5 Important breastfeeding facts that you should know

So many new mothers step into the world of parenting and breastfeeding without knowing the most basic of information. These 5 facts are the most crucial information for every breastfeeding mother and will help her to succeed in her breastfeeding journey by showing her what’s normal, what to expect and most importantly, where to seek support.

The breastfeeding recommendations

Almost all international health organizations, including the two biggest organizations, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and The World Health Organization (WHO), all recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months of life, starting solid foods only at 6 months of age, and continued breastfeeding up to 2 years or longer. These recommendations are based on research, ensuring this is the best for a baby’s health, growth and development.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)

“Breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition. The short- and long-term medical and neurodevelopmental advantages of breastfeeding make breastfeeding, or the provision of human milk, a public health imperative. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately 6 months after birth. Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about 6 months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond.” – The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) publications 2022

The world Health Organization (WHO)

“WHO and UNICEF recommend that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.

Infants should be breastfed on demand – that is as often as the child wants, day and night. No bottles, teats or pacifiers should be used.

From the age of 6 months, children should begin eating safe and adequate complementary foods while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years of age or beyond.” – The World Health Organization (WHO)

The health benefits of breastfeeding

Benefits for the mother

– Better sleep (yes, it’s true!)
– Postpartum weight loss
– Mother-infant bonding
– Lactational amenorrhea (no period)
– Reduced metabolic risks
– Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis
– Reduced anxiety and postpartum depression
– Reduced risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer

Benefits for the child

– The best source of nutrition
– Protection against infections (ear infections, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections etc.)
– Reduced risk of childhood cancer
– Reduced risk of diabetes mellitus
– Active immunity against diseases
– Reduced risk of childhood obesity
– Reduced risk of asthma and allergies
– Improved social, physical and cognitive development
– Reduced risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
– Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, heart disease (high blood pressure) and metabolic disease

Global benefits

An 8% global increase in exclusive breastfeeding to six months is estimated to have reduced infant mortality by 1,000,000, decreased fertility by 600,000, and saved countries billions of dollars in breastmilk substitutes.

Global health benefits

It is well-known that breastfeeding saves and improves the quality of lives even in relatively clean, industrialized contexts. In one analysis of data, researchers calculated that if 90% of infants were exclusively breastfed for 6 months, 911 deaths would be prevented. In an earlier analysis of the costs of formula-feeding, other researchers found that, compared to 1,000 infants exclusively breastfed for 3 months, 1,000 infants never breastfed required 2,033 more office visits, 212 more days in the hospital, and 609 more prescriptions in the first year.

Financial benefits

Personal finances should also be taken into account when making a choice on what you’ll feed your baby.

Breastfeeding is free. All these products in the market are really nice, but in most cases also unnecessary.

Formula, bottles and teats cost money, if your baby is allergic and needs specific formula, that can be very expensive.

Emergency benefits

Disasters and emergencies do happen, leaving parents without clean water, electricity and often formula. Formula recalls and shortages happens quite often, leaving parents without milk for their babies. Breastmilk is a great choice when it comes to these situations.

How long humans breastfeed for

There’s no right or wrong answer here, every breastfeeding dyad will reach the end of their journey when they’re ready. Sometimes a parent may be ready before a child is (parent-led weaning) and other times a child will be able to wean when they’re both physically, mentally and emotionally ready to do so (child-led weaning also called natural weaning). This may be at different ages for different individuals. Breastfeeding should continue for a long as both mother and baby mutually desires to do so. Natural weaning is best when it’s possible. Biologically for humans, we breastfed until children naturally weans from the breast.

What is natural weaning?

Natural weaning (infant-led weaning) occurs as the infant begins to accept increasing amounts and different types of complementary feedings while still breastfeeding on demand. As they need less milk and become less dependent on the mother, they will start breastfeeding less over a period of months and years until finally and very slowly coming to a complete stop.

Natural weaning is when you wait for the child to decide when they’re ready to stop breastfeeding. Every child will be ready to stop breastfeeding at their own pace.

The norm for natural weaning across all cultures varies from age 2 – 7 years. Yes, young children breastfeed too and it’s beneficial and healthy for the both of you!

There are continued nutritional, physiological and emotional benefits to breastfeeding at all ages, including immunological support, better oral development, and protection for the parent against some diseases which increases the longer they breastfeed.

The signs that your baby is getting enough milk

• Your baby is breastfeeding frequently. At least 8-12 times or more in a 24-hour period in the early days of life and even the first few weeks.
• Clear signs of sucking and swallowing
• Your baby is having enough wet and dirty diapers in a 24-hour period
• Your baby is gaining weight as expected
• During awake times, your baby seems to be active and alert
• Your baby seems content after most feedings
• Your baby is growing well in weight, height and head circumference and they’re hitting their milestones as expected

Expected diaper output

1+ wet and 1+ stool on day 1
2+ wet and 2+ stools on day 2
3+ wet and 2+ stools on day 3
4+ wet and 2+ stools on day 4
5+ wet and 2+ stools on day 5
5+ wet diapers and 2+ stools every day from day 6 onwards.

Expected weight gain

Losing weight in the first few days are normal and babies can lose around 8% of their birth weight. It’s expected that babies will be back at their birth weight around 2 weeks after birth.

Weight gain will vary greatly from each individual baby, but the expected weight gain per week in the first 4 months is between 140-250g or more per week and 110-200g per week after 4 months of age.

If your baby is gaining less than 140g per week or gaining excessive weight of more than 600g or so each week, it may be a good idea to contact an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) to do an assessment of both you and your baby to ensure everything is as it should be.
After about day 4, we expect brick dust (the orange looking urine) to disappear completely, if it persists for much longer it would be best to have you and baby assessed by an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), as this can be a sign of delayed lactogenesis II and/or dehydration.

After about day 4, we expect stool to be mustard yellow with no green, brown or meconium. If your baby’s stool does not transition to mustard yellow after about 4 days, it would be best to have baby assessed to ensure adequate milk intake.

After about 6 weeks, sometimes a bit sooner, breastfed babies may have less frequent stools. As little as 1 in 10 days are common. Although not having frequent stools is very common, it’s not considered normal and can usually be resolved with some support from a lactation consultant. Wet diapers should always remain the same, never less than around 6 in a 24-hour period, unless told different by a qualified medical provider who is monitoring your unwel baby.

Where to seek support with breastfeeding

There may very well come a time where you may need to reach out for support, and when that happens it’s best to know exactly where to go for trustworthy information and/or support.

There is a lot of information and opinions out there, but that doesn’t mean it’s all the right information. In fact, it often isn’t. What you need is evidence based information to make the best possible informed choices.

Watch out for accepting advice from family, friends and social media. They may mean well, but the advice is often wrong and can have adverse effects on your breastfeeding journey and on your and your baby’s health.

Sometimes our healthcare providers (doctors, dentists, midwives and nurses) can be biased or not well educated on breastfeeding and may provide the wrong information. This is why it’s very important to seek breastfeeding information and support from professionals educated and specializing in breastfeeding.

The different types of lactation supporters

La Leche League Leaders

A La Leche League Leader (LLLL) is a volunteer who has at least 12 months of personal breastfeeding experience. They receive training from the organization they volunteer with. La Leche League International, which is an international organization that has helped with mother-to-mother support in breastfeeding for over 60 years.

La Leche League leaders often organize free local support groups, meetings, and offer guidance to breastfeeding mothers within their community.

They provide valuable mother-to-mother support by sharing their personal experiences, knowledge, and resources. They offer emotional encouragement, practical tips, and evidence-based information about breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding peer counsellors

Lactation counsellors

A lactation counselor has completed more specialized training in breastfeeding support and counseling. Lactation counselors’ education touches down on all general topics of breastfeeding. They usually complete a 20-90 lactation course.

These counselors typically work in their community or in private practices. They possess a comprehensive understanding of breastfeeding techniques, infant feeding behavior, and common challenges that mothers may encounter.

Lactation counselors play a vital role in educating parents and in normalizing breastfeeding to the general public. They can also assist mothers with various aspects of breastfeeding and breastfeeding difficulties including positioning and latch, engorgement, pumping, introducing solids and so forth.

Lactation consultants (IBCLC’S)