scorecardresearch
Friday, March 29, 2024
Support Our Journalism
HomeHealthTrue or false — doctors answer some breastfeeding queries to debunk myths

True or false — doctors answer some breastfeeding queries to debunk myths

This World Breastfeeding Week, WHO has asked for 'family-friendly policies', more support from fathers, paid paternity leave.

Follow Us :
Text Size:

New Delhi: For the first seven days of the week in August, countries across the world celebrate World Breastfeeding Week to improve the health of babies. The World Health Organization (WHO) marks this day to commemorate the “Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by government policymakers, WHO, UNICEF and other organisations to protect, promote and support breastfeeding”.

Taking a gender-neutral stance this year, WHO’s theme for 2019 World Breastfeeding Week is “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding” — encouraging fathers and other family members to support mothers in breastfeeding children.

WHO also insists: “Family-friendly policies are particularly important for working parents. Mothers need time off from work to recover from birth and get breastfeeding off to a successful start. Paid paternity leave allows fathers to bond with their babies and promotes gender-equality.”

Promoting breastfeeding is extremely important for the health of the baby as well as the mother. Although more women are breastfeeding now than ever before, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4, people still don’t know enough about it.

To debunk some myths and present a few facts, ThePrint spoke with Dr Nupur Gupta, head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Fortis Gurgaon, and Dr Jesal Seth, consultant neonatologist and paediatric intensivist at Fortis Mulund, Mumbai.

Breastfeeding protects your baby from ear infections, diarrhoea, pneumonia and other childhood diseases.

TRUE. While protective antibodies are transferred to the baby during pregnancy, breast milk contains other nutrients along with antibodies to help build a newborn’s immune system.

Exercise will affect the taste of your milk.

FALSE. There is no evidence to this.

Illustration: Soham Sen | ThePrint
Illustration: Soham Sen | ThePrint

Breastfeeding protects the mother from diabetes, breast and ovarian cancer, heart diseases and postpartum depression.

TRUE. Dr Seth said, “We don’t know the mechanism but numbers show that breastfeeding protects mothers from these illnesses.”

Dr Gupta also said, “It indirectly helps with weight loss too and reduces tendencies for diabetes. Women do not ovulate for about 15 months – from the start of their pregnancy till after the birth of their babies – since breastfeeding delays their menstrual cycles. During this period they also develop a lot of progesterone which protects them from ovarian cancer. Also, the bond between a mother and her baby protects her from postpartum depression.”

Some mothers can’t produce enough milk.

TRUE, but it is rare. There are two types of lactation failures — primary and secondary. Primary, which is extremely rare, is when a woman’s breasts aren’t making any milk. Secondary is when milk is made, but not released due to stress. Dr Seth said, “Although this is seen in one or two out of 10 women, it can be fixed with good counselling and diet.”

You shouldn’t breastfeed if you’re sick with mild fever or viral.

FALSE. You should. Although the baby risks picking up germs, there is a greater chance of the infant getting antibodies that a mother’s body makes to fight her illness.

Illustration: Soham Sen | ThePrint
Illustration: Soham Sen | ThePrint

Breastfeeding helps you shed body weight.

TRUE. You’re losing all the calories through the milk.

You can’t take medication when you’re breastfeeding.

FALSE. As long as it has been declared safe for a woman who is breastfeeding and is prescribed — not over-the-counter medication — it is safe to take it.

You should only eat plain food while breastfeeding.

FALSE. The focus should be on a nutritious and balanced diet because that is what helps in making breast milk. So the healthier a mother’s diet is, the better it is for the baby.

The ‘first milk’ — or colostrum — is rich in antibodies and gives newborns an immunity boost while their own immune systems are still developing.

TRUE. “That is why we encourage mothers to breastfeed within an hour,” said Dr Gupta.

Breastfeeding and adequate complementary feeding are fundamental. It contributes to mental and cognitive abilities.

TRUE. Dr Seth explained: “Mothers’ milk actually gives artificial immunity to the baby. The presence of Taurine, an amino acid that is not present in formulas, helps increase IQ of babies.”

Illustration: Soham Sen | ThePrint
Illustration: Soham Sen | ThePrint

She further said, “With a lot of emphasis by the government and WHO, the number of paediatricians in India have increased. More women are today opting to breastfeed. Things are changing very significantly.”


Also read: These Delhi women don’t shy away from breastfeeding in malls, metro or even Uber cabs


 

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular