Breastfeeding Myths
3. “Babies cry when they need to be fed.”
While it’s true that your baby’s cry can signal
hunger, crying is a late sign of hunger. Watch,
instead for early signs of hunger, such as sucking
on fingers or fists, smacking lips, squirming, and
fussing. Feed your baby before she starts to cry.
If you baby is calm, she is more likely to latch on
well and breastfeed. Babies who reach the point
of crying before they are fed often fall asleep at
the breast after a short time and miss out on the
nutrients and calories they need to grow.
4. “Latch is more important than position.”
Position and latch go hand-in-hand. It’s hard
to achieve a good latch when your baby is positioned poorly. The best breastfeeding positions
are the ones that work for you and your baby. Regardless of which position you choose for a feeding, make sure your baby is well-supported and
facing your breast. Consider how you position
yourself to eat—facing your meal—and place
your baby the same way. This will allow your
baby to get a good and deep latch, the necessary
mouth full of breast, and a belly full of milk.
5. “Many moms don’t make enough milk.”
“Not enough milk” is one of new moms’ top
fears (see the whole list here).
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It is also the number one reason moms say they
stop breastfeeding sooner rather than later.
While it’s hard to measure (and easy to worry
about) what you can’t see, there are other ways
to kno rF