It's a well-known fact that breastfeeding ruins your breasts
- FALSE If you breastfeed correctly, avoid engorgement, and wean gradually, your breasts will be much less affected by breastfeeding than by abruptly stopping lactation at birth! To maintain the beauty of your bust, you should especially be careful not to gain too much weight during pregnancy and pamper your breasts daily with a suitable product to stimulate their supportive tissues and thus avoid the risk of skin sagging linked to sudden volume changes. During the breastfeeding period, you should continue to care for your bust daily and opt for a good nursing bra that supports without compressing.
If you have small breasts, you produce too little milk
- FALSE Even though wet nurses, to whom ladies once entrusted the care of breastfeeding their babies, were distinguished by very generous breasts... know that the mammary gland has essentially the same volume in all women. Breast size therefore has no relation to the amount of milk produced. And lactation depends essentially on your baby's appetite: the more they suckle, the more milk you will produce... even with a "small 32B"!
It often happens that breast milk is not nourishing enough
- FALSE Breast milk is never bad, too watery, or not nourishing enough. If your child is not gaining enough weight, the explanation is more likely to be found in poor latching. It can also happen to you, like all new mothers, to experience temporary drops in your milk supply, due to fatigue or strong emotion... Don't panic: simply let your baby nurse as often and for as long as possible. And rest as much as possible. Your lactation will quickly return to normal.
Breastfeeding prevents you from losing pregnancy weight
- FALSE On the contrary, milk production consumes a good portion of your daily calorie intake. If you make sure to eat a balanced diet in reasonable quantities, breastfeeding can only help you lose pregnancy weight faster.
Breastfeeding is necessarily exhausting for the mother
- FALSE Breastfeeding itself is not tiring. As long as you are comfortable, and the baby is too, feeding sessions do not require any particular physical fitness. If you feel tired, it is primarily to the physiological upheaval and the emotion due to the birth of your baby that you should attribute this drop in energy. Perhaps you are also doing too much? During this period, don't try to be a superwoman! At home, get help from dad, family, friends. And calmly enjoy the soothing hormonal secretion that breastfeeding causes!
You can sleep with your baby to make breastfeeding easier
- TRUE Mother-baby proximity promotes breastfeeding, and your baby's presence next to you can greatly facilitate nighttime feedings. However, it is important to strictly adhere to safety conditions for sleeping with your child in your bed: no duvet on them, no pillow under their head, prefer a firm mattress, anticipate any risk of falling, etc. Other possible options: place your baby's bed next to yours, or use a special co-sleeper bassinet that attaches to the parents' bed.
Night feedings generally facilitate breastfeeding
- TRUE Even if many mothers have suggested that you try to get your baby to "sleep through the night" as early as possible, try to resist this pressure! In fact, most infants need to nurse at night during their first few months. Furthermore, night feedings promote a good start and maintenance of lactation by avoiding too long an interval between two stimulations.
Flat or misshapen nipples prevent breastfeeding
- FALSE Babies always manage to suckle, regardless of the shape of the breasts. Simply make sure to position your child correctly, facing your breast. If they truly have difficulty latching, for example because the breast is too full of milk, gently pull on the nipple to soften it and express a little milk before presenting it to your child.
Breastfeeding for less than 6 months is pointless
- FALSE Although health authorities and many pediatricians recommend breastfeeding until the child is 6 months old, everything depends on your desire and availability. Even short-term breastfeeding will benefit your health and your baby's. When you return to work, you can continue to breastfeed in the morning, evening, and on weekends. But everything will also depend on your baby! Some little ones may quickly show their desire for independence... while others will demand their mother's breast much later. The father's role should also be considered, as the longer breastfeeding lasts, the more excluded he may feel.
Breastfeeding can also hurt
- TRUE But it is primarily an incorrect position of your baby during feedings that can cause pain. Especially in the first week when nipples can be sensitive. This is a normal and temporary phenomenon. However, if it persists, do not hesitate to ask your pediatrician or midwife for advice.
Breastfeeding does not exempt you from contraception
- TRUE As soon as you breastfeed exclusively, the famous "return of periods" is blocked and you can rest assured. In theory... It can happen that menstruation returns while you are breastfeeding and ovulation occurs even before your periods return. Unless you wish to get pregnant again immediately, contraception is therefore advisable. Talk to your doctor or midwife.
It's impossible to breastfeed when taking medication
- FALSE Many medications are compatible with breastfeeding. Your doctor is there to ensure that you receive appropriate prescriptions. On your side, however, no self-medication! Always ask your doctor, midwife, or pharmacist for advice before taking any treatment, which, depending on your little one's age, may or may not pose problems.
