NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) – The Centers for Disease Control has reported that there’s been a rise in breastfeeding for children, which many say is a good thing.
There are a lot of health benefits for mom and baby, but there are many woman who are afraid to go that route because there is misinformation out there.
Joining anchor Jim Watkins is Certified Lactation Consultant and Registered Nurse Shari Criso to talk about debunking the breastfeeding myths.
Myth #1: You need to have the perfect diet and lifestyle to make good enough milk.
If having the perfect diet, enough rest, and minimal stress were major factors in your body’s ability to feed your baby, then our species would have died off long ago. “Good enough” milk is OK – although a healthy, balanced diet is good for you and your baby. The FDA recently determined that pregnant and breastfeeding women should eat more fish since omega-3 fatty acids are essential for brain development.
Myth #2: The modern mom’s lifestyle doesn’t accommodate breastfeeding.
Our bodies were made to breastfeed and our species survived for thousands of years this way. It is actually uncommon for a mom to carry a pregnancy, deliver a baby, and not be able to feed it.
Myth #3: Breastfeeding will hurt.
Breastfeeding should not be painful. With the proper latch and positioning, breastfeeding should be comfortable for you and your baby.
Myth #4: Breastfeeding will change the shape of your breasts.
Breastfeeding itself is not the culprit. Other factors that can change your breast appearance more than breastfeeding includes BMI, age, history of smoking, large pre-pregnancy breast size and number of pregnancies.
In 2013, the CDC reported the percent of US infants who begin breastfeeding is at 77%, compared to 35% in 2010. The contributing health benefits for mom and baby that support this trend include: lower risks of ear and gastrointestinal infections; diabetes and obesity; and lower risks of breast and ovarian cancers.