August is National Breastfeeding Month, a time to raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding and support new families.
A local lactation expert says it shouldn’t be so confusing.
“One of the biggest myths is that breastfeeding has to be hard,” said certified lactation consultant Maureen Mills. “It doesn’t have to be, as long as you’re educated.”
The Maryland-based pediatric nurse owns a business called “The Baby Pro,” which provides consultations for new parents and guides them through the challenges of having a newborn.
“I do lots of prenatal visits helping moms and dads,” she said. “The more education people have, the more they’re going to feel comfortable moving forward.”
Mills spoke with WTOP about the most common breastfeeding misperceptions and helped clear up some of the confusion.
Her main piece of advice for new parents: Don’t stress.
“Make sure you ask questions, but don’t Google everything,” she said.
- Q: Do you have to "pump and dump" if you drink alcohol?
Mills says it is OK to breastfeed after drinking alcohol, but don’t drink excessively.
“If you feel like you couldn’t get behind a wheel of a car and drive and be in control, then you should not be breastfeeding,” she said. “But you wouldn’t ‘pump and dump.’ You would just wait a little bit of time for your body to metabolize that alcohol, and then nurse or pump.”
- Q: Can breastfeeding help you lose weight?
Moms can burn 500 to 700 calories a day while breastfeeding.
- Q: Is it normal for breast milk to change colors?
The color changes based on what you’re eating and the way you feel.
“Illness will change the color of the breast milk, based on the antibodies that are in the breast milk,” Mills said. “If you eat cantaloupe, you might see your breast milk looks a lot more orange than it did the day before.”
- Q: Can you still breastfeed if you feel sick?
Mills said your body makes antibodies that your baby will get through breast milk.
“It is like an immunization against cold and flu season, so you won’t pass off your cold to your baby,” she said. “You’re more likely to pass off a cold by sneezing in their face.”
It’s also OK to take medication while breastfeeding, but check with your doctor first.
- Q: Is it OK to swap with formula?
Formula and breast milk are about the same calories per ounce.
“There’s no reason why moms can’t interchange, especially if (the) baby’s having trouble with their weight or mom is struggling with breastfeeding,” Mills said.
- Q: What if breastfeeding is painful?
Mills said breastfeeding can hurt at first, but a lactation expert can help you.
“It’s very common to have some pain because latch is not something that you know how to do, or baby knows how to do,” she said. “A little education is all you need to most likely get a good latch where it’s not painful.”
- Q: Does the size of your breasts matter when it comes to breastfeeding?
You do not make breast milk based on the size of your breasts.
“It’s based on a lot of glandular tissue and also your hormones,” Mills said.
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