Myths

ALL of the statements below are NOT TRUE - they are common myths that often put parents off breastfeeding:

Some women do not produce enough breast milk to feed their baby
Breastfeeding hurts
A breastfeeding baby needs extra water in hot weather
Mums should wash their nipples before breastfeeding
Expressing breast milk will give a good idea of how much milk a mum has
Breast milk does not contain enough iron
It is easier to bottle feed than breastfeed
Breastfeeding ties women down
Formulas contain the same nutrients as breast milk
Women should stop breastfeeding if they have an infection
Women should stop breastfeeding if their baby has sickness or diarrhoea
Women should stop breastfeeding if taking medication
Women who breastfeed must eat a restricted diet
Women who breastfeed should eat and drink more in order to produce enough milk
Women who smoke should not breastfeed
Women who have had breast augmentation surgery should not breastfeed
Women who have had breast reduction surgery should not breastfeed
Premature babies should not be breastfed
Babies with a cleft lip should not breastfeed
Women with small breasts produce less milk than women with large breasts
Women who breastfeed cannot take the contraceptive pill
Babies need other types of milk after six months
Women who have had X-rays should not breastfeed
Breast milk can dry up
A baby shouldn’t be fed both breast milk and formula
There is no such thing as nipple confusion
Women with flat or inverted nipples cannot breastfeed
A woman who becomes pregnant must stop breastfeeding
Breastfeeding twins is too difficult to manage
Women whose breasts do not grow during pregnancy will not produce enough milk
Women should not breastfeed a baby older than 12 months
If a woman takes a break from breastfeeding, the milk will turn sour
Women should not breastfeed after exercise
Women should not get a perm or dye her hair whilst breastfeeding
Breastfeeding makes breasts saggy