Top 5 Breastfeeding Myths & Ideas that MOST women believe.
“Breastfeeding was designed as a God-given blessing, for both mother and baby.”
I would love for you to have a supernatural pain free birth like I did, and have a great experience with breastfeeding (like I DIDNT (at first!). There are several myths & ideas that surround breastfeeding. Today we're dispelling a couple of them!
But first, what myths & thoughts have you heard about breastfeeding? Which ones are you familiar with? Have any of these myths & ideas caused you to have hesitation, concerns, or fears about nursing your kids? Let's put any concerns or fears at ease.
I hope this article helps strengthen and increase your confidence to keep you moving forward in your breastfeeding plans.
While there are several different ways to feed babies (at mom's breast, formula feeding, donated breast milk, mom's breast milk in a bottles, and homemade formula)...The CDC recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a babies life. And many experts believe breastfeeding for the first 12 months of life is important. When the CDC & experts recommend this it reaffirms how important breastfeeding is. There are nutrients and benefits that breast milk contains, which no formula can contain. (I'll talk about these incredible nutrients and benefits. soon).
However... there are *5 disempowering myths* about breastfeeding....we'll talk about the first 2 today, to bring you empowerment in your journey with nursing your baby.
Myth no. 1 - BREASTFEEDING HURTS
Truth - your nipples will likely feel tender or may even crack a little in the beginning first couple weeks of nursing, because they are touched, sucked on, and stimulated in a way they are not used to. This is very common and normal. So expect this, and be mentally and physically prepared... you can be physically prepared for this by getting some organic nipple cream, or by having some organic coconut oil to rub on your nipples after each breastfeeding session. BUT, nursing should not be *painful*. It is something that you need to adjust to, and thankfully this adjustment goes away after a couple weeks. However, if your baby has a latching issue, or tongue/lip tie, this affects their ability to suck properly and may cause pain or discomfort.
Their ability to suck influences the pressure and how your nipple will feel when they're nursing. I had pain during breastfeeding and it was because of tongue-tie. Once this was taken care of nursing was no longer painful. With breastfeeding pain is a sign something needs to change. If you experience pain there is a reason & it needs to be solved. In addition...some women try to avoid nipple pain by over stimulating their nipples prior to birth. Please don't try to "roughen up' your nipples to try to get them used to a different touch... this is unnecessary and only causes unnecessary pain or discomfort. You don't need to do this.
Myth no. 2 - SIZE MATTERS
Truth - Good news ladies! The size of your breast does NOT determine the quality, quantity, or your ability to produce milk and to nurse your baby. It also does not determine if you will have a low milk supply. Your breast size doesn't indicate if your baby will be getting enough milk. The size of your breast does not determine your ability to breastfeed.
Milk production is hormonally stimulated and increases with supply and demand. The more you offer your breast to your baby, the more your body will produce milk. This will help keep your supply.
A friend of mine thought she couldn't breastfeed because she had a small chest. She was uninformed. And because of this she did not try to nurse her baby. If she had been informed better, she would've realized she absolutely could've breast-fed and given her baby the colostrum, antibodies, antivirals, and nutrients that are exclusively found in breast milk.
I hope these first 2 dispelled myths have taught you truth & increased your peace to breastfeed. If you're interested in exploring the other 3 myths check them out here....
If you're wanting a supportive, empowered, transformative, beautiful, and pain free birth… please check out my Empowered Mama’s Birth Course. I’m a trained childbirth educator & I had the most wonderful supernatural pain free birth. I would love to teach you how this happened for me, give you evidence-based labor & birth education, and teach you the techniques that I implemented throughout my pregnancy & my birth process. I will help equip & empower you, so you may have the birth of your dreams. In this course I teach on the art & God-given blessings of breastfeeding, newborn care, postpartum healing & emotions, labor & delivery, and pregnancy. Included in the birth course is a FREE one-on-one call with me where you can ask your questions and share any concerns you may have. I want you to have the best birth possible—I’m here for you, sweet mama!!
God cares about your birth and wants it to be spectacular, empowering, healing, and beyond your wildest dreams!
Happy breastfeeding!
Breastfeeding is POWERFUL
You’ve got this, mama!!