World breastfeeding week: Busting myths around the act and beauty

With World Breastfeeding Week being observed, let’s understand the importance of the act and also bust a few myths related to it. 

Also Read: World Breastfeeding Week 2023: Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work!

Myth: Continuous breastfeeding leads to sagging of breasts and loss of beauty, leading to an early weaning-off.

Fact: Firstly, breastfeeding reduces blood loss after delivery which minimizes iron deficiency and anemia.

While breastfeeding is hormonal and psychological, each time the mother breastfeeds the baby, her body has a continuous loop of hormones such as prolactin and oxytocin that help secretion and ejection of breast milk, progesterone and estrogen  hormones are also in check. It regulates the mother’s hormones, retaining a hormonal balance. 

With all of this going through a proper medium of chain, the  mother's beauty is enhanced and retains a charm, which on the contrary, is not benefited from early cessation of breastfeeding.

Some key points to remember:

The early cessation of breastfeeding can lead to decreased bonding between the mother and baby, leading to longer separation, anxiety and decrease in immunity in the child. The chances of early consequent pregnancy, risk of lifestyle diseases in the child such as diabetes and thyroid issues early in life, also increase. At the same time, the risk of breast, ovarian and cervical cancer in mothers who reduce or don't breastfeed, also increase. 

It’s worth noting  that sagging of the breast happens with gravity and aging and not by breastfeeding.

(Dr Smitha Thomas is a Mother & Child Wellness Specialist and founder of Baby n Ma Wellness)