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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

What are the facts of breastfeeding? Is there any real research or just hear-say?

4 replies

familygirl · 18/09/2007 11:10

With all my 3 children I have had different experiences and found such mixed advice that I am stuck knowing what the truths of breastfeeding are. Does it make a difference what you eat/drink? Can you have a low supply? Or your supply not keep up your babies demand? Do some babies just find it difficult? Does Mum's tiredness affect her supply? Does the size of your boobs make any difference to how much milk you have/produce? People appear to have very strong opinions about thee things and it would appear supposed health professionals give conflicting or ridiculous advice, but is there actually any solid research? Why do people think what they think?

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harpsichordcarrier · 18/09/2007 11:22

Does it make a difference what you eat/drink? not much to the quality of the milk (with a few exceptions e.g. oats to increase supply) but will affect your health.

Can you have a low supply? yes, e.g. if you are not resting properly, but it can be improved in manyh cases.

Or your supply not keep up your babies demand? possible but not very often imo. In cultures where women are supported in bf, the rates of successful bf are very high, close to 100%

Do some babies just find it difficult? yes!

Does Mum's tiredness affect her supply? yes, and also the ability to let down imo.

Does the size of your boobs make any difference to how much milk you have/produce? no, imo. certainly not size. I think let down (which is hormonally governed and therefore psychological n lots of ways) can be a limiting factor.

harpsichordcarrier · 18/09/2007 11:24

PS there is tons of research btw - there are (iirc) around 14,000 studies demonstrating the various benefits of bf.

this is a really helpful book for myth busting
www.amazon.co.uk/Bestfeeding-Breast-Feeding-Best-Breastfeeding/dp/1587611953/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/202-613 5262-2563044?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190111041&sr=8-1

or try the Kellymom website

tiktok · 18/09/2007 11:36

familygirl - you are right, there is a ton of myth and misleading info out there. There is good research, though, so healthcare professionals have no good excuse for not sharing solid evidence.

Eating and drinking - there is virtually no evidence that what you eat and drink has any direct effect on breastfeeding (the oats thing harpsi mentions is something that is really no more than anecdotal, but I think it does seem to work for some mothers).

Low supply - the major reason for low supply is that the milk is ot being removed frequently or effectively enough. Resting makes little difference (except when it means the baby is fed more often, because the mother is taking her rest while feeding the baby).

There's no reason why tiredness should affect supply or 'performance' but individuals may have individual experiences of this.

Some babies do seem to find it more difficult - birth experiences may have an impact, which is why getting mothers and babies together and keeping them that way immediately post-birth is good.

Breast size really does not make any difference.

As harpsi says, kellymom.com is about the best resource for evidence and clear explanation.

familygirl · 18/09/2007 21:49

Thanks. Kellymom does seem a good evidence-based site.

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