12 Myths About Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding, like anything related to parenthood, comes with a ton of advice and opinions! A lot of it is incorrect and sometimes downright dangerous! Here are 12 myths I would love to dispel!
MYTH 1 - Breastfeeding will just come naturally, don’t worry about doing a class, you will figure it out when the baby comes!
Hmm, sure, I could also let a teenager behind the wheel of a car without any instruction but that would be an actual disaster! Breastfeeding whilst being the most natural thing in the world, does actually come with a bit of an instruction manual and if you know what to expect, what is coming, how to know it’s going well or not, when to ask for help and so many other things, you can really set yourself up for an easier time. There are online classes, in person classes, group or private so check what’s available near you. You can book into my class here.
MYTH 2 - They are Starving on Day 2 and need a bottle.
No, they are Cluster Feeding. Breastfeeding works on supply and demand and when they are born, they have a really high suck need. That is absolutely on purpose. It is very hormonally driven in those early days. In simple terms, when you are pregnant, you have a placenta, placentas produce progesterone which is the enemy of breastmilk. So once your placenta is born, progesterone drops (hello hormones!) and your baby sucking at the breast stimulates an oxytocin release promoting breastmilk delivery. Every day and every feed the amounts get bigger and bigger in line with their tummy size. But Day 2 is when you are your baby are working hard! They feed non-stop - To say hello, I’m on the outside now, let’s go! All that work of non-stop feeding bring in your copious milk supply which transitions colostrum to milk. Loads of skin to skin, keeping them at the breast and no visitors!
So top ups on day 2, whilst occasionally needed, is actually not helpful because if your baby is too full to feed, they won’t be stimulating the breast. If they are not stimulating the breast, then we can have supply issues. If they do genuinely need a top-up, I recommend feed first, then express and give expressed milk, then donor milk or formula in small amounts matching their stomach size and day of age.
MYTH 3 - Good babies sleep through the night.
Nope! A newborn sleeping through the night is actually a HUGE red flag for me. Newborns are meant to wake up throughout the night! They are biologically wired to do so. Frequent waking helps stimulate your supply and is protective for your baby. I’m not saying it isn’t hard, I am saying it is normal.
MYTH 4 - Never wake a baby.
Hard no - If you have a newborn who is sleeping long stretches and not getting enough food, they can go into calorie deprivation and just get sleepier and sleepier. I always recommend waking a newborn every 3 hours from the start of each feed in the first 2 weeks. This gets them regularly stimulating supply and emptying the breast, ensuring they are getting enough milk. Every 3 hours means they get at least 8 feeds in a 24hr period. This is the minimum I would want to see. As they get older, and we are confident that they are getting enough milk in the day feeds, peeing and pooping and gaining weight (roughly 150-200g per week) then you can let them sleep longer stretches at night, but they will still wake for feeds at night, usually until they are at least 9 months to 1 year old (some beyond that!).
MYTH 5 - Don’t pump for 6 weeks.
So, the reason this gets said, is so that you don’t get an oversupply as your supply is regulating to your baby’s needs. It is also so the baby is the one stimulating the breast and not a machine.
However, I don’t like hard and fast rules around this as I have seen too many Mums suffer in their mental health. My rule in parenting is all about survival. Do you need a break? Then pump and take it. When it comes to your mental health, there are no rules.
Mental health comes first for me over lactation, but we can find ways to make it holistic and part of the journey, it doesn’t have to be one way or another. The odd pumping session isn’t going to break anything. Do what works for your family.
MYTH 6 – Newborn babies don’t need to poo every day!
Actually, we all should be, including newborns. It is actually how we know breastfeeding is going well. Especially in the first 2 weeks of life. What goes in, must come out. If you have a baby not pooping, see an IBCLC (International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant) so they can assess how your feeding is going. Is your baby gaining weight appropriately, are there any dietary sensitivities, oral restrictions etc and then make a plan for moving forward. As they get older, they can go a few days between pooping, but they will probably get pretty uncomfortable with a good Poonami coming your way!
MYTH 7 - I just need to buy Lactation Cookies and Teas / Nipple Shields / Creams / Pumps / Medical prescription etc and it will get better.
If you are buying, using or being given any of these products, you need help from an IBCLC. Breastfeeding is not meant to hurt. Products can be supportive but must be used under direction and most products are for short term use only. Shields are usually a short-term fix while a sore nipple heals and then should be removed, and the latch corrected. If it keeps happening, you need an IBCLC. Anything to increase supply should be done with an assessment for a number of reasons. To carefully increase supply and make sure we are matching the babies needs and to rule out any physical reason that supply may be compromised.
MYTH 8 - You must feed exclusively for X amount of time.
Your feeding journey is yours alone. You can exclusively breastfeed, combination feed, exclusively pump, wean whenever you want and feed for as long as you want. No one has the right to judge you and your decisions. An excellent IBCLC will support all of your feeding choices. I supported a Mum last week who made a decision from the start to exclusively pump for her own mental health reasons, so our consult was all about pumping, managing supply, correct flange sizes, timing and mostly about her mental health and how she was feeling.
MYTH 9 - Your baby should only feed every X number of hours or times a day.
Do not feed on a schedule unless there is a medical reason to do so. You do, however need to meet a minimum number of times (8-12 in 24hrs).
You cannot overfeed a breastfed baby. They feed for many reasons including food, comfort, thirst, relaxation, stress, pain, fatigue - you name it!
MYTH 10 - Breastfeeding hurts at the start.
Nope, it doesn’t need to hurt. With great guidance, learning how to get a good latch, supporting the baby, not shoving them on and some nipple care, most Mums do just fine. If there are oral restriction in the baby, they need to be addressed (again an IBCLC can help here). There is a little bit of a tender phase because let’s face it, we have never used our nipples in this way before, but it should not be toe curling pain.
MYTH 11 - You shouldn’t feed your baby to sleep, you are creating bad habits.
You have a superpower Mums! USE IT! I hate this one as it goes against every biologically wired instinct we have. If I had the power to make something simpler and easier for my baby I would do it every time! Breastmilk contains melatonin helping your baby to sleep. Sucking makes babies drift off! A milk drunk baby is one happy kiddo. Go for it mama!
MYTH 12 - Dads can’t do much when it comes to breastfeeding.
My husband’s favourite trick in helping me was taking the kids after I fed them, popping them up on his shoulder and patting / burping and settling them back to sleep. They were milk drunk anyway, so would always fall asleep up there, but they learnt really quickly that Dad’s shoulder was a great place to fall asleep, therefore he could settle them anytime, anywhere without a boob! Magic!
They can also change them, bath them, read and sing to them, bring you water and snacks, clean the house, do the laundry, manage visitors, change the sheets, go grocery shopping, change nappies and call professionals for help when you need it!
Peta Arthurson is an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Peta supports all infant feeding and has a particular interest in protecting the parent’s mental health while supporting your feeding goals. Peta teaches an antenatal breastfeeding class and offers lactation consultations.
Disclaimer: This article is generic breastfeeding information. Breastfeeding is individual. Please seek medical advice and / or lactation support from an IBCLC when deciding what is right for you and your family.