𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐬 & 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬: 𝐃𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐣𝐢𝐫𝐢 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞 & 𝐃𝐫 𝐍𝐮𝐩𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐚

1. Breastfeeding hurts: usually it doesn’t if the baby is latched correctly
2. Eat bland food while breastfeeding: There are as such no restrictions related to food. You can have varieties of food in your diet. If you or baby get any allergic reaction or problems with a particular food item, then that can be avoided. In-fact your diet should be well balanced and hydration well maintained.
3. Stop Breastfeeding if you are sick: This is not required. Infact, the antibodies developed in mother against the illness offer protection to baby against that particular disease.
4. Breastfeeding will protect against pregnancy: if mother is exclusively breastfeeding then it acts as a natural contraceptive but if you are mix feeding, then you should seek guidance about contraception from your Gynaecologist.
5. Your breastmilk is not enough: Majority of women are perfectly capable of producing enough amount of milk as per the baby’s need for at least 4-6 months, even if they are twins or triplets and can continue producing plenty of milk later too. Infact, there are some mothers who have oversupply of milk also.
6. My baby is getting up frequently, so my milk is not sufficient for the baby: sometimes you or family members think like that because of baby’s behaviour. But its not like that. The mothers who have abundant milk supply also share the same kind of worries. Also, the babies who are sleeping a lot may not be getting the proper quantity of milk. If you are trying to feed the baby on schedule, you may feel like that. If the baby wants to feed sooner than the scheduled time and cries you assume that the baby didn’t get enough milk in previous feeding. The problem is not with the supply but with the schedule. Breastfeeding works best when the babies are fed on demand so that the mother’s supply adjusts with the baby’s needs.
7. Formula fed babies sleep better: the fact is that the formula fed babies sleep longer because formula takes more time to digest. In reality the breast milk is easier to digest and the composition is in right amount as per the need of growing baby.
8. Breastfeeding changes size and shape of your breast: The breast changes start during pregnancy itself because of the hormones and also it starts preparing the breast for breastfeeding after delivery. Breastfeeding in fact has lots of benefits to mother also the shape and size reduces once she starts weaning the breastfeeding
9. Mother and baby should be kept separate to let the mother rest: In true sense, baby needs to be with the mother. Mother and baby should be roomed in to help in bonding with skin to skin contact.
10. Frequent nursing leads to less milk production: the fact is, the more you feed the more milk you make. So frequent nursing does not reduce milk supply, in reality it helps to increase the milk supply. Feed the baby on demand means whenever baby gives the hunger cues; don’t follow the schedule or clock to feed the baby.

Hope, now you understand the myths related to breastfeeding

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