Information Overload on Breastfeeding Advice
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Friday, July 29, 2011
Arguments persist on the virtues of breastfeeding and it seems that even many of the previously trusted statistics are now in question. The answer is to take advice but to trust your own judgement. There are a few simple things to keep in mind that will help in those early months.
It seems increasingly difficult for mothers to wade through ever increasing amounts of advice on breastfeeding. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming and difficult to decipher what is meaningful. Lots of different statistics are bandied about on the benefits of breastfeeding and even a leading advisor from the world health organisation, Professor Michael Kramer, has recently cast doubt on the health benefits. He is quoted as saying; ‘the public health breastfeeding promotion information is way out of date. There is very little evidence that it reduces the risk of leukaemia, lymphoma, bowel disease, heart disease and high blood pressure.' The Professor puts forward the view that the length of time mothers manage to breastfeed is related to class divisions and that many of the supposed health benefits of breastfeeding are therefore actually explained by the differences of lifestyles between classes rather than the benefits of breastfeeding itself.
Even the Government campaign which carries the slogan ‘Breast is best' has been criticized as potentially making breastfeeding seem like something to aspire to rather than being an everyday and natural activity.
Despite all this conflicting information, most mothers decide that it is likely to be healthier and a more natural experience to breastfeed. After getting advice, it comes down to trusting your judgment. Ultimately, it's a choice for mothers to make but a recent poll showed that 9 out of 10 wished they had continued breastfeeding for longer. There are the undoubted emotional and psychological benefits for mother and baby. The suckling of the baby directly after birth helps the uterus contract, something that bottle feeding cannot do. When the baby latches on, it triggers this necessary internal reaction in the uterus which, in turn, stops the mother from hemorrhaging.
There are a few things to bear in mind:
Breastfeeding can take practice and does require persistence and a constant effort - it doesn't just come as naturally as people would like to make out.
It may well be painful, particularly in the early days, but persist for as long as you can, under the advice of a doctor if necessary.
Don't be overly concerned if the baby seems constantly hungry. As long as you are producing milk that is good. It is a case of supply and demand - you will catch up!
Breastfeeding in public does not have to be a big deal and there are lots of products on the market to make life simpler. The breastfeeding covers and aprons can give you some support if you feel you need it.
