AIBU to think these things commonly said about breastfeeding are all bollocks

[peggyosaurus]

This is a classic aibu based on very zero research and basically just what I think. Am interested to hear your views.

1. You need extra calories while breastfeeding-

I know bf does burn calories, it definitely helped me lose my baby weight, but just eating normally whilst eating more cake than usual is fine. No one needs to be actively trying to eat extra calories unless you think you're becoming dangerously thin.

1. You can't eat spicy food/coffee - nah I don't think it affects the baby at all, again I've done no research into this I just don't buy it

1. You can't drink alcohol - actually I DID research this (I love wine), you so can! It won't affect the baby. You'd need to be dead for your milk to ever be classed as alcoholic. It's NOT the same as drinking while pregnant.

1. Dummies cause nipple confusion- mega bollocks, babies know the difference between a nipple and a dummy and if they're hungry a dummy isn't going to placate them.

1. Babies getting too much hind milk/foremilk- I just refuse to believe bf is that complicated.

So there you go. AIBU?

1. I was permanently hungry when bfing and didn't stop eating!

1. I ate spicy food with a vengeance as I had terrible heartburn when pregnant, and drank coffee.

1. I drank alcohol, but timed it straight after a feed.

1. The HV suggested a dummy as DS2 was snacking for comfort, he rejected it after a week! 😢

1. I always drained the first breast before offering the second.

1. I am one of those who can easily becone dangerously thin. After dc2 I was recovering from a physically traumatic birth and bfing. I also have a quick metabolism.
2. You cant eat spicy food? Who on earth told you this?!
3. Alcohol yes I researched it too.

I cant see the whole OP on my phone but will also agree about the nipple confusion. Am in a diferent country with higher bf rates and most babies have dummies. Id never even heard it was a thing until I saw it on here.

1. I was permanently hungry when bfing and didn't stop eating!

Yes me too, maybe I phrased that wrong, "eat what you want" but you don't need to force yourself to eat more to produce more milk.

The nipple confusion one is particularly annoying because it really causes stress for both mum and the baby, I cried with guilt when I gave my first dc a dummy (hormonal) , with the next I gave one at 3 days and it didn't affect feeding at all.

Yes. YABU

1. Eating 'normally but with more cake' is eating extra calories! You contradict yourself.
2. Personally I didn't find spicy food affected bf so can't really comment.
3. Not drinking alcohol is about there being very little (none to my knowledge) clinical research about the affects of low levels of alcohol on a newborn baby's system. So the amout passed through in breast milk is tiny compared to the % in what you drink, but no one knows what is a safe level for babies. Some compare it saying x drinks would give an alcohol level equivalent to fruit yogurt, etc. But you don't feed a newborn baby purely fruit yogurt so it's a silly comparison. Agreed it's not the same as drinking when pregnant but that doesn't mean it's a good thing to drink to excess.
4. Didn't use dummies much so can't really comment.
5. Why not? Breast milk is amazing stuff because it's complicated!

YABU. Have you ever heard of "science"? Please just go spend 5 minutes on Kellymom. It's all there for you, many studies digested and put into very simple words with references (which I know you won't read). Honestly, just because "you think something" doesn't make it so.

You seem very confident.

As I said, classic AIBU, if you tell me I'm wrong I'll flounce.

YABU. Have you ever heard of "science"? Please just go spend 5 minutes on Kellymom. It's all there for you, many studies digested and put into very simple words with references (which I know you won't read). Honestly, just because "you think something" doesn't make it so.

Oh my GOD did the first bit of my OP not come across as tongue in cheek at ALL to you??

But thanks for the patronising.

You should have put (lighthearted) in the title! 😂

1. I dropped so much weight after first baby that I had to eat a lot of extra just to maintain weight. Sadly didn't happen second time as I loved all the food.
2. Agreed somewhat, otherwise how would people whose diet is comprised of lots of spicy food eat. However I have experience of one of mine reacting to a lot of dairy I ate and drank, but he soon grew out of it.
3. I never did, but then I wasn't a drinker, I wouldn't recommend it, as we did some co sleeping, and that is not recommended when you have any alcohol.

4 Dummies and nipple confusion is more likely in the first couple of months, if you introduce a dummy after that if needed it's less likely to affect breastfeeding.

1. That can be a more complicated thing for some, in most women/babies it doesn't happen. But if the baby is having particular problems it does get looked at.

1. I ate like a horse when I was breastfeeding. It made me feel so hungry all the time
2. Unfortunately certain foods made DD very colicky, so I did have to be careful what I ate, and avoid the “windy” foods
3. I enjoyed a small glass of wine several evenings a week. DD is now 17 and doesn’t enjoy alcohol
4. N/A
5. N/A

1. You don't "need more calories" like you don't need to "eat for two" but if you eat according to your appetite while BF you will IME eat more than usual. I cried when DD3 was a few weeks old because I hated the hollow empty feeling in my stomach all the time. I felt so embarrassed to be pigging out all the time. I do love food but I just got sick of eating!

1. No I haven't seen an effect either, but I really feel for women who have to go dairy or soya free in order to keep BFing.

1. Never felt like drinking when I'm up to feed several times in the night but I do find the research very interesting. I think there are still some who believe the old "pump and dump" wisdom.

1. Mine refused dummies.

1. Re foremilk / hindmilk, that is an actual issue for some mums and it's rude to dismiss it as overcomplicating things. Some babies do green frothy poos and lose weight as they don't feed long enough to get to the fatty milk. Dismissing it just adds to the rhetoric of Bfing being natural and if you don't manage it you haven't tried hard enough. I didn’t experience mastitis or bleeding nipples but it doesn't mean women who do are overcomplicating things.

Iwasjust this is lighthearted and OP said she has done zero research. For a truly frightening read, go on the cancer charity forums and read all the posters' thoughts prefaced by "in my view", "I really feel", "I actually think" etc etc.

Yes LOTS of people believe the "pump and dump" thing, it's so pointless!

I stand corrected on the foremilk/hindmilk I'm sorry. I do think green poo is actually quite normal a lot of the time though, I remember stressing about dd's green poo for ages but she was putting on weight fine and nothing I did differently seemed to change it.

Yes dairy/soya intolerance must be a proper pain, but I don't think eating sprouts makes your baby windy but then someone up thread said it did for them so maybe I'm wrong.

peggy any excuse not to eat sprouts

1. depends with me, some days I feel ravenous, others not. I did read your body stores an extra 5lb whilst BFing- true with me as I'm probably around 5lb heavier than my pre pregnancy weight!

2. DS cannot tolerate spicy food through my BM, it makes his reflux a million times worse.

3. I've had the odd drink, usually after a feed.

4. I agree with you about the dummy, if my DS was hubgry we all knew about it, so not sure a dummy would have helped! Saying that my DS has always refused a dummy.

5. I had to block feed my DS due to reflux (pain) he didn't drain the breast therefore not getting enough hind milk.

I ate peppers one day while breast feeding, not chilis, just peppers. They are one of the things they warn you about eating. And damn, were they right. My son couldn't sleep the entire day unless we drove him around in the pram. His tummy was clearly upset. So I guess it is ok for some and not ok for others. If your child has trouble sleeping or seem restless and cranky for no reason it could be a good idea to try to avoid spicy food, coffein, peppers, lemons, alcohol, and vinegar.

Yes, it was peppers for me. DD didn't get to sleep until 4 am that night.