Debunking Top 5 Myths on Breastfeeding

New mother could find themselves surrounded by many myths about breastfeeding, especially if it is your first baby. So we bring you here a few myths that could be helpful to take your decision and make yourself feel comfortable with the new change.

Calling out all the new mothers, here’s something for you, take a read:

• Myth: You need to nurse every two hours around the clock to make sure that your baby gets enough to eat.

Fact: Babies’ eating patterns vary as individual as those of their parents. Many new borns do naturally fall into an every-two-hours routine. Watching the baby and not the clock is what we would recommend. In case you’re worried that your baby isn’t getting enough to eat, count the number of dirty diapers she has daily. You can also schedule a weight check with your paediatrician if you’re worried that your baby’s appetite isn’t enough.

• Myth: You must eat only bland foods while breastfeeding.

Fact: By the time the foods you eat have been digested and used to make breast milk, the potentially upsetting elements have been broken down and shouldn’t affect your baby at all. Eating cabbage or broccoli won’t harm your baby and if you have some spicy salsa, your baby probably won’t refuse to nurse. Indian food is at times spicy and Indian traditional herbs like garlic and ginger are strong flavouring agents but it shouldn’t be removed from diet and babies can still breastfeed. Still, there could be a few foods that you may be allergic to or may upset some babies’ stomachs, consult a doctor in this case. Many breastfeeding moms alter their diet and remove the foods with good nutrition which is actually most required during this phase. If the baby does seem fussy after you eat certain foods, talk to doctor regarding your diet. If necessary, keep a food diary, and if your baby is fussy two to 12 hours after you’ve eaten a certain food, cut it out of your diet for a while.

• Myth: You have to “pump and dump” after you drink alcohol.

Fact: An informed decision is to time your glass of wine or beer wisely, rather than throwing your precious breast milk away. After you’ve had alcohol, it will leave your milk at the same rate that it leaves your bloodstream. To make sure that your milk is alcohol-free, wait at least two and a half hours before nursing again. You can also pump milk ahead of time in case your baby becomes hungry while the alcohol might still have some effect on your body.

• Myth: You shouldn’t breastfeed if you’re sick.

Breastfeeding during sickness of mothers depend of the kind of illness, mothers can usually continue breastfeeding when they’re sick. Make sure that mother gets the right treatment, and to rest, eat and drink well. In majority of the cases, the antibodies your body makes to treat your disease or illness will pass on to your baby, building his or her own defences.

• Myth: You can’t take any medication if you’re breastfeeding.

Fact: It’s important to inform your doctor that you are breastfeeding and to read the instructions with any medications you buy over the counter. It might be necessary to take medications at a specific time or in a specific dosage, or to take an alternative formulation. You should also consult the baby’s doctor first about any medications that you’re taking and you may consider breastfeeding the baby beforehand or storing breast milk for feeding the baby for next few hours.

Over to you
Hope we are able to debust the myths and give you a clear picture of what should be done and what shouldn’t be. However, consulting your doctor is not a bad idea before taking any decision for the baby or the mother.