Breastfeeding FAQs and Myths
2022-03-27
Breastfeeding, as we all know, is when a mother gives her own milk to her baby after giving birth, until the baby can eat something else. Throughout the breastfeeding process, mothers will encounter ambiguous questions that can make it difficult for them to make up their minds for a while. Let's talk about common questions breastfeeding moms have, and the best time to breastfeed and the myths about it.
Frequently asked questions about breastfeeding
FAQ 1: Should I buy a breast pump for breastfeeding?
It is recommended for mothers who need to breastfeed to prepare a serving. A breast pump can help mothers know how much milk their baby is getting and ease the pain of breastfeeding. For convenience, it is recommended to choose electric instead of manual.
Do I need to wash my nipples before breastfeeding?
This is not necessary, the good oxygen bacteria on the mother's nipple and the skin around it is beneficial to the baby's physical development. To clean, wipe the nipple with a damp towel before feeding.
FAQ 2: How often should I breastfeed?
It mainly depends on your baby's need for breast milk. Generally speaking, newborns need to eat 8-12 times a day. As your baby gets older, the number of feedings will decrease, but the number of feedings will increase.
FAQ 3: What should I do if breast milk is insufficient?
Try not to rush breastfeeding. Mothers can drink more soup to enrich their milk and increase the time of each feeding when feeding their babies. Under normal circumstances, the situation of insufficient milk can basically be solved.
FAQ 4: Should I wear a bra during breastfeeding?
While it's true that wearing a bra is inconvenient for breastfeeding, mothers should wear a non-wired, cotton, underwire breastfeeding bra from early pregnancy to prevent sagging breasts.
How long is the best time to breastfeed
Breastfeeding a newborn is the most common thing in our lives. Some babies are weaned after a few months of feeding, while others are fed for a year or two. So the question is, how long does breastfeeding take? Come hear what the pediatrician has to say.
Breastfeeding usually continues until the baby can be weaned, which can be between 6 months old and 2 years old. However, the specific weaning time depends on the physical condition of the baby and the mother. If the baby is frail and sickly, the weaning time should be appropriately extended; if the mother's physique is poor, early weaning can also be appropriately considered.
Breast milk contains nutrients incomparable to general milk powder and milk, such as various immune components, unsaturated fatty acids, taurine, etc. Babies drink breast milk for too short a time, which is not conducive to nutritional supplementation and healthy development of the body. Therefore, weaning the baby needs to consider the time issue.
In rural areas, babies are generally weaned at 12-18 months of age, while in urban areas babies are weaned a little earlier, usually at 8-12 months of age. The difference in weaning time between urban and rural infants is mainly due to shorter breastfeeding leave for urban mothers.
Common misunderstandings about breastfeeding
For new mothers, the first thing to learn after giving birth is how to breastfeed (except for those who do not breastfeed). In addition to learning some basic breastfeeding skills, some misunderstandings of breastfeeding also need to be vigilant, otherwise it is easy to bring unnecessary trouble to your breastfeeding period. Therefore, mothers should avoid these common breastfeeding mistakes:
Misunderstanding One: Milk needs to be saved
Some mothers are afraid that there is not enough milk, and feel that they should keep some milk when they have it. In fact, if there is not enough milk in the breast, it will produce milk automatically, and when there is enough milk, the milk production rate of the breast will slow down. Therefore, there is no need to store milk specially, and the baby will naturally have it when he eats.
Misunderstanding Second: If the breasts shrink, there will be no milk.
As long as blood is circulating in the mother's body, the breasts can produce milk. The udders are shriveled, but the milk production continues, it's just a reduction in milk production.
Misunderstanding Three: You cannot breastfeed after taking medicine
While taking the medicine, if the doctor does not say that you cannot breastfeed, it means that the medicine you are taking will not affect breastfeeding.
Misunderstanding Four: Breast milk after 6 months has no nutrition
The nutrients in breast milk vary with the age of your baby. Whether it is breast milk before 6 months or breast milk after 6 months, it is nutrient-rich breast milk for the baby, which can meet the nutrition of the baby in different developmental stages.
Misunderstanding Five: Mothers with hepatitis B cannot breastfeed
Breast milk contains antibody cells against hepatitis B virus, and the baby has been vaccinated against hepatitis B after birth, so even if the mother has hepatitis B, she can breastfeed.
Frequently asked questions about breastfeeding
FAQ 1: Should I buy a breast pump for breastfeeding?
It is recommended for mothers who need to breastfeed to prepare a serving. A breast pump can help mothers know how much milk their baby is getting and ease the pain of breastfeeding. For convenience, it is recommended to choose electric instead of manual.
Do I need to wash my nipples before breastfeeding?
This is not necessary, the good oxygen bacteria on the mother's nipple and the skin around it is beneficial to the baby's physical development. To clean, wipe the nipple with a damp towel before feeding.
FAQ 2: How often should I breastfeed?
It mainly depends on your baby's need for breast milk. Generally speaking, newborns need to eat 8-12 times a day. As your baby gets older, the number of feedings will decrease, but the number of feedings will increase.
FAQ 3: What should I do if breast milk is insufficient?
Try not to rush breastfeeding. Mothers can drink more soup to enrich their milk and increase the time of each feeding when feeding their babies. Under normal circumstances, the situation of insufficient milk can basically be solved.
FAQ 4: Should I wear a bra during breastfeeding?
While it's true that wearing a bra is inconvenient for breastfeeding, mothers should wear a non-wired, cotton, underwire breastfeeding bra from early pregnancy to prevent sagging breasts.
How long is the best time to breastfeed
Breastfeeding a newborn is the most common thing in our lives. Some babies are weaned after a few months of feeding, while others are fed for a year or two. So the question is, how long does breastfeeding take? Come hear what the pediatrician has to say.
Breastfeeding usually continues until the baby can be weaned, which can be between 6 months old and 2 years old. However, the specific weaning time depends on the physical condition of the baby and the mother. If the baby is frail and sickly, the weaning time should be appropriately extended; if the mother's physique is poor, early weaning can also be appropriately considered.
Breast milk contains nutrients incomparable to general milk powder and milk, such as various immune components, unsaturated fatty acids, taurine, etc. Babies drink breast milk for too short a time, which is not conducive to nutritional supplementation and healthy development of the body. Therefore, weaning the baby needs to consider the time issue.
In rural areas, babies are generally weaned at 12-18 months of age, while in urban areas babies are weaned a little earlier, usually at 8-12 months of age. The difference in weaning time between urban and rural infants is mainly due to shorter breastfeeding leave for urban mothers.
Common misunderstandings about breastfeeding
For new mothers, the first thing to learn after giving birth is how to breastfeed (except for those who do not breastfeed). In addition to learning some basic breastfeeding skills, some misunderstandings of breastfeeding also need to be vigilant, otherwise it is easy to bring unnecessary trouble to your breastfeeding period. Therefore, mothers should avoid these common breastfeeding mistakes:
Misunderstanding One: Milk needs to be saved
Some mothers are afraid that there is not enough milk, and feel that they should keep some milk when they have it. In fact, if there is not enough milk in the breast, it will produce milk automatically, and when there is enough milk, the milk production rate of the breast will slow down. Therefore, there is no need to store milk specially, and the baby will naturally have it when he eats.
Misunderstanding Second: If the breasts shrink, there will be no milk.
As long as blood is circulating in the mother's body, the breasts can produce milk. The udders are shriveled, but the milk production continues, it's just a reduction in milk production.
Misunderstanding Three: You cannot breastfeed after taking medicine
While taking the medicine, if the doctor does not say that you cannot breastfeed, it means that the medicine you are taking will not affect breastfeeding.
Misunderstanding Four: Breast milk after 6 months has no nutrition
The nutrients in breast milk vary with the age of your baby. Whether it is breast milk before 6 months or breast milk after 6 months, it is nutrient-rich breast milk for the baby, which can meet the nutrition of the baby in different developmental stages.
Misunderstanding Five: Mothers with hepatitis B cannot breastfeed
Breast milk contains antibody cells against hepatitis B virus, and the baby has been vaccinated against hepatitis B after birth, so even if the mother has hepatitis B, she can breastfeed.
