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Breastfeeding myths explained
Mum Knows Best
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My breastfeeding tip is to always keep your back straight by either sitting in a straight-backed chair if you've got one, otherwise by supporting it with cushions.Louise Drysdale, 28, mum to Rosie, Berks
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To help my son sleep in the day, I used to put him in a hammock hung from the door frame. The gentle swinging motion would help him to sleep and he'd often stay asleep for three hours. Charlotte Highman, 33, mum to Harry, 15 months
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When it's all going pear shaped, rebalance yourself with a move that's a bit yoga-ish. Sit comfortably; inhale for the count of 3, exhale for a count of 6, until you feel calm. You'll find you can't breathe and count and hold on to stressful thoughts!Woman Magazine
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Finding baby clothes difficult to iron? Use a travel iron, so much easier to get those teeny weeny clothes looking smart.
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I thought I'd love breastfeeding, but I dreaded feeds. I'm much happier since I stopped. I'll have another go with my next baby, but I won't beat myself up if I still don't like it.By Annabel Harper, 26, mum to Rebecca, 22 months
Although 76% of women start out breastfeeding, this falls to 50% by six weeks - and one in four by six months.
Women will always give you reasons why you can't breastfeed, but are they really true? We examine some of the myths and reveal the reality.
Myth: You can't breastfeed if you've got small boobs
Reality: Alison Spiro, specialist health visitor and breastfeeding counsellor, says, 'Breast size has no bearing on how much milk you produce. It's the fatty tissue that determines breast size, and milk isn't manufactured in the fat but in the glandular tissue. The same goes for large-breasted mums: women of all shapes and sizes can breastfeed successfully.'Myth: If you've had a drink, you shouldn't breastfeed
Reality: GP Dr Kerrie Spaul says, 'You can drink a bit more when you're breastfeeding than you can in pregnancy. Alcohol makes its way into breastmilk, but in smaller quantities than when it passes through the placenta to an unborn baby.''Alcohol goes into your milk in the same way as into your bloodstream. While you're drinking it's whizzing around in your blood and in your milk, but when you stop your body metabolises it. Gradually your blood and your milk become less boozy and eventually return to normal.'
'Pumping and dumping won't make any difference; you just have to wait for the milk to become alcohol-free on its own. It's not a good idea to drink heavily while you're breastfeeding, though. Babies are much more sensitive to alcohol than adults, even in tiny quantities. If too much passes through to your little one, his blood sugar will drop and he could become dehydrated and floppy.'
- Next: 'You can't breastfeed twins or triplets' - more myths busted
More help and advice
- A practical guide to breastfeeding- More advice on coping after the birth
- More tips for coping with breastfeeding
- Get in-depth info on mastitis
- I panicked when my baby stopped breastfeeding!' Read one new mum's experience
- Chat about breastfeeding with other mums
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