Are breastfeeding myths making you doubt your personal functionality as a mom? A gynaecologist shares myths vs details each new mother should know.
The World Breastfeeding Week 2025 theme ‘Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Assist Methods’, stresses on not simply on consciousness however on motion. It’s a reminder that breastfeeding success is just not merely a results of a mom’s will, but additionally concerning the high quality of accessible assist. This assist additionally interprets into embracing details over breastfeeding myths. In keeping with a senior gynaecologist, social delusion, absence of systemic assist, and misinformation can lead even essentially the most dedicated moms to doubt themselves.
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Charulata Bansal shares with Well being Photographs, a few of the most typical myths about breastfeeding that proceed to be handed down one technology after one other.
Breastfeeding Fantasy: “If I don’t lactate instantly after start, I received’t have the ability to breastfeed.”
Truth: Late lactogenesis is regular and never failure. The Indian Council of Medical Analysis (ICMR) and World Well being Group state that colostrum, the preliminary milk kind, is secreted in small quantities and enough for a new child’s necessities for the preliminary days. Mature milk often begins on day 3–5 after supply, as per research. Rooming-in and early feeding within the preliminary hour of start strongly enhances long-term lactation outcomes. ICMR advises onset of breastfeeding inside 1 hour of supply and unique feeding for six months.
Breastfeeding Fantasy: “Small breasts can’t produce sufficient milk.”
Truth: Milk manufacturing is set by useful breast tissue, not by breast dimension. Research carried out and revealed within the Indian Journal of Paediatrics confirm that breast dimension has no correlation with lactation means. Milk is a supply-demand system the extra the infant sucks, the extra milk is generated. As per a examine carried out by the Nationwide Institute of Diet, greater than 85% of moms had been able to producing sufficient milk no matter breast or physique kind after they had been taught correct feeding methods.
Breastfeeding Fantasy: “You could comply with a particular eating regimen to breastfeed.”
Truth: A nutritious, selfmade Indian eating regimen usually supplies for lactation necessities. ICMR’s Nutrient Necessities for Indians suggests an additional 500 energy a day for lactating girls. Fluids, iron, calcium, and protein are important, however there isn’t any proof that almost all meals “spoil” milk until an allergy is detected within the toddler. Spices equivalent to jeera (cumin) and ajwain (carom seeds), generally included in Indian diets in the course of the postpartum interval, could also be useful for digestion however aren’t medically crucial.
Breastfeeding Fantasy: “You shouldn’t breastfeed when you’re sick.”
Truth: In most diseases, continued breastfeeding will safeguard your toddler. Antibodies within the breast milk assist develop the immunity of the toddler. WHO and ICMR suggest that even throughout gentle infections equivalent to chilly, flu, or fever, feeding needs to be continued with easy hygienic precautions. There are some exceptions, for example, if the mom is on particular medicines or has energetic TB or HIV, search recommendation from a well being care supplier for particular recommendation.
Breastfeeding Fantasy: “If my child cries usually, it means I’m not producing sufficient milk.”
Truth: Crying is just not all the time linked to starvation. In keeping with Unicef and ICMR paediatric panels, starvation is only one of many causes infants cry. Test for weight achieve and moist diapers at the least 6–8 moist nappies per day point out satisfactory milk consumption. Development spurts, occurring at 7–10 days, 2–3 weeks, or 6 weeks, might result in non permanent irritability and cluster feeding. Reasonably than switching to method instantly, increase with feedings and search the help of a lactation advisor.
Breastfeeding Fantasy: “Components is simply pretty much as good as breast milk.”
Truth: Though method is appropriate, when crucial, breast milk continues to be the perfect alternative. ICMR information signifies that unique breastfeeding can decrease toddler deaths by 13% in India and reduces the dangers of diarrhoea, pneumonia, and allergic reactions. Breast milk additionally adjusts based on the dietary necessities of the infant, versus method. Breastfeeding additionally results in increased IQ scores and lowers the chance of weight problems and kind 2 diabetes later in life.
By debunking breastfeeding myths, the hassle is to get rid of stigma and normalize the difficulties girls might face throughout this journey.
