals. 

MYTH: If a woman gets the flu or becomes sick, she should stop nursing her baby because germs in the breast milk will make the baby sick. 

• FACT: Breastfeeding a baby while sick can actually provide special health benefits to the baby. While the mother's body is making antibodies to fight off her current illness, the baby will be getting those antibodies, specific to that illness, in her breast milk. Sometimes, entire families may come down with a cold, while the breastfed baby is only sick for a day or two (or not at all). Even in cases of breast-specific problems like mastitis and thrush, it is not only healthy but advisable to continue breastfeeding. Milk from a breast affected by mastitis or thrush will NOT make the baby sick. 

MYTH: If a mother has to take medication, she should not breastfeed. The medication will be in the mother's breast milk and harm the baby.

• FACT: There are very few medications that will negatively impact breastfeeding. All medications should be prescribed by a doctor who can best determine which available medication options will be best for a woman to take while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is considered so preferable to formula-feeding, that doctors recommend that even mothers who smoke should breastfeed.

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