This is the first in a series of posts on breastfeeding advice you can feel free to ignore.  Click on the tag “bad breastfeeding advice” to see the others!

Bad Breastfeeding Advice #1:

“Don’t nurse your baby all the time or she’ll become too dependent. You must wait and feed your baby every few hours.”

This is possibly the most damaging piece of breastfeeding advice you’ll ever hear. Not only can following this advice lead to clogged milk ducts and breast infection (or low milk supply and poor weight gain in your infant), it can sabotage your entire breastfeeding relationship.

In short, don’t do it.

This advice was designed for formula fed babies, to prevent overfeeding. Don’t breastfeed your baby like a bottle-feeder.

Scheduled feedings apply to formula fed babies, not breastfed babies.

Unlike formula, breastmilk is quickly digested and since babies have small stomachs, expect your little one to “cluster feed” through most of the day—and night—in the early weeks. It’s normal for newborns to appear hungry every hour or so for part of the day.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, newborns should be nursed whenever they exhibit hunger cues: rooting, putting hands to mouth, mouthing, fussing, or crying, which is a late sign. Listen to them.

Unlike formula, breastmilk works on the law of supply-and-demand. The more baby nurses, the more milk you’ll make and vice versa. Babies on scheduled feedings may not nurse enough to build up an adequate milk supply.

And as for the line about babies becoming dependent? Babies are supposed to be dependent on you. After all, there isn’t much a baby can do for himself.

Throw those schedules in the diaper pail.

Tags: bad breastfeeding advice