Here are common myths about breastfeeding—busted!
1. If you
have small breasts, you won't produce enough milk to feed your baby. Truth: Size doesn't matter! "The breast tissue you
need to nurse a baby grows in response to pregnancy regardless of your breast
size," says Judith Lauwers, I.B.C.L.C., a spokeswoman for the
International Lactation Consultant Association. So rest assured that whether
you're an A or D cup, your breasts are capable of providing your baby with the
milk she needs.
2.
You won't
be able to breastfeed if you've had breast-augmentation or
breast-reduction surgery. Truth: Not necessarily. "These days, implants are usually inserted near the
armpit or under the breast tissue or chest muscle, which shouldn't interfere
with breastfeeding," says Carol Huotari, I.B.C.L.C., manager of the Center
for Breastfeeding Information at La Leche League International.
3.
You must
eat only bland foods while breastfeeding. 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. In other words, if you eat cabbage, it's unlikely that it will
make your baby gassy. If you indulge in some spicy salsa, your baby probably
won't refuse to nurse. As Haldeman of The Pump Station says: "Women in
India eat really hot curry and their babies still breastfeed. And there is
research that shows babies actually prefer garlicky milk." Many
breastfeeding moms swear by the wait-and-see approach: Don't alter your diet at
all and see if your baby has a problem. "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," Huotari says.
4.
You need
to nurse every two hours around the clock—no more, no less—to make sure
that your baby gets enough to eat. Truth:
Babies' eating patterns are as individual as those of their parents. You can schedule
a weight check with your pediatrician if you're worried that your baby isn't
getting enough to eat.
5.
If you
give your baby bottles of pumped milk, she will refuse the breast. Truth: Most babies switch between breast and bottle with no
problem.
6.
You
shouldn't nurse if you have a blocked duct. "It
usually happens when the baby's nursing patterns change and the breast becomes
overfull," Lauwers says. "For instance, when a baby starts taking
longer naps, eating solid foods and sleeping
through the night, she may nurse less frequently, which can lead to blocked
ducts." Besides frequent nursing, applying heat—in the form of a heating
pad—before nursing can help clear a duct. "It's not going to hurt your
baby."
7.
A
breastfed baby won't sleep through the night until she starts eating solids. Truth: Your baby will sleep through the night when she's
ready. That said, breastfed babies do need to be fed more frequently than
formula-fed babies in the early months because breast milk is digested more
quickly than formula. "As long as your baby is getting enough to eat,
she'll sleep for as long as she's meant to sleep."
8. Breastfeeding
is a reliable form of birth control. Truth:
If you're not ready to be pregnant again, don't rely on breastfeeding for birth control. However, if you're
breastfeeding exclusively, if your baby is younger than 6 months and if your
period hasn't resumed, the so-called lactation amenorrhea method can be 98
percent effective in preventing pregnancy. "But if all three of those
criteria are not met, or if you're letting your baby use a pacifier,
breastfeeding should not be used as contraception," Lauwers says.
9.
Once you
go back to work, you'll have to wean. Truth:
Hogwash! "If you commit to pumping, you can give your baby breast milk for
as long as you wish," Haldeman says.
10.
Breastfeeding
your child for more than one year makes weaning difficult. “Babies are
individuals, and some just want to nurse longer than others," Lauwers
says.
11.
Your boobs
will forever look like tube socks. Truth:
Some women may notice a change in the shape of their breasts after
breastfeeding, but pregnancy, not just nursing, is the culprit.
12.
It'll make
your baby clingy and dependent. Truth: Quite
the opposite. "Studies have
shown that babies who benefit from the attachment of breastfeeding tend to be
more independent later in life," says Bettina Forbes, a certified
lactation counselor and cofounder of the Best for Babes Foundation, an
organization dedicated to changing cultural taboos that surround nursing.
13.
You can't
take any meds. Truth:
While some medications are verboten because they could pass through your breast
milk to your baby, Berens says many are just fine.
14.
Exercise
will turn your milk sour. Truth:
Not as far as your baby is concerned. recent studies show that babies don't
notice any difference.
0 comments:
Posting Komentar