7 Breastfeeding Myths Busted

The absence of breastfeeding experience and education in the 21st century has led to many misconceptions surrounding it. In my view, there’s no place for dangerous old wives’ tales when it comes to you and your baby’s health. As a mom of one who nursed her son for almost 4 years, I am passionate about sharing research-based facts that empower a new generation of nursing mamas.

With that in mind, here are the truths behind seven of the most common breastfeeding myths:

1. Your Baby Needs More Than ‘Just’ Breast Milk to Thrive

Many well-meaning relatives, friends, or even complete strangers (!) may tell you that your baby needs more than ‘just’ breast milk, claiming, “That’s why he’s always on the boob!” or “She would sleep so much better if you gave her some formula/cereal/arrowroot in a bottle at night to fill her up.” Not only is this advice incorrect, but giving a baby anything but milk in a bottle is dangerous and a choking hazard (1).

The World Health Organization states that babies do not require any food or drink in addition to breast milk for at least the first six months of life (2). If your child nurses frequently to maintain your milk supply, that is a benefit, not a problem; this may be misinterpreted by those with a limited understanding of how breastfeeding works.

When it comes to the minefield that is sleep, some breastfed babies sleep longer stretches early on, just as some formula-fed babies wake every 45 minutes for the first year of their lives. Irrespective of how wakeful your baby is, unless you have concerns about your milk supply and your baby is not gaining weight at a healthy rate, your breast milk is everything that your babe needs to thrive.

2. Breastfed Babies Are More Clingy

Every child is different, but breastfeeding is often used as a scapegoat when biologically normal, developmentally appropriate infant behaviors are deemed inconvenient. In a world obsessed with forcing children to be independent before they are ready, the breastfeeding dyad is often blamed for making babies ‘clingy’ compared to their formula-fed peers.

The truth is that breastfed babies seek comfort from the breast as well as food, hydration, pain relief, boredom, and more. This may mean that they are nursed far more frequently than a formula-fed baby has a bottle—and that’s not only okay, it’s optimal. In fact, when we look at the research into independence in children, the results may surprise many: breastfed children who are allowed to self-wean actually grow up to be more socially independent than their peers (3).

3. You Cannot Drink Alcohol If You Are Breastfeeding

If you want to have the odd alcoholic drink at celebrations or at the end of a long week, you can do so safely if you time your feedings carefully around your blood alcohol levels (4). You can read more about alcohol and breastfeeding, here.

4. After X Amount of Months, Breast Milk Has No Nutritional Value

Just like every other food and drink in the world, breast milk never loses its nutritional value. It is an incredible, responsive, living substance that changes to meet your baby, toddler, or child’s evolving needs. This includes providing your little one with antibodies when they are unwell (regardless of their age!).

Furthermore, scientists have found that after two years, a mother’s milk contains 60% more calories than it does at 12 months postpartum (5). More mature breast milk also contains greater proportions of fat and protein than less mature breast milk (5); this is further evidence that it continues to meet the needs of toddlers and older children beyond infancy.

5. You Can Overfeed a Breastfed Baby

If a baby is exclusively breastfed, it is not possible to overfeed them. Full stop. You will not ‘spoil’ your little one or teach them bad habits if you nurse them every time they need food or comfort (6). This is because breastfeeding at the breast is so responsive and adaptive. It is, however, possible to overfeed a baby expressed breast milk or formula from a bottle.

6. Breast Milk Causes Cavities in Teeth

If we think about this from an evolutionary perspective, it would make no sense whatsoever if breast milk caused cavities in babies or children. In fact, studies have shown that a breastfed child is significantly less likely to suffer from tooth decay (dental caries) than a child who is artificially fed. As well as continuing benefits to the health of mother and child, breastfeeding promotes optimal jaw and tooth development.

A breastfed child is less likely to suffer from crooked teeth (malocclusion), and the longer the child is breastfed, the greater the reduction in risk. A breastfed baby is also less likely to suffer from discolouration of teeth caused by excess fluoride (fluorosis) (6).

Practicing good dental hygiene is important for all babies and children as soon as they have teeth. The NHS offers free, up-to-date advice on how to best care for your baby, toddler or child's teeth, regardless of how they are fed (7).

7. Your Child Will Breastfeed Until Adulthood Unless You Wean Them

Once more, this misconception seems to be rooted in cultural ideals surrounding independence and autonomy in young children and even babies. Every single child in the history of the human race has weaned at some point, and yours will too if you decide against parent-led weaning. Your aunt may have terrified you with horror stories about 15-year-olds nursing, but if there is any truth in such tales, then they are extremely rare and do not represent the vast majority of people’s experiences. If you are happy to nurse your child beyond infancy, you should do just that! There are no known drawbacks, but there are a myriad of benefits for you both.

With love,

Danielle

❤️

References:

Here are the Vancouver-style references based on the information provided in your blog post:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Infant and toddler nutrition: bottle feeding. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/bottle-feeding/index.html

2. World Health Organization (WHO). Breastfeeding. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding#tab=tab_1

3. Ferguson D, Lynskey M, Horwood L. Breastfeeding and subsequent social adjustment in six- to eight-year-old children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1987;28(3):378-86.

4. La Leche League. Alcohol and breastfeeding. Available from: https://www.laleche.org.uk/alcohol-and-breastfeeding/

5. Ochoa F, Munoz A, Rodriguez J. Nutritional benefits of breastfeeding: what is the evidence? Nutrients. 2018;10(12):1893.

6. National Health Service (NHS). Your questions answered: breastfeeding. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding/your-questions-answered/

7. National Health Service (NHS). Looking after your baby’s teeth. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/teething/looking-after-your-babys-teeth/