Breastfeeding facts every new mother should know: Expert debunks myths about milk supply, pain and night feeding

Breastfeeding myths can create unnecessary anxiety for new mothers. Experts explain the facts behind common claims about breast sagging, breast size, milk supply, breastfeeding pain, night feeds, maternal illness and diet.

New Delhi: For many new mothers, breastfeeding can come with an unexpected second challenge: a never-ending stream of advice. From being warned that breastfeeding will make the breasts sag to being told that smaller breasts cannot produce enough milk, such claims can create anxiety at a time when mothers need reassurance and reliable support. Talking to News9Live, Ms Parul Mudit Mishra, Lactation Counsellor, Weaning & Infant Sleep Expert and Parenting Educator at Motherhood Hospitals, Kharadi, Pune, says it is important for mothers to separate popular beliefs from evidence-based guidance. WHO and UNICEF recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by appropriate complementary foods while breastfeeding continues up to two years or beyond.

Breastfeeding is not always instinctive or effortless. Positioning, attachment, milk transfer, feeding frequency and timely professional support can all influence the experience. At the same time, misconceptions can make mothers unnecessarily doubt their bodies, their milk supply or their ability to feed their babies.

Here are some of the most common breastfeeding myths and what the evidence actually says.

Myth 1: Breastfeeding will make the breasts sag

Fact: Breastfeeding itself does not appear to be an independent cause of breast sagging.

Breast shape can change substantially around pregnancy, but blaming breastfeeding alone for sagging oversimplifies what happens to breast tissue.

A peer-reviewed........

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