- Deciding whether or not to breastfeed
is an important decision for any new mom
that's considering the best option
for them and their baby.
If you are in a position where you're trying
to make that decision,
there are lots of things you might be considering.
And it's really important that you make your decision
based on the best information possible.
Unfortunately, there's still a few commonly held beliefs
that exist around breastfeeding
that despite us now knowing aren't true,
continue to persist.
And sadly, these often lead to mums being so worried
that they don't start breastfeeding at all,
or they suffer
through the breastfeeding experience unnecessarily,
fearing that they're actually hurting their baby,
as well as having lots of other concerns.
So in this video, I'm going to break down
some of the most common myths
that still exist around breastfeeding.
This isn't about convincing you one way or another.
It's not a pro-breastfeeding video
nor is it an anti-breastfeeding video.
The goal is to simply present you with information
to help you make the best decision for you and your baby.
Let's start with the common belief
that breastfeeding mums get less sleep
than those who formula feed.
This one is extremely common.
But research completed by Doan and her team in 2014
actually showed the complete opposite.
In this study, they analyzed the sleep duration and quality
of 120 first time mothers one month after giving birth.
And they found that the women who breastfed exclusively
actually slept for an average of 30 minutes more at night
than women who use formula at night.
The idea that breastfeeding leads to less sleep
is one I often hear mentioned as a deterrent for new mums
when it comes to breastfeeding.
So it's really interesting to see this data
actually shows the opposite.
Another reasons mums skip breastfeeding,
go straight to formula is because they've heard
that if you have small breasts, large breasts,
inverted nipples, or flat nipples,
you simply cannot breastfeed.
Now, it is true that having large breasts,
or flat, or inverted nipples
can create some extra challenges when breastfeeding,
but not everyone experiences these challenges.
For example, for some people who have flat
or inverted nipples, nursing itself may be more challenging
because the baby may have difficulty latching.
But for other mothers with flat or inverted nipples,
their nipple may actually come out on its own
once the baby starts breastfeeding,
and they don't have any issues or experience any challenges.
It is also important to note that with proper guidance
from a speech pathologist specializing in infant feeding,
or a lactation consultant, there are certain positions
and techniques which moms can use
to overcome these challenges and breastfeed successfully.
In regards to the belief that those with small breasts
are unable to successfully breastfeed,
this is based on the assumption
that if you have a small breast,
you're unable to produce enough milk for your baby.
However, the size of one's breast has nothing to do
with the amount of milk that you can produce.
The size of your breast depends
on how much fatty tissue you have,
but fatty tissue itself does not produce milk.
In fact, it's the glandular or the milk producing tissues
in your breast that produce milk.
And your milk supply is determined
by how much and how often your baby feeds
and not by the size or shape of your breasts.
When your baby sucks at your breast,
a message is sent to the brain,
and the brain then signals the hormones prolactin
and oxytocin to be released.
And prolactin causes the milk-making tissues
to begin making milk, building up your milk supply.
And oxytocin causes muscles around the milk-making tissues
to push out or release the milk that's already there.
Basically, the more milk your baby drinks,
the more milk your body will make.
This leads me on to the next potential barrier
to breastfeeding, which is the belief
that many mothers can't produce enough milk.
Many mothers feel that they have a low milk supply
or their milk is simply not good enough
when their baby becomes unsettled.
But this is usually not the case.
Almost all mothers produce
the right amount of milk for their babies
without needing to supplement with a bottle of formula.
There is only a small percentage of women,
in fact less than 2%, who have a rare condition
where their breasts don't produce enough milk
because of insufficient glandular tissue.
In addition to these beliefs which deter new moms
from attempting to breastfeed their little one,
there are a few other beliefs
that are simply incorrect
and can stop new moms from seeking help
to make their breastfeeding journey easier,
and instead lead to them ceasing breastfeeding
because they believe these are just facts.
The first one being breastfeeding should be painful.
During the first few days, while your body
and your baby adjusts to nursing,
it's common to experience some nipple tenderness
or discomfort when your baby first attaches to the breast.
But this sensation should fade and then resolve
during the first few minutes of each feed.
Breastfeeding should not be painful.
It's also not normal to experience pain between feedings
or have cracked, damaged, or bleeding nipples.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms,
it's an indication that something isn't quite right.
For example, your baby may have a poor latch
when they are feeding,
and this is resulting in pain or nipple damage.
If breastfeeding is painful,
or you're experiencing pain in between feedings,
or have cracked, damaged, or bleeding nipples,
it's important to get in contact
with a pediatric speech pathologist
who specializes in infant feeding,
or a lactation consultant who can work with you
to identify what is causing the pain,
as well as trial different latching
and breastfeeding positions,
and hopefully resolve that underlying issue
that is causing discomfort while breastfeeding.
Now before we cover the next belief
which can make that breastfeeding journey
a bit more challenging than it needs to be,
if you haven't already,
make sure you click on the link in the description box below
to get the free developmental milestone chart,
so you can know exactly what to expect
in your baby's first year of life,
as well as when to be concerned.
I also hear that babies naturally know how to breastfeed,
and it should be easy.
Babies are born with a sucking reflex
and a rooting reflex, which can help with breastfeeding,
but that doesn't mean that your baby
is going to know exactly what to do.
Breastfeeding is something that you
and your baby will learn to do together.
Together, you'll figure out which breastfeeding position
works best for you and your baby,
as well as which latching technique you should use
to help your baby correctly attach to the breast.
New moms also believe that you should not breastfeed
if you're sick and cease breastfeeding at this point,
but continuing to breastfeed your baby
when you're unwell is safe
and can actually be good for your baby.
And this is for two reasons.
Firstly, it is highly unlikely
your baby's actually going to catch the illness
through your breast milk.
And secondly, your mature immune system
will develop antibodies and white blood cells
to fight the illness.
And when you are breastfeeding,
you pass along these antibodies to the illness to your baby.
And these antibodies and white blood cells
will reduce the risk of your baby getting the same illness.
And if they do get the illness,
it will help them to get well faster.
Medication is another reason parents feel like they need
to stop breastfeeding when they're sick,
but the good news is that most medications
are safe to take when breastfeeding,
or a safe alternative can be substituting.
You just need to make sure that you inform your doctor
that you are breastfeeding,
and they should be able to provide suitable medication
for you to use while breastfeeding.
Many parents are also under the impression
that once their baby gets teeth,
they need to put up with being bitten by their little one
while they are feeding or stop breastfeeding.
But biting should not go hand in hand with breastfeeding.
This is because when a baby is actively breastfeeding,
it is physically impossible for them to bite
as their tongue actually covers their bottom gum
and their teeth.
It's only when your baby isn't actively feeding
that they might actually bite.
And if your baby does bite, you may notice
that it's either at the beginning or end of a feed
and your baby is trying to communicate something to you.
They might be trying to tell you that they're frustrated
because the milk isn't coming quickly enough,
or they're full and they're just ready to play,
or they are teething.
Once you identify what your baby
is trying to communicate to you,
you can implement strategies to address their needs
and stop that biting behavior.
For example, if your baby is teething,
you could give your baby something hard
or cold to chew on before a feed.
And this will help to alleviate that inflammation,
as well as that teething pain they're experiencing,
which will stop that biting after a breastfeed.
Now, if your little one is biting you
before or after a feed
and you know it is because they are teething,
then make sure you watch this video next
to find out five different baby teething remedies
that actually work
so you can use them with your little one.
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