We all know that breast milk is the best food for babies, and breast-feeding is not without benefits for both mothers and babies.
However, on the way to insist on breast-feeding, there are always various suggestions under the banner of “for hello” and “for the good of children”, which often bring a lot of troubles to new mothers and their families.
For the sake of the baby and his own health, it is time to know the truth.
Rumor 1: Colostrum to be Squeezed Out
Some mothers think colostrum is yellow in color, sticky and looks dirty, so they squeeze it out directly and don’t give it to their babies.
In fact, colostrum is the best and most precious nutritional gift given by mothers to newborn babies.
Colostrum is rich in nutrients, which helps to enhance the immunity of babies and is more suitable for digestion and absorption of newborns.
Correct approach: Open milk as soon as possible and feed colostrum to the baby as much as possible.
Rumor 2: Postpartum Milk Less, Milk Powder Should Be Added
The new mother is afraid that the baby will not have enough to eat when she goes on the road.
But in fact, when the baby was born, the stomach capacity was very small, and it was enough to eat a little milk every time. As the baby grew up, his appetite gradually increased, and his mother’s milk volume also increased.
Correct approach: It is normal to have less milk after delivery. Don’t worry about not enough for your baby to eat, let alone feed milk powder at will.
Rumor 3: Clean with sterilized wet wipes before breast-feeding
I don’t need it.
Moderate contact with bacteria on the baby’s nipples is actually helpful for the development and maturity of the child’s immune system and the prevention of various allergic diseases.
What’s more, disinfection of residual ingredients in wet wipes may also bring unnecessary risks to babies and should be avoided.
Correct approach: Wipe your breasts with a warm towel before lactation.
Rumor 4: Mother with Small Breasts Has No Milk,
This is a big rumor. I don’t know how many women are worried.
The size of the chest is mainly determined by the fat in the chest, while the breast tissue responsible for secreting milk has nothing to do with the size of the chest. Small-breasted mothers can safely nurse.
Correct approach: Don’t listen to those rumors at sixes and sevens, let alone feel inferior, relax, let the baby suck the breast more, the mother with small breasts will also have enough milk.
Rumor 5: Breast-feeding Can Make Breasts Sagging
At the thought that breasts may droop and shrink after lactation, many mothers who love beauty are scared.
However, what mothers need to know is that the cause of breast prolapse is not nursing, and it is the main culprit that does not pay attention to breast care during lactation.
Correct approach: Do the following to prevent breast smaller and sagging:
- Wear appropriate underwear during frequent lactation, pregnancy and lactation. Avoid quick slimming and weaning.
Rumor 6: Drinking thick soup is nutritious and lactagogue.
After giving birth to the baby, the family always thinks about all kinds of supplements. Many parturients cannot live without all kinds of stewed chicken soup, bone soup and pig trotter soup every day. They feel nutritious and lactagogue.
These milky white thick soups are just emulsion after fat is wrapped in protein, which is not only not conducive to body recovery, but also easy to cause milk blockage.
Correct approach: If nursing mothers like soup, it is also a good way to supplement water, but choose light, less oil and less salt soup.
Rumor 7: Drinking Yuezi Wine to Lactagogue
Many places have the custom of drinking Yuezi wine, such as yellow wine or rice wine.
However, no matter what kind of Yuezi wine contains alcohol, even if it is boiled, there are still residues. Alcohol can enter the baby’s body through the mother’s milk, seriously damaging the baby’s physical and mental development.
Moreover, it is nonsense to say that [Yuezi wine] lactagogue. Alcohol inhibits oxytocin secretion and may lead to a decrease in milk. It is not so much [lactagogue] as [milk return].
Correct approach: Try to stay away from all alcohol during lactation.
Rumor 8: XX food cannot be eaten during lactation,
Many new mothers have given up a lot of delicious food based on the idea of “everything is for the good of the baby”.
But in fact, except for alcohol, fish with high mercury content (which may affect the development of the baby’s nervous system) and foods that may cause the baby’s allergy, no what food is especially taboo.
In addition, certain foods, such as chili, spices and some vegetables and fruits (such as onions, broccoli, oranges and strawberries), may affect the taste of breast milk and make babies dislike it. If this happens, it is also recommended to avoid these foods.
Correct Approach: During lactation, it is very important to have various foods and balanced nutrition. Apart from a few places that need attention, you can eat what your family can eat.
Rumor 9: When the mother is in a bad mood, harmful ingredients will appear in her breast milk and she cannot breast-feed.
Please rest assured that the mother’s mood changes will not change the composition of milk.
When you are in a bad mood, the amount of milk may decrease, but the quality of milk will not be affected.
Correct Approach: It is very important for new mothers to keep a good mood. But if you are in a bad mood, don’t give up breastfeeding because of some strange rumors.
Rumor 10: If you catch a cold, you can’t feed your baby.
The common cold has no effect on lactation. The antibody of the cold virus in the mother’s body can be transmitted to the baby through breast milk, thus enhancing the baby’s resistance to the cold.
However, some compound cold medicines may affect breast milk secretion, so breast-feeding mothers should not take cold medicines by themselves, but should leave them to reliable doctors to choose.
Correct approach: If you have a cold, you can continue breastfeeding, but you should also wash your hands frequently and wear a mask. If you want to take medicine, please be sure to consult a doctor.
Rumor 11: Hepatitis B Mothers Can’t Breastfeed
In fact, no matter whether the mother is [big three positive] or [small three positive], as long as the newborn receives hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and hepatitis B vaccine injection within 12 hours after birth, it can obtain a high protection rate and is very unlikely to be infected with hepatitis B.
Correct approach: As long as preventive measures are taken, breast-feeding for hepatitis B mothers is still advocated.
Rumor 12: Regular Breastfeeding
Some mothers insist on feeding their babies regularly, believing that this can cultivate the habit of eating regularly.
But in fact, the matter of nursing should be listened to by the baby.
The frequency of feeding should be according to the wishes of the baby. As long as the baby has the intention to eat milk, such as crying and sucking fingers, it needs to be fed.
However, it should be noted that in the first few weeks of the baby’s birth, the stomach is still very small and can only eat very little at a time. Frequent nursing is required to meet the energy demand. At this time, if the baby sleeps too long, he can also wake up and nurse.
The right way to do it: give up feeding [schedule], feeding on demand is king.
Rumor 13: Exclusively breast-fed babies also need water,
The baby does not need as much water as you think.
Babies who are exclusively breast-fed do not need to drink extra water before adding supplementary foods. 90% of the mother’s milk is water, which can completely meet the daily needs of the baby.
Correct approach: Even in hot summer, as long as you can breast-feed on demand, healthy babies who are exclusively breast-fed do not need additional water.
Rumor 14: Breast milk will be nutritious after 6 months,
No matter when, breast milk is nutritious. There is no food to replace the nutritional value of breast milk. Even formula milk simulates the ingredients of breast milk as much as possible.
Only as the baby grows up, it needs more calories and nutrition. After 6 months, breast milk alone cannot meet all the nutritional needs, so supplementary foods need to be added.
Correct Approach: The International Breastfeeding Association and the World Health Organization both recommend breastfeeding to at least 1 year old, preferably 2 years old.