Myths and facts around breastfeeding.

Post-pregnancy is a stage where you are on the receiving end of uninvited advice, especially when it comes to breastfeeding. Here are a few facts that bust the myths about breastfeeding and could help you seek more clarity regarding the same. 

Myth: Babies who consume formula milk get less colic: 

Fact: Studies suggest that mother's milk is the best remedy for colic. 

Myth: Daily weight check is a way to determine if the baby is getting enough breast milk

Fact: There are other ways of determining the same like observing the sleep pattern, urine cycles, and more. 

Myth: Mothers' diet does not impact the quality of milk and mothers can eat anything in any quantity. 

Fact:Studies show that the baby can have the taste of what the mother eats through the milk and that the quality and quantity of milk produced are determined by the same. 

Myth: Mothers cannot feed after getting a flu shot. 

Fact: WHO guidelines clearly state that pregnant mothers have a high risk of flu and should be prioritized to be given a flu shot. 

Myth: Babies can be allergic to their mother's milk

Fact:There are 2 or 3 such cases out of 100. However, bovine allergy is common among infants. 

Myth: The mother must wash her nipples before breastfeeding. 

Fact: It isn't necessary to wash nipples before breastfeeding. Instead, it has been found that they produce a substance that the baby smells. It has the good bacteria that helps with immunity building in the infants. The baby is familiar with the mother's smell. 

Myth:During breastfeeding jaundice, the mother should not feed the child. 

Fact: Elevated bilirubin levels could cause jaundice in infants. It has nothing to do with breastfeeding. 

Myth:Formula milk in the first six months for better adjustment to bottled milk

Fact: It is highly recommended that breast milk is the best nutritional choice for infants. The American Academy of Paediatrics suggests that babies must be breastfed for up to the first six months.