i want to dispel some myths about breastfeeding. i want to be candid, and to be honest. i dont want to offend. and i dont want anyone to feel bad. i want this all in the open.
to all parents that formula feed. first and foremost: i believe NO ONE should make you feel negative about your method of baby feeding. whether it is intentional and breastfeeding wasnt right for you, or you tried and it didnt go as planned, or whatever reason. FORMULA feeding does not make you a bad parent, just like BREASTFEEDING does not a good parent make. i dont support anyone making you feel like less of a parent for this at all. this Breastfeeding vs Formula Feeding debate among mothers HAS GOT TO END. because ultimately it isnt anyone else's business how you feed your child. (my business, however, is the business of education on breastfeeding. so if you have questions, lactation consultants are there to help. they are professionals and will help you make educated decisions about breastfeeding) no one knows your story but you and whoever you choose to tell and i strongly wish that everyone would leave well enough alone. seek out information. make your choice, and end the hate between mothers over something that only makes up a SMALL portion of motherhood.
so theres that. that being said there are some things i want to say for breastfeeding mothers, in support of breastfeeding, to dispel any myths that a LOT of mothers, both breastfeeding and non, may not be aware of. these myths could damage the breastfeeding relationship and discourage you from continuing if you dont know how to get through them :) hope they help some!
Myth #1: breastfeeding and formula are made equal.
TRUTH: this is very untrue. the World Health Organization (WHO) have regulations on labeling for formula companies. these companies are reqired to post on their label that it is secondary nutrition. it is not superior to, or equal to breastfeeding. the reason for this is science. there have been numerous studies done to show that while formula feeding is acceptable and an option in nourishment for your child, it is not medically superior. formula is not a generic breastmilk, it is a substitution. think of it like this. the formula will get the job done, it is approved for consumption, but its not a replacement if breastmilk is available. that is because after study after study, it has been found that formula increases the risk of many diseases. SIDS, necrotizing enterocolitis, respiratory illnesses, even cancer risks are increased with formula feeding. the list goes on. does it CAUSE these things? no medical journal will say as such, but they will readily admit that it does raise the risks, and as other studies have shown, there are so many complex nutrients and antioxidants in breastmilk, that not all of them have been discovered or logged or researched yet. formula companies will repeatedly try and try to make it as close as possible for the benefit of the babies using it, but as of yet, none have been found to be as nutritious.
i HATE when people call it POISON. it makes it have a bad name and makes those who use it feel horrible or feel as though they are being attacked for how they feed their baby. there is a place in this world for it, and its should never be outlawed or taken away from those who need it, for whatever reason. its an important back up once all avenues of breastmilk feeding have been exhausted, or if an educated mother chooses to use it.
MYTH #2: my supply ran out.
TRUTH: we've ALL heard this from someone. i can think of ten people EASILY who told me they stopped nursing because their supply ran out. i was one of them. when i had my son, my supply dropped when i went back to work, and i had VERY little information on how to bring it back. the truth of the matter is there are SO many ways we can impact our milk supply both negatively and positively. so many things can cause it to drop a little and because we dont KNOW better, we think its gone. so many unassuming things can drop a supply: peppermint, sports bras, too little calories, dehydration, too much alcohol or caffeine use (without proper hydration) just to name a few. i mean heck, the first day of a sickness i had, my supply dropped TEN OUNCES. so many things can influence how much you make, and if you dont know how to boost it, you might lose it. but even then its not one forever. (see MYTH #3.) things to increase? Pumping can help boost by stimulating, nursing on demand or offering the breast frequently, teas like Mothers Milk Tea has been known to help, supplements like Fenugreek and Blessed thistle are helpful, there are even RX medications that may help. these are thigns to talk to your LC or doctor about. having an LCs number is SO important. the new insurance regulations Obama just passed ensure you have enhanced support. talk to your insurance company about LC coverage. it doesnt have to end! i know its hard and it may temporarily take a little extra time out of your day. but if you want it, you can get it back and resume nursing just like normal as if nothing ever happened.
MYTH #3: i adopted my baby/i weaned already, so i cant breastfeed.
TRUTH: if you want it, you can get it! it is VERY possible to nurse and lactate for an adopted baby, or if you regret weaning and want to go again. babies are often responsive to it, and it is very good for bonding and nourishment of a child, especially if your child has been sick frequently, or came from a country with less development that needs a little extra nourishment. this is a great thing to talk to an LC about. youll need some very strong support and care from a certified lactation consultant. its worth it!
MYTH#4: i have a medical condition/take a medicaton and cant nurse.
TRUTH: you might not think you can, or google may tell you that you cant, but this is not always the case. talk to your doctor. if you want to nurse, other medications may be available, or they may monitor you if you arent going to take it. and some medical conditions were once thought to NOT be safe, but are found to be safe for nursing. its very unusual or a condition to not be safe! talk to your doctor and a lactration consultant. do not be afraid to ask questions and express your desire to breastfeed. more often than not, it IS possible.
MYTH#5: i had to stop because i went back to work.
TRUTH: recent changes to law in many of the united states have been changed to accomodate the breastfeeding mother. a mother in these protected states are required to have have a private safe clean place, NOT a bathroom or high traffic area, in which to express milk. they are required to have an unpaid break for pumping for about 30 minutes every 4 hours. in some cases, a note from a doctor enables more breaks if you need to boost supply. look into your states breastfeeding laws. you can still breastfeed after youve gone back to work! :)
MYTH #6: giving my baby a bottle or pacifier early on isnt too bad.
TRUTH: this can be detrimental to a baby in the beginning weeks. a little infant can become permanently confused or begin to prefer a faster flow. waiting to introduce these things a little longer can be SO supportive to your relationship with breastfeeding. if this is needed, there are ways to do it correctly o ensure your relationship with breastfeeding isnt permanently damaged.
MYTH#7:once my baby has solids, they dont need as much breastmilk.
TRUTH: the American Academy of Pediatrics now reports that babies should not be fed any cereals, purees or foods of the like until after 6 months of age. and at that point, breastmilk should be offered first, and then food slowly introduced and not to be used as a primary source of nutrition for babies under one (and then some accoring to other journals as well). introducing any other foods or sources of nutrition before breastmilk can lower your supply and is not conducive of a healthy lifestyle. solids of any kind arent even necessary right at 6 months. talk to your pediatrician and LC about the right path for you.
MYTH #8: my baby wasnt gaining weight. we had to switch him to formula.
TRUTH: while sometimes, in rare cases, your doctor may suggest a supplement, you can express your desire to EBF and work out a plan that is right for your individual baby. even if supplementation is necessary, it does not have to be an outright switch to formula. very little can go a long way in helping your baby, and just because your baby is not growing at a fast rate, does NOT indicate a problem with your breastmilk's nutritive values. lots of mothers only temporarily substitute, or are preparing for their child to be introduced to solids which help weight gain also, or their baby hits a growth spurt shortly after and they end up not needing to supplement. this is a huge one to talk to your doctor about, and get support from an LC to ensure if you NEED to supplement that you can evenutally go back to breastmilk only.
ill update more later. but if you are a breastfeeding mother and want to continue, but are facing struggles, dont think its the end. there are lactation specialists that can help!
and as always moms, love each other, support each other.
Photo: OLJ Studio/
The slogan for this year's Breastfeeding Week is "Understanding the past...planning for the future. Celebrating 20 years of BFHI (Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative)"
World Breastfeeding Week celebrates its twentieth anniversary in 2012. This time it focuses on the progress that has been made on the implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding which was adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) ten years ago.
Implementing the Global Strategy effectively is essential to increase breastfeeding rates, especially exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and to reach Millennium Developmental Goal (MDG) 4, namely to reduce under five mortality by two thirds.
After consultation from WHO and UNICEF, a breastfeeding consultative meeting took place in Tshwane in August 2011. The objectives were to build consensus on policy and programme changes to reflect new evidence on breastfeeding, including in the context of HIV & Aids, identify the critical next steps for South Africa to promote, protect and support breastfeeding as a key child survival strategy, and to mobilise support and commitment to promote, protect and support breastfeeding.
Participants of the National Breastfeeding Consultative Meeting concluded with a declaration known as the "Tshwane Declaration of Support for Breastfeeding" which declared South Africa as a country that will actively promote, protect and support exclusive breastfeeding as a health intervention to optimise child survival, irrespective of the mother's HIV status.
Actions taken thus far:
A Child Health Workshop took place on 30 and 31 July 2012 in Bloemfontein where the implementation of the Tshwane Declaration of Support for Breastfeeding was discussed in detail.
On Friday, 3 August 2012, the Mangaung Mother's Milk Alliance (MMMA) was formed. This meeting was attended by representatives from the public and private sector (paediatricians, dieticians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and audiologists, and nurses working at maternity, neonatal, postnatal, paediatric and gastro wards).
