Five Common Misconceptions that May Hinder the Duration of Breastfeeding

For mothers who wish to exclusively breastfeed their babies, meaning to breastfeed without supplementation, it's important for them to understand what will help them to sustain the nursing relationship. Unfortunately, a great deal of inaccurate information about breastfeeding abounds. Mothers who wish to exclusively breastfeed or even mothers who want to sustain a breastfeeding with supplementation should consider the following five misconceptions that often have a negative impact on the duration of breastfeeding.

1. Breastfeeding comes naturally to all moms and babies. Some people think that breastfeeding should come naturally to mother and baby. Eventually it does, but the first several weeks are generally not without their challenges. Because this idea permeates society, many women choose to give up breastfeeding in the very early weeks. Breastfeeding is a learned skill, one that both mother and baby need to practice. Not all babies are born knowing precisely what to do, they need time to be taught how to latch properly, how to suck, and so forth. Mothers also need to learn how to hold the child, how to recognize a good latch, how to tell if their baby is nursing effectively, etc. It does take time. Generally, most moms who have nursed for a few months agree that the first 6 weeks are the toughest. If you can get through that early period, most likely you will find it is indeed easy, and eventually you can be amazed at the things you can do while breastfeeding (from washing dishes to reading a book to your older child). Just be sure when you do get to the point that breastfeeding is easy, that you still have sessions that are private and unrushed. There is something to be said of the value of quiet time together with your baby.

2. Your doctors/nurses are a good source for information about breastfeeding. Now there are certainly breastfeeding-friendly pediatricians, doctors, and nurses, but do not assume that your provider is knowledgeable about breastfeeding. There are even some lactation consultants who have been known to give very bad advice. This is not to say those medical professionals are not good at what they do. Some are quite skilled in general medicine, but their knowledge of the unique needs and concerns of breastfeeding mothers and babies is severely lacking. In fact, in their post-medical school training, most pediatricians received no formal education about breastfeeding. Because of that, mothers should scrutinize the breastfeeding advice they recieve from medical professionals.

3. I am not producing enough milk. The fact is, despite this being a common concern, true low milk supply affects relatively few women. It is important that mothers understand that the following are not indicators of low milk supply: a baby being fussy, a baby accepting a bottle after being nursed, breasts not feeling full, not feeling let down, not being able to express milk while pumping, and/or milk not coming in during the first few days. There are two possible indicators of low supply, and even these are not definitive that milk supply is the issue. Wet and dirty diaper counts are a fairly easy way to track how much a baby is getting. From the second through the sixth week of life, a baby should have about five to seven wet diapers a day. After six weeks, anywhere from four to six wet diapers a day is acceptable. After the first week, the stools of an exclusively breastfed baby should be yellow in color, likely with a seedy texture. The other possible indicator is weight loss or slow weight gain. Keep in mind that newborns generally loose 5-10% of their birth weight in the first week and this is not alarming. However, a more severe loss or slow weight gain (less than four to seven ounces per week for the first six weeks) warrants a trip to the pediatrician, a lactation consultant, and/or a La Leche League Leader. Please be aware that slow weight gain could have to do with something entirely different (i.e. a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance, an metabolism issue, digestive tract issue etc.). Further, be aware that, as a baby grows, weight gain will have pockets of increase and periods of stability. If your older baby isn't gaining weight or is gaining weight slowly, this may be a reflection of her development and completely normal.

4. If baby is latched on the breast, she is getting milk. If the most common misplaced concern is milk supply, then the most common justified concern is issue with latching. I cannot underscore strongly enough that achieving a good latch is one of the most essential aspects to establishing a strong breastfeeding relationship. A poor latch will very likely result in very sore nipples, poor weight gain, and lowered milk supply. Generally speaking, if you have a good latch, it should not hurt too much. Once you have been breastfeeding with a good latch and your nipples are conditioned, it simply shouldn't hurt at all. If mother and baby are struggling with latch, help should be sought out immediately and without delay.

5. You should put an infant on a feeding schedule. This can be extremely detrimental to breastfeeding. Any thing you have heard about putting an infant on a schedule or that you should only feed for a certain amount of minutes per side should be ignored. This is some of the worst advice you may hear. Empirical evidence shows that babies thrive best when they determine their feeding schedule. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports that recommendation, noting that scheduled feedings is often linked with low weight gains, failure to thrive, milk supply failure, and involuntary early weaning. Other affects of scheduled feedings affects on maternal milk storage capacity, infant stomach capacity, and milk fat content. Some theorists are also contributing scheduled feedings to the increased obesity rate in infants and children. The concern being that children are taught to ignore their own hunger cues and are forced to stretch the stomach to take in greater amounts of milk in a feeding session. However, the one caveat to this is in regards to newborns or babies having difficulty with weight gain. Those babies should be nursed a minimum of every two- three hours during the day and every four hours at night until a healthy weight gaining pattern is established.

By not falling prey to the myths that exist about breastfeeding, a mother and baby may be able to maintain an exclusive breastfeeding relationship. For mothers who are struggling, help should be sought by qualified professionals immediately. Having the accurate information and educated support is crucial for moms who wish to exclusively breastfeed.