Common misconceptions about breast feeding

mary kulundu

August 2, 2017 4:56 PM

It is officially breastfeeding week – well the second day of breastfeeding week actually.

There have been numerous stories about breastfeeding and a good majority of them can sometimes mislead soon-to-be mothers.

It is fair to say that every mothers’ breastfeeding story is different but there are some common misconceptions that some mothers should avoid blindly believing.

1.Small breasts produce less milk

A woman’s breast size has absolutely nothing to do with the amount of breast milk that they are going to produce.

Hormones which are produced when a woman gives birth stimulate the mammary glands in the breasts which then help in the secretion of milk.

The more your baby breast feeds, the more milk you will produce.

2.You cannot get pregnant when you are breastfeeding

This is not entirely true.

Breastfeeding can act as birth control in the first six months after giving birth if the baby is being breast fed exclusively meaning that they are not drinking anything else.

Breastfeeding acts as a method of birth control because it helps to delay ovulation but it is not fool proof that you will not get pregnant when you are breastfeeding.

You can then get pregnant before having your first period after giving birth because you are ovulating at that time.

3.Your milk production will be low

Yes, women do not produce milk for three to five days after giving birth.

They however produce a thick liquid known as colostrum for those first few days which is what the baby needs for the first few days.

4.Breastfeeding makes your boobs sag

One major concern for a lot of breastfeeding mothers is that their boobs will sag if they breast feed for too long and this is why they choose to stop breastfeeding earlier than planned.

The number of pregnancies, age and some lifestyle choices such as smoking are the ones that can cause a woman’s breasts to sag.

5.You cannot breast feed after getting boob surgery

Having boob surgery does not interfere with milk production or delivery.

Those that have had breast reductions however may find it difficult because their nerve endings around the nipple have been cut.