There Are Many Common Breastfeeding Myths You Should Never Fall For.
Breastfeeding is awesome for your baby - and for you. Really. Did you know that October is National Breast Cancer...
Breastfeeding is awesome for your baby - and for you. Really. Did you know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that breastfeeding is known to lower your risk for developing breast cancer. That's excellent news. Still, not all breastfeeding news is good. There are plenty of myths surrounding breastfeeding, such as... 1. If you're breastfeeding you can't get pregnant! Yeah, good luck with that. Repeat after me - "Breastfeeding is not birth control." 
2. If your diet is less than perfect, it's better to give a baby formula: Nope. Even if your diet sucks eggs, it's still better, for your baby, if you breastfeed. You may run into problems though. A poor diet harms you (the mama) and can make milk production harder. That said, in purely terms of nutritional content, your breast milk is almost always healthiest for your baby unless you're taking illegal street drugs or a medication that your doctor advises you not to take while breastfeeding.
3. Your breasts don't feel full so you must not have enough milk: OR you're simply breastfeeding well and often, as you should be. That uncomfortable engorgement you hear about happens when you don't breastfeed enough or go too long between feedings. Normally, if you're feeding your baby often, your breasts WILL have enough milk, but they won't feel overly full. 4. You can't breastfeed during a crisis: You can and should actually breastfeed during a crisis. Breastfeeding during a very stressful time may lower your stress and keeps your baby hyper healthy. 5. Breastfed babies don't get enough food: Not true. Many mamas think this because their baby is always attached to their chest. It's easy to think, "He's always eating, so he must not be getting enough." However, breastfed babies eat more often than formula fed babies as a rule - formula is heavier. Plus, for many babies breastfeeding is a comfort issue; it's fun and they like to take their time. 6. Breastfeeding makes you thin: Sadly, no. This is a huge myth. Believe me, I've talked to many mamas. In my experience the only thing that makes you lose that baby weight is dedicated exercise and a healthy diet. 7. Breastfeeding means less sleep for mamas: In my case it meant more sleep. Think about it - would you rather get up at 3am, get a bottle, get the formula, heat the formula then feed the baby OR pop out a boob and then continue to sleep as your baby eats? Um... co-sleeping and breastfeeding in bed was one of the only ways I got any sleep with a newborn. Bottles are a ton of work, while most mamas become pro at breastfeeding laying down very quickly. 8. Formula is just as good as breast milk: I'm an advocate for breast or bottle or both - whatever works best for a mama is what IS best for that family. However, nutrition wise, formula cannot beat breast milk. Breast milk is perfectly suited to your baby. Formula, while good for some families is still not as good as breast milk. 9. If you get sick you should switch to formula for a while: This is a bad idea. One, if you're sick with a cold or flu, you can pass immunity on to your baby via breast milk. Two, if you're sick due to a breast infection, breastfeeding will help you not only feel better, but get better quicker. In very few cases will you be so sick that breastfeeding is out of the question. 10. Breastfeeding always hurts: There is sore and then there is pain. Pain when breastfeeding is not normal. If you have pain you one, aren't breastfeeding correctly or two, you may have an infection. Either way, your midwife, doctor or a breastfeeding / lactation consultant can help.
2. If your diet is less than perfect, it's better to give a baby formula: Nope. Even if your diet sucks eggs, it's still better, for your baby, if you breastfeed. You may run into problems though. A poor diet harms you (the mama) and can make milk production harder. That said, in purely terms of nutritional content, your breast milk is almost always healthiest for your baby unless you're taking illegal street drugs or a medication that your doctor advises you not to take while breastfeeding.
3. Your breasts don't feel full so you must not have enough milk: OR you're simply breastfeeding well and often, as you should be. That uncomfortable engorgement you hear about happens when you don't breastfeed enough or go too long between feedings. Normally, if you're feeding your baby often, your breasts WILL have enough milk, but they won't feel overly full. 4. You can't breastfeed during a crisis: You can and should actually breastfeed during a crisis. Breastfeeding during a very stressful time may lower your stress and keeps your baby hyper healthy. 5. Breastfed babies don't get enough food: Not true. Many mamas think this because their baby is always attached to their chest. It's easy to think, "He's always eating, so he must not be getting enough." However, breastfed babies eat more often than formula fed babies as a rule - formula is heavier. Plus, for many babies breastfeeding is a comfort issue; it's fun and they like to take their time. 6. Breastfeeding makes you thin: Sadly, no. This is a huge myth. Believe me, I've talked to many mamas. In my experience the only thing that makes you lose that baby weight is dedicated exercise and a healthy diet. 7. Breastfeeding means less sleep for mamas: In my case it meant more sleep. Think about it - would you rather get up at 3am, get a bottle, get the formula, heat the formula then feed the baby OR pop out a boob and then continue to sleep as your baby eats? Um... co-sleeping and breastfeeding in bed was one of the only ways I got any sleep with a newborn. Bottles are a ton of work, while most mamas become pro at breastfeeding laying down very quickly. 8. Formula is just as good as breast milk: I'm an advocate for breast or bottle or both - whatever works best for a mama is what IS best for that family. However, nutrition wise, formula cannot beat breast milk. Breast milk is perfectly suited to your baby. Formula, while good for some families is still not as good as breast milk. 9. If you get sick you should switch to formula for a while: This is a bad idea. One, if you're sick with a cold or flu, you can pass immunity on to your baby via breast milk. Two, if you're sick due to a breast infection, breastfeeding will help you not only feel better, but get better quicker. In very few cases will you be so sick that breastfeeding is out of the question. 10. Breastfeeding always hurts: There is sore and then there is pain. Pain when breastfeeding is not normal. If you have pain you one, aren't breastfeeding correctly or two, you may have an infection. Either way, your midwife, doctor or a breastfeeding / lactation consultant can help.
And breastfeeding does hurt. I wish that there was a lot more honesty in breastfeeding information. I feel that a lot more women would stick with it if they could be mentally prepared for what MOST (not all) women go through in the first months of nursing.
the article made clear distinction of pain and soreness. I don't agree with her, but for some women it completely true. First week of nursing my nipples hurt, the next week they were just sore. Afterwards not problem unless, I let my child latch badly.
And yes, science and medical research has proven our antibodies can pass from mother to child. Which is why breastfed babies are less likely to be as sick as formula fed babies. Breast milk naturally has mama's antibodies and some immunities that pass to baby that boost their own immune system.
And actually more medical studies have shown babies left alone to sleep in their own bed in separate room from parents have a higher chance of SIDS. A baby in a bassinet next to mama do better.
Again formula fed babies can be just as healthy and sometimes even better then some breastfed babies. but studies are based upon majority to minority. And majority shows breast milk is better than formula. Most Breast fed babies are heather than most formulas fed babies, and sleep better. Again, not ALL breast fed babies, but a majority of them.
all this can be backed up with simple research. I recommend the Mayo clinic websites and asking your doctors :)
Oh c'mon. Nobody is going to buy that. Breastfeeding is a pain and is spleep depriving, boring, and very overrated. Juste browse the internet and read testimonies. BF is very difficult to deal with.
There are no reasons for that BF harrassment, other than ideology.
C'mon...this is not true for most mothers struggling with BFeeding. Just browse the internet. Bfeeding is a sleep depriver.
Do not lie to push mothers to Bfeed.
"*Formula is still not as good as breast milk"...
As Bmilk benefits have been overrated, I am not conviced AT ALL that it makes a difference in terms of baby health.
Mother's antibodies do not pass through the baby's blood via nursing. The mother's antibodies can only act locally, in other words, at a digestive level. The Kramer study shows that Bfeeding does not protect against allergies, nor asthma. Its only benefit is a slight protection against gastroenteritis. And that is very much it.
But...No higher IQ's, no protection against diseases, allergies, no better interpersonal skills...Breast milk is just milk. Not golden liquid, not a medication.
Also, BFeeding does not protect against cancer. That is a lie. All the studies cited by LLL are full of biais.
"*If you get sick you should switch to formula for a while: This is a bad idea.
I really hate, hate this idea of forcing a poor, sleep deprived, ILL woman, who recently went through pregnancy and childbirthing, to suffer from breastfeeding. Because yes, breastfeeding is painful. I hate this idea that any BABY is more important than his/her mother. Baby is important, so is the mother. It is a win/win relationship. a balance.
And milk is just MILK. Milk. Not a medication, not a magic liquid.
It will NOT impact your child's life.
LLL is responsible for that insanity.