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• General myths

General myths

*Physicians know a lot about breastfeeding - NOT TRUE!

Obviously, there are exceptions. However, very few physicians trained in North America, Europe or South Africa, learned anything at all about breastfeeding in medical school. Even fewer learned about the practical aspects of helping mothers start breastfeeding and helping them maintain breastfeeding. After medical school, most of the information physicians get regarding infant feeding comes from formula company representatives

*Paediatricians know a lot about breastfeeding - NOT TRUE!

Obviously, there are exceptions. However, in their post-medical school training (residency), most paediatricians learned nothing formally about breastfeeding, and what they picked up in passing was often wrong. To many trainees in paediatrics, breastfeeding is seen as an "obstacle to the good medical care" of hospitalized babies

*Formula company literature and formula samples do not influence how long a mother breastfeeds - REALLY?

So why do the formula companies work so hard to make sure that new mothers are given these samples, their company's samples? Are these samples and the literature given out to encourage breastfeeding? Do formula companies take on the cost of the samples and booklets so that mothers will be encouraged to breastfeed longer? The companies often argue that, if the mother does give formula, they want the mother to use their brand. But in competing with each other, the formula companies also compete with breastfeeding. Did you believe that argument when the cigarette companies used it?

*Breastmilk given with formula may cause problems for the baby - NOT TRUE!

Most breastfeeding mothers do not need to use formula and when problems arise that seem to require artificial milk, often the problems can be resolved without resorting to formula. However, when the baby may require formula, there is no reason that breastmilk and formula cannot be given together.

*There is no such thing as nipple confusion - NOT TRUE!

The baby is not confused, though, the baby knows exactly what he wants. A baby who is getting slow flow from the breast and then gets rapid flow from a bottle, will figure that one out pretty quickly. A baby who has had only the breast for three or four months is unlikely to take the bottle. Some babies prefer the right or left breast to the other. Bottle fed babies often prefer one artificial nipple to another. So there is such a thing as preferring one nipple to another. The only question is how quickly it can occur. Given the right set of circumstances, the preference can occur after one or two bottles. The baby having difficulties latching on may never have had an artificial nipple, but the introduction of an artificial nipple rarely improves the situation, and often makes it much worse. Note that many who say there is no such thing as nipple confusion also advise the mother to start a bottle early so that the baby will not refuse it.

*It is easier to bottle feed than to breastfeed - NOT TRUE!

Or, this should not be true. However, breastfeeding is made difficult because women often do not receive the help they should to get started properly. A poor start can indeed make breastfeeding difficult. But a poor start can also be overcome. Breastfeeding is often more difficult at first, due to a poor start, but usually becomes easier later.

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*Myths by Dr Jack Newman