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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Myths about breastfeeding.

159 replies

VictorianSqualor · 13/04/2008 22:00

What common misconceptions surround breastfeeding?

What have you or others been told by nosey well meaning people about what isn't possible?

Is there anything you hear or or see often that makes you want to smack your head off a wall and shout 'IT'S NOT TRUE!!'?

(Would like people to post the first ones they thnk of even if someone else has already said it as I want to see how common they are)

OP posts:
Original poster
VictorianSqualor · 14/04/2008 12:31

Yeah, I've met people who have said 1)baby was big so they didnt have enough milk so had to go to formula, then 2)baby was hungry so had to go onto hungry milk, the 3)baby was hungry so needed weaning early and I've just sat there and nodded wanting so much to tell them actually they were lied to but feeling totally unable to say anything.

OP posts:
Original poster
VictorianSqualor · 14/04/2008 12:32

Bridie, you can drink and BF, alcohol goes into breastmilk at about the same rate as blood and it would take a large amount to affect a baby so in theory it's fine to drink and BF, you just ahve to be sensible.

OP posts:
skidoodle · 14/04/2008 12:34

I'm absolutely intrigued to know how a woman's body could produce two different kinds of milk simultaneously and feed the right kind to the right baby.

Sounds like one of the "breastmilk is magic" myths to me.

Bridie3 · 14/04/2008 12:42

VictorianSqualor--that's always what I figured.

I ended up on a very restricted diet at various times, trying to find out whether something I was eating was making my children colicy. What's the latest thinking on this now?

Original poster
VictorianSqualor · 14/04/2008 12:43

Tiktok has posted about it at length somewhere, I'll try and find it.

OP posts:
NorthernLurker · 14/04/2008 12:44

Skidoodle - if the breastmilk fairy can produce milk that is green but perfectly ok (see threads passim) then I guess she can do a double order with extra colostrum on the side It is magic isn't it?

Bridie3 · 14/04/2008 12:44

Thank you! It's all water under the bridge now (youngest is nine) but I'd be VERY interested...

Original poster
VictorianSqualor · 14/04/2008 12:47

There are a couple of threads here wrt pumping and dumping.

And here

Plus I quote
"you don't ever need to leave a bottle or express instead of feeding, unless you are very, very purist about alcohol in the milk. The hassle, and the risks, of formula are (IMHO) greater than the very marginal possibility of any harm coming to your baby via breastmilk after getting drunk. But having said that, leave about one and a half hours per unit of alcohol if you want to ensure your milk is 'clear' - that doesn't mean leaving 9 hours after 6 units, but it means leaving 9 hours after you start drinking the first of those units IYSWIM. Honestly, with a healthy term baby, especially one beyond newborn, it shouldn't bother anyone.....a per-term or sick baby might be a different story."

HTH.

OP posts:
Bridie3 · 14/04/2008 12:48

Thank you!

MadamePlatypus · 14/04/2008 12:56

When DD was 2 days old, I told the midwife that she had been feeding constantly at night since she was born. I didn't want her to do anything about it - I was just telling her how feeding was going - I didn't think DD was abnormal.

However, the midwife immediately talked about introducing a bottle of formula.

Original poster
VictorianSqualor · 14/04/2008 13:03

'Formula - The Golden Milk to solve all problems'.....

OP posts:
Haylstones · 14/04/2008 13:04

You can't bf a big baby- I can!
You can't produce enough milk if you're too thin (by hv!)
You can't tell how much a bf has had to eat- wee, no but you do know when he's full - for some reason this one bugs me most

Haylstones · 14/04/2008 13:05

You can't tell how much a bf has had to eat- well, no but you do know when he's full - for some reason this one bugs me most

juuule · 14/04/2008 13:09

Hayls - that one always makes me smile that you can't feed a big baby. I always wonder how mothers exclusively bf a 4mo, 5mo, 6mo etc and what about someone who feeds two or more babies at the same time

MarsLady · 14/04/2008 13:09

That it's impossible to bf twins or triplets!

Trolleydolly71 · 14/04/2008 13:19

Message withdrawn

Bridie3 · 14/04/2008 13:21

My mother (former HV) was very, very unusual in encouraging me to BF. She would do anything to help. I think mothers of that generation can stop their daughters doing it--for the best of intentions but it's frustrating.

Original poster
VictorianSqualor · 14/04/2008 13:22

Hang on trolley, drink beer to make milk, can we make that one a FACT?

OP posts:
Trolleydolly71 · 14/04/2008 13:26

Message withdrawn

Trolleydolly71 · 14/04/2008 13:28

Message withdrawn

MamaChris · 14/04/2008 13:30

Ones that've really annoyed me:

don't let a boy baby comfort suck (mw)

don't feed them every time they want feeding - they need to get used to waiting (hv, mil, friends)

MamaChris · 14/04/2008 13:32

Oh, and "don't eat garlic/curry/strong flavours or baby won't like your milk" (doula, mw, friends)

QueenGina · 14/04/2008 14:06

exclusively bf babies don't sleep through night (my dd did)
your breasts can be 'emptied'
you can't bf if flat chested

RE: tandem feeding. I've heard that because newborns and toddlers / older babies suck in very different ways, a newborn will get colostrum and older babies will get their usual milk. No idea if this is true, just heard it from another Mum in RL

KashaSarrasin · 14/04/2008 14:44

Some more classics, these from French midwives that were "advising" me while in hospital (DS born in France)

You must carefully wash and dry your nipples before and after each feed.

Eating courgettes will give your baby colic.

Eating melons will give your baby colic.

Eating onions or garlic will give your baby colic.

Eating chocolate will " " " ".

Eating any spicy food " " " ". etc.

TinkerbellesMum · 14/04/2008 15:56

Do any of the none Indian mother amongst us wonder how the Indian mothers cope? I also wonder about European babies whose mothers are told alcohol is good for a pregnant/ breastfeeding mother. How come they've got away with it for centuries yet we're a lot more worried and NA even more so?!

There is something in beer that helps your let down, but it's not the alcohol (sorry) you can also get it from nonalcoholic beer too. I think it's to do with the Barley, although I've also heard Hops.