Breastfeeding mistakes you need to stop making

World Health Organisation (WHO) states that breastfeeding substantially reduces the risk of infant deaths due to infectious diseases in the first two years. Research has also found that breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months reduces morbidity from gastrointestinal and allergic diseases yet it has no negative impacts. This just shows you how important it is to breastfeed your little one.

However important breastfeeding is, it’s not always easy for some moms who have little supply of milk. If you are going through that, consider these tips to boost your supply. Now, that aside. If you are a mom or will soon be one, you will make mistakes and it’s part of the learning process. Even so, allow us to enlighten you with some common breastfeeding mistakes that you should avoid making.

1. Skipping pumping

Breast pump (Shutterstock) Pulse Live Kenya

If you missed a breastfeeding session, the best thing to do is to pump the milk. This triggers your body to produce more milk hence keeping a steady supply. Even if you are far from your baby, make sure you pump even if your baby won’t use that milk.

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2. Ignoring breast pain

Breast pain(Healthline) Pulse Live Kenya

We have all heard that breast pain during breastfeeding is normal. While that is true to some degree, the pain shouldn’t be persistent. Before you give up breastfeeding your baby and opt for formula milk, make sure the cause of the pain is first established. Some of the reasons as to why your breasts may be painful during breastfeeding include; poor positioning, friction, inverted nipples, strong infant suction, or, milk blisters. The pain, however, could also be due to a more serious problem that might require medication which is why you should not ignore that pain. Infections such as psoriasis, dermatitis, candida, and other infections might also cause nipple pain during breastfeeding.

3. Introducing the bottle and pacifier too soon

Baby on pacifier (Ebony Magazine) Pulse Live Kenya

It’s advisable to wait up to one month before introducing your baby to the bottle. Doing it earlier than that may scare the baby and they may also refuse to breastfeed once they get used to the bottle. Let the baby get used to breastfeeding before you start feeding them through the bottle.

4. Taking insufficient fluids

Make sure you drink enough water when breastfeeding [koko] Pulse Nigeria

Forget about eating a mountain of food to produce more milk. Just make sure that you take enough fluids not just for more milk but because you are also more likely to be dehydrated when breastfeeding. Drink water, juices, soups and eat succulent fruits.