5 common myths about breast feeding

Myth 1: A breastfeeding baby needs extra water.
Fact: Breast milk contains all the water a baby needs.Child should be breast fed exclusively for 6 months.

Myth 2: Most of the lactating women do not produce sufficient milk for the baby’s need.
Fact: Most of the women produce more than enough milk. Indeed,in some mothers milk comes out by listening baby’s cry only.Overabundance of milk is common in India. Most babies that gain too slowly, or lose weight, because the baby is poorly latched on to the breast.

Myth 3: It is difficult to breast feed than to bottle feed.
Fact: Breast feeding is often difficult at first due to improper technique of breast feeding, but becomes easier after few feeds. Bottle feeding seems to be easier but there are chances of infection everytime.

Myth 4: Mother should not breast feed the baby if baby suffers from diarrhea or vomiting.
Fact: Continue breast feeding when the baby has diarrhea or vomiting, Don’t give “rest to the gut”.ORS should be given in addition to the breast feed.

Myth 5: If the mother is infected , she should stop breastfeeding.
Fact: Breastfeeding will protect the baby even if the mother is suffering from some infection(except in certain conditions). By the time the mother has symptoms ,she has already passed the infection to baby.If the baby becomes sick, he will recover fast if he continues breast feeding. Breast infections, including breast abscess ,are not the reasons to stop breastfeeding.