Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week! This annual event is celebrated from the first to the seventh of August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. This year’s theme is ‘Enabling breastfeeding — making a difference for working parents’. It reemphasises that the entire society, including employers, must be empathetic to working mothers who are breastfeeding and help them manage this important part of nurturing during their working hours.
Breastfeeding myths
There have always been several myths about breastfeeding. Here are some examples:
Myth #1: Breastfeeding mothers often feel that their milk is not sufficient: Mothers should realise that the body responds to demand. Hence, frequent nursing signals the milk glands to produce more milk by increasing the levels of the hormone prolactin.
Myth #2: Breastfeeding makes the breasts saggy: Some women, and even men, hold on to this belief. However, breastfeeding per se doesn’t contribute to saggy breasts. Instead, genetics, tone of the underlying chest muscles, and weight gain play a role. Some ways of maintaining breast shape and firmness include regular exercise, good posture, constant moisturising and wearing a good quality supportive brassiere.
Myth #3: Women who are sick must not breastfeed: This is not completely true. Breastfeeding is not suggested if the mother has tuberculosis or hepatitis, or undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment. Otherwise, the mother can safely breastfeed her baby. Even during the COVID pandemic, doctors strongly recommended that mothers breastfeed with a mask on. Moreover, the breastmilk passes on the mother’s antibodies through breastmilk making the baby more immune to that infection.
Myth #4: Breastfed babies are clingy: There is a belief that it is hard to wean babies who have been breastfed for over a year. However, it lacks credence. In fact, babies who are breastfed are likely to be healthier and have a higher emotional and intelligence quotient.
Myth #5: Breastmilk reduces with exercise: If the woman is sufficiently hydrated and breastfeeds regularly, there is no risk of the drying up of milk.
How does breastfeeding benefit us?
Breastfeeding is a natural and personalised way to nourish your baby. Moreover, nursing negates the need for storing or adding preservatives to breast milk. Let’s explore the benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and babies.
For mothers
- It promotes bonding with your baby and aids in breast milk production.
- It helps reduce bleeding after delivery and lowers the risk of anemia and even urinary tract infections.
- It releases feel-good hormones that boost confidence and reduce the chances of postpartum depression.
- Mothers who breastfeed have lower risks of autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases as well as diabetes and hypertension. Moreover, it lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
- It aids in shedding pregnancy weight and helps moms get back in shape sooner.
For babies
- Breast milk provides the ideal nutrition. It is rich in antioxidants, enzymes and antibodies. Starting from the highly nutritious antibody-rich colostrum, the baby gets the required set of nutrients in the right proportion in all the stages of development.
- Breastfed babies have a stronger immune system and are less prone to infections like diarrhoea, gastroenteritis and respiratory tract infections.
- Breastfeeding reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It also leads to better long-term health, with reduced chances of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and allergies.
- It promotes better dental health and teeth alignment, as well as improved speech development.
For families and societies
- Breastfeeding benefits us as it saves lives and money, with fewer hospitalisations and a more productive workforce.
- It is an eco-friendly choice, as it requires no packaging, shipping, electricity or fuel, unlike formula milk production.
- Breastfeeding helps in optimal spacing between pregnancies, leading to reduced medical and food expenses and better overall family health.
- Breastfed children often show better vaccine effectiveness and grow up to be well-adjusted individuals.
It’s crucial for our society to support breastfeeding by providing amenities for nursing mothers in public areas. Remember, the health and well-being of both mothers and babies are interconnected.
Let’s make every effort to promote and protect breastfeeding in our communities. Happy World Breastfeeding Week!
Dr Aruna Muralidhar is a senior consultant, obstetrics and gynecology at Cloudnine Hospitals, Jayanagar, Bengaluru, and author of ‘Nine Months’.
