Breastfeeding: myths and facts

[mme_highlight] There are a number of myths associated with breastfeeding which should be clarified, as these can significantly alter the quality of feeding by decreaseasing the efficacy and compliance of mothers. A major mistake by which many mothers quit breastfeeding their child is lack of knowledge on this topic. [mme_highlight]

Healthcare providers recommend exclusive breastfeeding to all babies during the first 6 months of postnatal life and continuation of breastfeeding as part of the nutritional plan until the baby turns 2 years. Y. Vandenplas (1) suggest that exclusive breastfeeding with delayed introduction of weaning foods reduces morbidity and mortality by decreasing the risk of infections and allergies in babies.

However, there are a number of myths associated with breastfeeding which should be clarified, as these can significantly alter the quality of feeding by decreaseasing the efficacy and compliance of mothers.

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Decision to breastfeed
(study conducted by Eugene Declercq (2))
– 70% of primiparous mothers (mothers who have their first child) decide to breastfeed their babies;
– only 50% of others remain compliant with their decision after first post- delivery week.
– 49% of the mothers who introduce early formula supplementation do not breastfeed their babies ;

almost 45% of mothers who introduce pacifiers gave up breastfeeding before baby turn 6 months.
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What are the myths commonly associated with breastfeeding?

Myth # 1: If you work full time, you can’t breastfeed your baby:

Research conducted by AS Ryan (3) suggested that the decision to breastfeed is higher among mothers soon after delivery; however, the scenary is different among working mothers.

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Decision to breastfeed among working mothers
(study conducted by AS Ryan (3))

Full-time working mothers: proportion of breastfeeding mothers decreases from 66% (stay at home mothers) to 26.1% (in full-time working mothers)
Part-time working mothers: proportion decreases to 36.6%.

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Nevertheless, in the past few years, due to the increasing awareness and maternal education, the breastfeeding rate has increased to over 204.5% in full- time working mothers, but overall results are still unsatisfactory.

If you are working a full-time job, you can still feed your baby. Here are a few tips:

Get a good quality breast pump or extractor and pump milk frequently at work. In order to obtain greater results, carry with you bottles or clean sterilized bags to store milk in a refrigerator at work place to feed your baby with once you get home.
You can also extract milk in the morning before going to work (the nanny or caregiver can feed the baby with your milk in your absence).
Make sure to breastfeed the baby as much as you can when you are home.

Myth # 2: During breast feeding you do not need contraception

Lactation acts as a natural contraception period during which most women do not need any protection as high prolactin levels inhibit ovulation. However, contraception is not permanent and if you strictly want to avoid another pregnancy, it is better to consult a healthcare professional for a reliable contraceptive option that does not interfere with your lactation.

R.H. Gray (4) reported the results of his study on breast feeding moms of Baltimore and Manila and identified that ovarian cycles are not started until 27 to 38 weeks post partum. He further identified that:

Luteal defects are seen in almost 41% of all early ovulatory cycles;
Anovulatory cycles are reported in 46.1% women for 6 months after childbirth.

However, despite exclusive breastfeeding, 1 to 5% women become pregnant. If you are not breastfeeding regularly, there are 10% chances of becoming pregnant with unprotected intercourse. The risk of conception doubles after 6 months post-delivery. Some helpful contraceptive options during breastfeeding are:

Condoms
Spermicidal jellies
Diaphragm
Intrauterine device (IUD)
Permanent contraception options (if you are sure you have already completed your family; possibilities are vasectomy and tubal ligation).

Myth # 3: You cannot improve your milk supply

A lot of mothers complain that their babies do not suckle well or feed properly. Sometimes, mothers feel their baby is not getting enough milk or they are not producing enough milk. You should look for a doctor if you wish to improve your milk supply and in order to optimize breastfeeding. There are a number of natural, herbal and holistic methods that can help in improving the production of milk but the most important is that you let your baby suckle frequently. Other helpful tips are:

Gently massage your breasts 4 to 8 times a day (it enhances circulation, decreases the risk of developing obstructed ducts and also improves milk production).
Use of certain herbs like Fenugreek, Red Raspberry, Blessed Thistle and Brewer’s Yeast has known efficacy in increasing milk production and flow (make sure to speak to your healthcare provider before starting any herbal or medical remedy).
Medical drugs like Sulpiride and Metoclopramide are prescription drugs that increase milk supply.

Myth # 4: If you are not producing enough milk, your baby needs formula milk

Research conducted by Samir Arora (5) suggested that the second most common reason why mothers prefer to bottle-feed their baby is “insufficient milk production”. This study identified that approximately 46.3% women bottle-feed their babies from day 1, but out of 44.3% who initiated breastfeeding after childbirth, more than 50% switched to bottle-feeding within the first month post-delivery due to low milk production.

It is normal for the milk supply to be low during the first few weeks after delivery, but depending on the suckling frequency of babies, the milk production and flow increase. Your body adapts itself to the nutritional demands of the child. Make sure:

To allow your baby to suckle often;
To allow your baby to suckle both breasts;
The position of feeding is comfortable both for you and your child.

Myth # 5: You don’t need any additional help and resources other than your doctor’s recommendations:

This is another big mistake mothers can follow. It is highly recommended that a pregnant mother with her partner attends classes on breastfeeding during pregnancy. These classes provide first hand information on advantages of breastfeeding, how to take a start and explain some common problems face by a mother during nursing.
These sessions also play a good role in building relationships with other expectant parents and lactation professionals who can help in any problem. Nowadays some hospitals have breastfeeding classes. Make sure the classes you attend are conducted by authentic healthcare provider or a certified lactation educator.

In fact, a major mistake by which many mothers quit breastfeeding their child is lack of knowledge on this topic. During the end of pregnancy, a mother should build a circle of people, consisting of friend and family members, who have the knowledge on nursing and who have successfully breastfeed their babies.
Make sure to maintain a good relationship with any certified lactation educator or lactation consultant who can help you in any problem occur during your nursing period.

Research by Samir Arora suggested that 71% women who breastfeed their babies are influenced by the choices and preferences of their partners and maternal grandmother of the baby. The study further showed the main sources of information about breastfeeding used by lactating moms (table below).

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Main sources of information about breastfeeding used by lactating moms

Family (33.9%)
Books, magazines, social media (17.4%)
Other (13.2%)
Physicians (8.3%)
Friends (9.9%)

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Myth # 6: Every baby feeds in one position

This is totally untrue. Feeding position determines a good latch. You have to try and test different positions in order to determine what position your baby is more comfortable in. Nature designed a mother’s body in a way that she can easily feed her baby.
Like parenting, breastfeeding is a natural thing every woman experiences after child’s birth. A mother needs a lot of practice to recognize her child’s hunger signs, and to help her baby sucking the milk correctly.
She should learn all the nursing position through which she can properly comfort her baby. A child also needs a lot of practice to suck the milk from mother’s breast correctly. Therefore both mother and child need proper practice and patience to optimally adjust to breastfeeding.

Summary and Recommendations

There are some myths related with breastfeeding that, if not correctly clariied, can lead to an early breastfeeding stop or a suboptimal breastfeeding process.
Working mothers tend to have a lower proportion of sustained breastfeeding; mother can pump milk and leave it to be given to the baby during her absence and she can try to make schedule adjustements to breastfeed as many times as possible.
Mothers should talk with a health care provider if she thinks her milk production is impaired.
Contraception issues should be discussed with a doctor.
Parents should look for information on breastfeeding and attend sessions on this topic.

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References

Vandenplas, Y. (1997). Myths and facts about breastfeeding: does it prevent later atopic disease?. Acta Paediatrica, 86(12), 1283-1287.
Ryan, A. S., Pratt, W. F., Wysong, J. L., Lewandowski, G., McNally, J. W., & Krieger, F. W. (1991). A comparison of breast-feeding data from the National Surveys of Family Growth and the Ross Laboratories Mothers Surveys. American Journal of Public Health, 81(8), 1049-1052.
Ryan, A. S., Zhou, W., & Arensberg, M. B. (2006). The effect of employment status on breastfeeding in the United States. Women’s health issues: official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, 16(5), 243.
Gray, R. H., Campbell, O. M., Apelo, R., Eslami, S. S., Zacur, H., Ramos, R. M., … & Labbok, M. H. (1990). Risk of ovulation during lactation. The Lancet, 335(8680), 25-29.
Arora, S., McJunkin, C., Wehrer, J., & Kuhn, P. (2000). Major factors influencing breastfeeding rates: Mother’s perception of father’s attitude and milk supply. Pediatrics, 106(5), e67-e67.

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