IBCLC: Breastfeeding question n answers graded A+ 2024/2025

IBCLC: BreastfeedingMyth: Frequent nursing leads to poor milk production, a weak let-down response and ultimately unsuccessful nursing. - correct answer Fact: Milk supply is optimized when a healthy baby is allowed to nurse as often as he indicates the need. The milk-ejection reflex operates most strongly in the presence of a good supply of milk, which normally occurs when feeding on baby's cue. Myth: A mother only needs to nurse four to six times a day to maintain good milk supply. - correct answer Fact: Research shows that when a mother breastfeeds early and often, an average of 9.9 times a day in the first two weeks, her milk production is greater, her infant gains more weight and she continues breastfeeding for a longer period. Milk production has been shown to be related to feeding frequency, and milk supply declines when feedings are infrequent or restricted. Myth 3: Babies get all the milk they need in the first five to ten minutes of nursing - correct answer Fact: While many older babies can take in the majority of their milk in the first five to ten minutes, this cannot be generalized to all babies. Newborns, who are learning to nurse and are not always efficient at sucking, often need much longer to feed. The ability to take in milk is also subject to the mother's let-down response. While many mothers may let down immediately, some may not. Some may eject their milk in small batches several times during a nursing session. Rather than guess, it is best to allow baby to suck until he shows signs of satiety such as self-detachment and relaxed hands and arms. Myth 4: A breastfeeding mother should space her feedings so that her breasts will have time to refill. - correct answer Fact: Every baby/mother dyad is unique. A lactating mother's body is always making milk. Her breasts function in part as "storage tank," some holding more than others. The emptier the breast, the faster the body makes milk to replace it; the fuller the breast, the more production of milk slows down. If a mother consistently waits until her breasts "fill up" before she nurses, her body may get the message that it is making too much and may reduce total production. Myth 5: Babies need only six to eight feedings a day by eight weeks of age, five to six feedings a day by three months, no more than four or five feedings a day by six months of age. - correct answer Fact: A breastfed baby's frequency of feeding will vary according to the mother's milk supply and storage capacity, as well as baby's developmental needs. Growth spurts and illnesses can temporarily change a baby's feeding patterns. Studies show that breastfeeding babies fed on cue will settle into a pattern that suits their own unique situation. In addition, the caloric intake of a breastfed baby increases toward the end of the feeding, so putting arbitrary limits on the frequency or duration of feedings may lead to inadequate caloric intake.