7 Breastfeeding positions to enjoy the experience

1. My breast is small, I may not have enough milk. False.
   You do not have more or less milk depending on your breast size. Size is defined by fat, not by the ducts that “make” milk. In fact, the breast makes as much milk as the child needs. All you have to do is find the right posture and have your baby nurse frequently.
2. Having flat or inverted nipples will make breastfeeding almost impossible. False.
   Your nipples change at the end of pregnancy and during breastfeeding. In addition, babies don’t just latch on to the nipple, but to a good amount of the breast, which may cover the entire areola, depending on its size. However, if there is difficulty, you can seek the help of a professional breastfeeding expert.
3. Until my milk comes in, I will have to give you a bottle. False.
   At first, colostrum (first milk) is all your baby needs if you breastfeed on demand and frequently. Very few women have no milk at all.
4. I think my milk is watery and does not feed. False.
   All mothers’ milk is nourishing. You just have to give it as many times as the baby needs it. It is true that when you begin to drink, the first milk that comes out has more water and sugar. After a while of sucking and emptying, it becomes thicker because it has more fat content than it satisfies and fattens.
5. To have more milk, I have to drink a lot of milk. False.
   Milk production increases or decreases depending on the emptying of the breast, not on the food you eat. Just as there are no foods that increase milk production, there are also no foods that cause gas in the milk or in the child.
6. You should breastfeed every three hours, to give you time to “recharge”. False.
   Just the opposite. To ensure adequate milk production and flow during the six months of exclusive breastfeeding, the baby should be breastfed as often as he or she wants, both day and night. This is confirmed by a scientific study published in ‘Pediatrics’.

   This is what is known as on-demand breastfeeding. Infants are fed according to their appetite, they get what they need for satisfactory growth. These infants do not empty their breasts completely, they only extract between 63% and 72% of the available milk. They can always get more milk. The baby stops feeding only because he or she is full, not because the breast is empty, according to another study in the magazine ‘Food and Nutrition’.
   Keep in mind not all breasts have the same milk storage capacity. Infants of women with low storage capacity may need to be fed more frequently to express their milk and ensure adequate milk intake and production.

7. If you feed your baby on demand, he or she may not get used to be nursing on a schedule and that can hurt the stomach.
   If your child eats when he wants to and for as long as he wants, his stomach will develop properly. Imposing schedules and amounts  don’t fit your baby’s needs can cause discomfort and irritability.
8. The baby keeps crying, he will want to eat more and I don’t have enough. False.
   Babies cry for many reasons, not necessarily because of insufficient milk. Children who breastfeed without restriction, in the length and frequency of feedings, usually do not have colic. If he seems to be crying because he is hungrier, he can be offered more breast milk. A mother’s milk is easily digestible and well-tolerated.
9. The feedings are starting to become more frequent than usual, so my baby may be hungry. False.
   Sometimes they will want to eat more and sometimes they are thirsty and need to suck just a little, especially in hot weather. It may also be due to growth spurts. Children may become more demanding on the mother to increase the amount of milk she now needs. After two or three days, she recovers a more relaxed rhythm without the need to add extra bottles.
10. I no longer feel ‘full’, I may not have enough milk. False.
    In the end, most doubts end up with the same question: Will I have enough milk? According to the nurse, it is normal to feel your breast less swollen over time, but this does not indicate less production. Your milk supply depends on your baby’s feedings.
11. I pump very little. I cannot continue to breastfeed. False.
    Manual pumping, with or without a pump, does not measure the amount of milk each woman has; a well-latched baby will pump much more.
12. I have my period again, the end of breastfeeding. False.
    Milk production is maintained as long as there is stimulation and emptying of the breasts until both mother and baby want it.
13. Stress can ‘cut off’ the milk. False.
    In the end, many fears have the same explanation, which is that milk production is maintained as long as there is stimulation and emptying of the breasts.
14. Having a cold, the flu, or taking medicine is incompatible with breastfeeding. False.
    Neither should breastfeeding stop because the mother has a cold or the flu, nor if she takes medication. Through the milk, we transfer defenses to the child that protect him/her from infection. Before you hold your baby, you should wash your hands and, if necessary, cover your nose and mouth with a mask or tissue.

    As for medication, many more than we think and more than some doctors advise against can be taken during breastfeeding. There are plenty of breastfeeding websites that are highly recommended to check the compatibility of medicines with breastfeeding. If one is incompatible, you can look for an alternative. And if there is no alternative, you can maintain your milk production by pumping for the duration of the treatment and then resume breastfeeding and not give up.

15. If the baby does not sleep well, it is because she already needs a supplement (formula). False.
    There is no relation. When they are small, they need to eat often and do not usually sleep ‘on the go’. Then, they space out their feedings and sleep more at night, but some want to keep eating often. It doesn’t depend on whether they’re drinking breast milk or formula, but on each child.

16. The baby’s weight gain is not as fast as expected. She is not feeding well. False.
    Every child has a different growth rate. Not every baby has to grow up in the same way.
17. I’m pregnant again, I have to stop brestfeeding my baby. False.
    It is not an obligation, but a decision of each woman. You can breastfeed throughout your pregnancy, as long as the child wants to and it is not a risky pregnancy. When the new member arrives, you can even breastfeed in tandem, always giving priority to the youngest.
18. At six months, the baby is too old to breastfeed. False.
    The WHO and the Spanish Association of Paediatrics recommend the introduction of complementary feeding at the breast from six months onwards, but this is complementary. First the breast and then gradually the rest. Up to the age of one, breast milk remains the main food. When the child eats everything, it remains the main source of milk until the age of two or more.
19. Once a child has started working, it is no longer possible to continue breastfeeding. False.
    It depends on many factors, how long the mother and baby are separated, whether the mother pumps during that time, whether the person who is left in charge can give her our milk, the baby’s age and the expectation we have. Sometimes, because of the circumstances, the mother chooses a complementary or mixed breastfeeding.

If you have just given birth or if you are in the weaning period, do not hesitate to ask for guidance if you have any difficulty or doubt. You will see how big and healthy your baby will grow.