10 Pieces of Breastfeeding Advice You Can Ignore

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Our lactation expert clears up which breastfeeding tips are past their due date

By Teresa Pitman

1. Sore nipples are inevitable; you’ll just have to tough it out. Or, you should prepare your nipples during pregnancy to prevent sore nipples.

You might hear about preparing your nipples from your own mom, because it was popular advice at one time. That was before research showed that the rubbing and tugging once recommended to “toughen up” nipples was not helpful. Sore nipples are more often caused by problems with the baby’s latch, or baby’s way of attaching to the breast, or other issues, not because your nipples weren’t tough enough.
 
Sore nipples are not an inevitable part of breastfeeding; they are a symptom that something is not working well. Often, it is a problem with the baby’s latch. Other possible causes include baby having a too-tight frenulum (tongue-tie) or a yeast infection on your nipples (thrush). If your nipples are sore, get help sooner than later.

2. You have to nurse for 10, 12, 15, 18 minutes (or some other number) so that the baby will get the “hindmilk.”

Here’s the truth about hindmilk and foremilk. When the original studies on this were done, the researchers looked at mothers who were feeding fairly infrequently ― on three-hour schedules. With infrequent feedings, you do produce more watery milk at first, followed by higher-fat milk. But there is some fat in every drop of milk you make, and the increase is gradual ― it doesn’t suddenly switch over at some magic moment. In fact, it changes throughout the feeding because your milk “lets down” multiple times. In addition, the more frequently you feed your baby, the higher the fat levels in your milk throughout the feeding. So how long should you nurse? Only your baby knows for sure. Simply following your baby’s feeding cues will allow the baby to make sure he’s getting as much foremilk and hindmilk as he needs.

3. Try to get your baby on a schedule as soon as possible.

In the early weeks, when your milk supply is being established, anything that restricts the baby’s feedings can negatively affect milk production. Research shows the quantity and composition of each feeding can vary quite a bit from one feeding to another (and between mothers as well) so only your baby knows when he needs to eat again. Feeding in response to your baby’s cues is the best way to ensure good milk production and a healthy baby.

4. Try to get the baby to go longer between feedings so your breasts can fill up and the baby will get more milk.

Your breasts are not storage tanks ― they are more like little factories with an efficient management system, constantly checking to see how much milk is being removed. When the breasts feel full, they start to cut back on milk production. When the breasts are less full, milk production speeds up. So frequently delaying feedings ultimately leads to less milk, not more.
 
As well, mothers vary in how much milk they can store in their breasts for a feeding. If you make the baby wait, so that you have fewer feedings in 24 hours, you may not be able to store enough milk for each feeding to meet the baby’s needs. Almost all mothers can make enough milk for their babies, but some need to feed more frequently than others. Your baby knows how often to feed to get enough.

5. Don’t let the baby nurse more than ten or fifteen minutes; she’s just using you for a pacifier and she’s already gotten all the milk.

Unlike a bottle, the milk flow at the breast changes all the time. At first, it may be slow, then the milk “lets down” and the baby gets faster flow for a few minutes. Gradually, it slows down again, but then there is another “let down” and the baby begins to gulp milk once more. These let-downs happen at various times, so taking the baby off according to the clock may mean that she misses getting a significant amount of milk. Don’t worry, she’ll stop when she’s full and content.

6. Wait until the baby is crying hard before you feed him so you know he’s really hungry. You don’t want him just snacking.

Crying is a late sign of hunger, and a baby who has reached the point of crying hard is less likely to feed well. She may have swallowed a lot of air while crying and so won’t take as much milk at this feeding; the stress of crying may also exhaust her so that she falls asleep before she’s really had a good feeding. Many babies will have short, frequent feedings because their stomachs are small; this, as it turns out, is also the best way to establish and maintain a good milk supply. So watch for early signs of hunger ― baby putting her hands to her mouth, smacking her lips, sucking on her fingers or clothes, rooting and searching for the breast when you hold her, et cetera.

7. Never let your baby fall asleep at the breast because that will teach “bad sleep habits.”

It’s natural and normal for a baby to fall asleep at the breast. Your baby feels safe and secure in your arms, has the comfort of suckling and is full of nice, warm milk ― ideal conditions for drifting off to sleep. Trying to stop your nursing baby from falling asleep, in fact, is likely to cause problems. Often babies begin to anticipate that someone is going to take them off the breast, so they clamp down or even bite in an attempt to keep nursing. And you may find you are removing the baby too soon ― while he was just resting a bit between let downs. There’s plenty of time for your baby to learn other ways to fall asleep besides being at the breast.

8. If your breasts stop feeling “full” that means your milk supply has dropped and you’ll need to supplement.

Two or three days after their babies are born, many women find their breasts are painfully full and engorged. That goes away within a couple of days, but most mothers still notice they feel quite full before feedings and less full afterwards. They may leak between feedings as well. By around four to six weeks (later for some mothers), though, that usually begins to change, and breasts stop feeling full or engorged before feedings. All that means is that your breasts are now working more efficiently, and not letting down any milk until the baby is actually sucking. Keep an eye on your baby’s diapers ― if he’s still producing plenty of wet and poopy diapers, you’re still making plenty of milk.

9. You need to get your baby used to drinking from a bottle in the first couple of weeks or she’ll never take one.

Many breastfed babies never do drink out of a bottle; they go from being breastfed exclusively, to being breastfed with some solid foods, to being breastfed, eating some solids and drinking from a cup. If a supplement is needed, babies can get milk from a cup, a syringe (with needle removed!) or from a spoon. There’s no evidence that introducing a bottle early on will make the baby more likely to accept it later, but there is considerable evidence that introducing a bottle early can lead to unintended weaning and other breastfeeding difficulties. Most experts recommend that if you do want to give your baby a bottle at times, wait until breastfeeding is well-established, usually around four to six weeks.

10. You have to live a perfect life to breastfeed. No chocolate, garlic, onions, spicy foods, caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, milk, prune juice, no painkillers, no medications of any kind, or the baby will be fussy or otherwise harmed.

Good news! Breastfeeding doesn’t require you to live the life of a saint. Most babies aren’t bothered by anything their mothers eat, but some babies will react to particular foods. If your baby seems to be especially fussy or gassy after you eat (for example) garlic, you may want to eliminate that food from your diet, but in general most women can eat anything they like. Mothers who smoke are always, of course, encouraged to quit or cut back, but research shows that your baby will be healthier if you continue to breastfeed even though you smoke than if you fed your baby formula. Most medications are safe to take while breastfeeding, as only tiny quantities (if that) get into your milk. There are a few exceptions, so check with your doctor or a breastfeeding expert (or check online at infantrisk.org) to confirm that the medication you need is safe.