There are many common misconceptions about breastfeeding, and it can cause damage to the breastfeeding relationship.

Dr Jack Newman (physician specializing in breastfeeding) compiled a list of breastfeeding myths, which you can also find here. Let’s have a look at some of the ones I’ve extracted.

Myth: A woman who becomes pregnant must stop breastfeeding

Truth: Breastfeeding can still continue. Many moms feed throughout their pregnancy and even tandem feed both kids. “I breastfed my son right through my pregnancy. He was 21 months when his sister was born. 21 months later and they are both still breastfeeding”, says Maureen Van Helden. Some toddlers might wean themselves because pregnancy hormones can change the taste of your milk and they don't always like it. The milk supply will likely decrease during pregnancy, but if the baby is taking other foods, this is not a usually a problem. However, some babies will stop breastfeeding if the milk supply is low. Some women decide to stop because their nipples become much more sensitive, and some can develop nipple aversion - Nipple Aversion. If the pregnancy isn’t high risk, there is no reason for breastfeeding to stop.

Myth: A baby with diarrhea should not breastfeed.

Truth: The best treatment for a gut infection is breastfeeding. If lactose intolerance is a problem, the baby can receive lactase drops, available without prescription, just before or after the feeding, but this is rarely necessary in breastfeeding babies. Get information on its use from the pharmacy. Lactose intolerance due to gastroenteritis will disappear with time. Lactose free formula is not better than breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is better than any formula.

Myth: Nursing a baby after 12 months is of little value because the quality of breast milk begins to decline after six months.

Truth: The composition of breast milk changes to meet the changing needs of baby as he matures. Even when baby is able to take solids, breast milk is still the primary source of nutrition during the first year. It becomes a supplement to solids during the second year. In addition, it takes between two and six years for a child's immune system to fully mature. Breast milk continues to boost the immune system for as long as it is offered.

Myth: A mother whose breasts don’t seem full has little milk in the breast. 

Truth: Breasts don’t have to feel full to produce plenty of milk. Breasts might feel fuller in the early weeks after baby was born but that is because milk supply needs to be established. After that, the breasts will feel less full as your body adjusts to your baby's milk intake. Breasts are never “empty” and also produce milk as the baby breastfeeds.

Myth: If a mother has surgery, she has to wait a day before restarting breastfeeding.

Truth: You can breastfeed immediately after surgery, as soon as you are awake and up for it. Neither the medications used during anaesthesia, nor pain medications nor antibiotics used after surgery requires the mother to interrupt breastfeeding, except under exceptional circumstances. Most hospitals will accommodate breastfeeding mothers and babies when either the mother or the baby needs to be admitted to the hospital, so that breastfeeding can continue.

Myth: The lying-down nursing position causes ear infections.

Truth: Breast milk is alive and is full of antibodies and immunoglobulin’s and because of that, the baby is less likely to develop ear infections overall, no matter what position is used.

Myth: It is important that the daddy or other family members get to feed baby so that they can bond, too.

Truth: Feeding is not the only way of bonding with the baby. Cuddling, playing, bathing and holding are all wonderful ways of bonding with baby and also very good for their development and growth.

Myth: Breastfeeding mothers' milk can "dry up" just like that.

Truth: Aside from day-to-day and morning-to-evening variations, milk production does not change suddenly. There are changes which occur that may make it seem as if milk production is suddenly much less:

• An increase in the needs of the baby – growth spurt. If this is the reason for the seemingly insufficient milk, a few days of more frequent breastfeeding will bring things back to normal. Try compressing the breast with your hand to help the baby get milk
• A change in the baby's behaviour. At about five to six weeks of age, more or less, babies who would fall asleep at the breast when the flow of milk slowed down, tend to start pulling at the breast or crying when the milk flow slows. The milk has not dried up, but the baby has changed. Try using breast compression to help the baby get more milk. See the website nbci.ca for videos on how to latch a baby on, how to know the baby is getting milk, how to use compression.
• The mother's breasts don’t seem full or are soft. It is normal after a few weeks for the mother to no longer have that fullness or engorgement of the breasts. As long as the baby is drinking at the breast, don’t be concerned.
•  The baby breastfeeds less well. This is often due to the baby being given bottles or pacifiers and thus learning an inappropriate way of breastfeeding.

The birth control pill may decrease your milk supply. Think about stopping the pill or changing to a progesterone only pill. Or use other methods. Other drugs that can decrease milk supply are pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), some antihistamines, and perhaps diuretics.

If any of these affected your nursing relationship, I hope you take some of the information you've now learned and do a lot more of your own research and share it with other mothers so that they don’t fall into the same trap. 

One of the best things about learning from your mistakes is the ability to be proactive in helping prevent others from making the same ones! - Juanne Cronje