Some myths and facts about breastfeeding
Fact: Previous breast surgery such as augmentation can
affect the ability to breastfeed.
Any surgery to the
breast, especially around the nipple and areola area, can make
breast feeding less successful. However, it is not always
impossible. Please get advice from a healthcare professional.
Fact: Breastfeeding helps you to return to your
pre-pregnancy weight.
Breastfeeding, in conjunction
with eating a normal healthy diet and taking regular exercise, can
help you return quickly and naturally to your pre-pregnancy
weight.
Myth: Some women don’t produce enough
milk.
The more you breastfeed your baby, the more
milk you will produce. This process is the natural way for your
body to balance milk production with your baby’s needs.
The matching of supply with demand is the natural way for your
body to produce the right amount of milk for each feed, and may
mean that breastfed babies feed more often (including during the
night). Newborn babies have small stomachs and bottle fed babies
are at much greater risk of being over-fed. True milk insufficiency
is in fact rare.
Myth: Pumping is a good way of knowing how much milk the
mother has.
The quantity of milk that can be pumped
depends on many factors, including the mother's stress level and
the quality of the breast pump. The baby who nurses well can get
much more milk than his mother can pump. Pumping only tells you how
much you can pump.
Myth: Breast milk does not contain enough iron for the
baby's needs.
Breast milk contains just enough iron
for the baby's needs. Full term babies will get enough iron from
breast milk to last them for at least the first 6 months of life.
Formulas contain too much iron, but this quantity may be necessary
to ensure the baby absorbs enough to prevent iron deficiency. This
is because the iron in formula milk is poorly absorbed, with most
of it passing straight through the baby.
Generally, there is no need to add other foods to a breastfed
baby’s diet before 6 months of age. However, your health advisor or
GP can give advice about suitable vitamin drops that you can give
your baby.
Myth: Mothers who smoke should not breastfeed their
babies.
Current medical advice is that it is
preferable to breastfeed your baby, even if you are a smoker.
However you should be aware that some of the chemicals from
cigarettes, including nicotine, will get into your breast milk.
Babies who breathe in secondary smoke have a higher risk of
developing asthma, ear infections, eye irritations, bronchitis,
croup and pneumonia.
If you do smoke, go outside or into a
different room, so that your baby is exposed to as little smoke as
possible. It is also wise to breastfeed your baby before you smoke
so that your body has a chance to clear the chemicals from the milk
before the next feed.
You should try to give up altogether or at
least to cut down your smoking. If you are finding it difficult or
very stressful, speak to your GP for advice on reducing your
Please visit the Smoke free or
NHS choices website for more information.
Myth: It is harder for dads/partners to bond with their
babies if they are breastfed.
There are lots of ways
for dads or other family members to bond with their babies. Some
mothers may want to express milk which means that other people can
feed the baby using a bottle. Skin to skin contact is also a great
way to feel close; try undressing the baby and cuddling against
your bare skin, or you can take a warm bath with your baby (making
sure that the water is not too hot).
Myth: Women who are breastfeeding and eating well do not
need vitamins.
Most of our Vitamin D is made by our
body when the sun shines on our skin. Eating eggs, fat spreads and
oily fish (such as salmon and mackerel) provides some Vitamin D,
but it is difficult to get enough from the diet. Vitamin D
supplements are recommended for women who are pregnant or
breastfeeding. You can get Vitamin D supplements for pregnant
and breastfeeding women from your local pharmacy. If you
receive Healthy Start Vouchers for free milk, fruit and vegetables
you can also get free Healthy Start Vitamins for yourself during
pregnancy and until your child’s first birthday and for your child
from six months to four years of age. .
Breastfeeding
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