"Ask Me Anything" Breastfeeding Questions Answered

August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Kicking off the month-long awareness event is World Breastfeeding Week. The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) hosts yearly this event and this year's theme is "Support Breastfeeding for a Healthier Planet," which highlights the impact of infant feeding on the environment/climate change. As part of the many informative activities planned, WABA hosted an "Ask Me Anything" session on their Facebook page this week and will post answers to the questions this Friday, August 7. Some of the questions asked may answer questions you have about breastfeeding. Take a look at a sample below. We will come back to this post soon and update it with the answers!

• My midwife told me that my breastmilk composition changes over time to match baby's age. Does it mean my frozen breastmilk will not be a good food for my baby 3 or 4 months later?
• My baby is 2.5 weeks old. I will be going back to work when he is between 4 and 5 months old. When is the best time to begin pumping and what kind of pumping schedule should I keep to build up a supply?
• There is this prevailing idea that breastfeeding helps a mother lose weight. Many women I know who breastfeed find it impossible to lose weight until after they stop nursing. Is there a reason some women lose weight and some don't? 
• Does PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) affect breastmilk production? What interventions can we do about it?
• Is it true that beyond 6 months old, breastmilk is lacking iron so formula is a good supplement?
• Why does the WHO recommend breastfeeding for at least 2 years?
• How can I deal with breastfeeding when baby has sharp teeth?
• How does breastfeeding affect early childhood immunity?
• Are there any bad side effects in taking lactation supplements, cookies, drinks, etc.? 
• Are there any negative impacts on breastfeeding from consuming a diet high in sugar? 
• I keep hearing that it's my fault that baby is having a lot of gas because of what I eat. But comments from pediatrician and lactation specialist say that what we eat does not influence gas. Is there official research pointing at which of this statement is true?

Published: August 05, 2020

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