5 Ridiculous Breastfeeding Myths You Need to Know
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The first time a mother holds her newborn in her arms is an emotion incomprehensible by us normal beings. Even if you try to combine the first time you got a job, bought something for your parents from your hard-earned money, and won a competition you worked on for months, all together as one – you won’t be able to match the feeling.
With motherhood comes a plethora of questions, especially if you are a first-time mom. Breastfeeding though a beautiful experience, can turn out to be smooth as butter for some and hard as a rock for others.Almost all matters related to breastfeeding bring about a dozen of opinions from women around you. That being said, mostly all of them seem to be different. So, it is common for mothers to be confused and wonder what is true and what isn’t.This can often leave them in despair and anxiety.
But thanks to technological developments and scientific discoveries, the task of identifying the myths from the facts has become easier. But alas, it is not so simple. There are some parts of the world where age-old myths still seem to be prevalent leaving mothers confused whether or not to believe any person who says otherwise.
In this post, we are going to shatter the 5 most common myths about breast milk quality!
1. Myth: Frequent Nursing Leads To Poor Milk Production
Fact: When a healthy baby is allowed to nurse as often as they require, the milk supply gets optimized.If you pick up your baby’s hint that they are hungry and let them breastfeed on every demand, the milk comes out with a better flow from the breasts. Once feedings are restricted or become less frequent, milk supply is known to decline.
2. Myth: Formula Is Just As Good As Breast Milk
Fact: This one is a no-brainer. There’s a reason why it’s referred to as ‘formula,’ i.e. a scientific concoction.Both the milks are significantly different. Formula is basically cow’s milk containing around 30 useful ingredients. Breast milk, on the other hand contains about 300.With the unique blend of proteins, vitamins, fats, and carbohydrates, breast milk grants a range of health benefits. These advantages include lower chances of asthma, ear infections, obesity, allergies, diabetes, and sudden death syndrome.
3. Myth: Nutritional Value Decreases After A Certain Time Period
Fact: Breast milk strengthens the immune system and continues to act as an effective source of nutrition for as long as the child breastfeeds. A report published by the Australian Breastfeeding Association states that breastfeeding a child can provide: 29% of their daily energy needs,43% of protein requirements, 75% of vitamin A requirements and 60% of vitamin C requirements (1).
4. Myth: Breast Milk Doesn’t Change
Fact: Breast milk form changes both,in the course of a feed and throughout the day. Breast milk consists ofnumerous ingredients like nucleotides, that perform a crucial role in synchronizinga baby’s sleep. A new study conducted by Nutritional Neuroscience affirms that the breast milk form changes quite noticeablyduring a 24-hour period (2). It starts off being more like a thirst-quencher, after which you get milk that is rich in fat,ultimately pleasingthe baby.
5. Myth: Be Cautious Of Your Diet During Breastfeeding
Fact: When all is said and done, a breastfeeding mother, regardless of whether she follows a strict diet regime or not, will produce quality breast milk. Though it is advisable that a breastfeeding mother eats healthy for her own benefit, however, the diet has no significant effect on the quality of milk that she produces. Following a good diet will help mothers to be at their best while battling the challenges of parenthood.
While there is no doubt that mothers do everything in their power to help their little ones be at the utmost ease,however, these misconceptions might just hinder that process. Hence, laying out the facts to give you a clearer picture is imperative. To all moms out there, we wish you and your child a healthy future, free of the myths that surround you!
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