3 Breastfeeding Myths You Shouldn't Fall For

I made a conscious choice not to breastfeed my oldest daughter. I had almost no exposure to breastfeeding and really never thought twice about my choice. However, I decided when I was pregnant with my second daughter that maybe I owed it to her and my family to truly research breastfeeding. As I started to read and ask questions, I found that I had heard some urban legends and myths about breastfeeding and taken them as gospel truth. Once I realized that these breastfeeding ideas I was holding on to were myths, I actually decided to give it a go, and ended up nursing for close to a year. If you are closing the door on the idea of breastfeeding, are you falling for one or all of these breastfeeding myths?

Myth #1: Breastfeeding is sexual.
I never actually thought that breastfeeding would turn me on, but I did have a hard time thinking of my breasts as anything other than sexual objects. As a result, I couldn't even imagine what breastfeeding would feel or be like. Once I started reading and realized that breasts are actually here for the specially designed purpose of making milk, I was able to entertain the thought of doing it myself. I learned that breastfeeding does have a very calming and relaxing feeling for the mother caused by the release of oxytocin and prolactin.

Myth #2: I won't know if my baby is getting enough milk if I breastfeed her.
Many nursing mothers worry about whether their milk supply is adequate. There are many ways to determine if your baby is getting enough milk. Wet diapers, steady weight gain, and emptier feeling breasts after nursing are all signs that your baby is getting milk. I also learned that I shouldn't compare my baby's weight gain to the weight gain of formula fed babies. Breastfed babies gain weight at different rates, and should be evaluated in comparison to other breastfed babies. I often heard people comment that there was no way of knowing if my daughter was getting enough to drink. Thankfully, these ways do exist!