By Rebekah Scroggy, RN BSN IBCLC
When it comes to breastfeeding, there is SO much conflicting information out there. Social media and blogs often lead to people sharing some well-intentioned but outdated or incorrect advice, so it can be really hard to know what to believe.
There's unfortunately not enough research done on breastmilk and its incredible capabilities (seriously, there's been at least twice as much research done on erectile dysfunction) , BUT we do know one thing for certain:
Breastmilk is not fragile!
Let's get into some myths you might have heard about!
- Never give your baby "morning milk" (milk that was pumped in the morning) at night.
Breastmilk is so cool. Cool enough that it changes throughout the day, week, month, and even year! Every feeding is unique. Beyond the amazing antimicrobial and antibacterial aspects of breastmilk, there are also hormones included in the milk like cortisol and melatonin. Cortisol (commonly known as the "stress hormone") is higher during the day while melatonin (the "sleep hormone") is higher at night.
It's previously been thought that giving your baby "morning milk" at night will disrupt their sleep. However, there is not enough evidence to support this idea and the practice of ONLY giving night milk at night and morning milk during the day. We all know that postpartum period is stressful enough, so please don't burn yourself out with this!
- When giving donor milk, match the gender of the mom to the gender of your baby (get donor milk from a boy mom if you are feeding that milk to a boy)
This is based off a Harvard study that was completed in 2014 and did find that there was a difference in breastmilk composition if you have a boy versus a girl...
But here's the real kicker: it was based off of studies on cows!
There is very limited research on this, and the research that was done has very small sample sizes (meaning it wasn't studied on a large amount of folks), so there is not enough to support the results of the Harvard Study and make the claim that it's true for humans.
If you are receiving donor milk and concerned about whether or not it is the 'correct' makeup for your baby, you can mix it with your own breastmilk BUT please know that they are getting so many incredible benefits that are helping him or her grow, whether it's coming from a boy mom or girl mom!
- Never shake your breastmilk - it might damage it!
There is no research to support the idea that shaking breastmilk damages it, but we do know that breastmilk is a super living substance. You would need to have some serious hulk strength to damage the proteins in it.
Feel free to shake it or swirl it, whatever works best for you!
- You can't get pregnant while breastfeeding
This is based off of something called LAM, or the Lactation Amenorrhea Method - a strict set of rules that can be a method of birth control while breastfeeding.
This method is based on the hormones that your body makes while breastfeeding, but it’s only effective if your baby is under 6 months, receives no bottles, pacifiers, or any supplemental foods outside of breastmilk directly from the breast, and your period has not returned.
Please note that you can ovulate while breastfeeding even if your period has not returned. If you’re not looking to get pregnant while breastfeeding, be sure to use alternative methods of birth control!
- If you don't latch your baby, you will never be able to have a full milk supply
100% false. There is no research to back this up. In fact, many exclusive pumping moms are able to bring in, maintain, and keep a full supply going until they decide to wean. How amazing is that?!
The biggest thing to remember is that milk supply is part genetics, part hormones, and part supply vs demand. If you are pumping, make sure that you’re using the correct flange size and removing milk often enough - at least every 3 hours!
- Drinking Body Armor can help increase your milk supply
While drinking Body Armor or eating oatmeal cookies might be tasty, there is no research to support that they will help boost milk supply. They CAN help give you a boost in hydration or calories though, and they might temporarily increase happiness from eating/drinking something you enjoy (getting that oxytocin hormone flowing!). That combination can help with more output!
But if you don't like Body Armor or oatmeal cookies, don't eat them! The best research-proven way to increase milk supply is to make sure you are removing milk at least every 3 hours.
- Using a certain pump will magically increase your milk supply
All bodies are different, and all bodies can react differently to different pumps. I would be wary of anything that is trying to sell you a magic fix. Most of the time, these products are a waste of your hard earned money. Before you take out your wallet, see if your insurance will cover a breast pump and what options are covered.
There are some great resources out there that have compared different breast pumps (Kristen with Bemybreastfriend or Allison with NewLittleLife are amazing!), and you can also talk with your lactation consultant if you have one!
- If you didn't have success with your first baby, don't even try with your second
It's very important to know that there are SO many different factors that can impact your breastfeeding journey beyond just milk supply, but usually that is everyone's primary concern. One of the biggest ways to prepare for your second baby would be to reach out to schedule a prenatal appointment with a lactation consultant to go through what happened in your first journey and give you personalized advice.
One really cool thing about your body is that with each subsequent pregnancy, your body helps make more channels called branches that hold milk in your breasts! If you experienced low milk supply with your first pregnancy, you could experience more milk with your next.
And that’s it, folks! Hopefully, you feel more empowered and knowledgeable moving forward to make the best decisions for your family.
Have specific questions about your journey? Check out our facebook group Judgment-Free Breastfeeding and Pumping Support with Ceres Chill where you can get all of your questions answered every Tuesday or follow us on Instagram where you can be a part of our “Ask the LC” segment!