For these moms, and moms everywhere, I want to debunk some popular myths about breastfeeding.
- You have to breastfeed to be a good mom.
Many new mothers who walk into my practice feel that unless they breastfeed on demand for months on end, they are not being good mothers. This isn’t true and I want to be sensitive to this. Moms have also told me that they feel pressure to breastfeed and that if they use a bottle, even with breast milk in it, or add a bit of formula, then they aren’t being good mothers. Again, this isn’t true.
A mother may need to supplement her breastmilk because she has three children who demand much of her time or because she must return to work early. I have seen mothers who feel guilty because they stopped breastfeeding because they had to take medications for a life-threatening illness. How ridiculous is it to think that getting breast milk trumps having a mother live longer?
So, while I advocate for new mothers to breastfeed and help them if they have difficulty, it is equally important to make sure mothers who choose not to exclusively breastfeed not be made to feel ashamed….
