Breastfeeding myths every mom needs to stop hearing!

Top Breastfeeding Myths Moms Need to Stop Hearing!

Breastfeeding is natural and beautiful—but the advice surrounding it is often confusing, outdated, or simply incorrect. Pregnant moms receive more misinformation than almost any other group, and these myths can create stress, self-doubt, and preventable feeding challenges.

As an IBCLC serving Middle Tennessee, I hear these myths every day. So let’s clear them up with evidence-based guidance and truth.

Myth #1: “Your nipples need to toughen up before baby comes.”

Truth: You should never “toughen up” your nipples.

Scrubbing, rubbing, or “conditioning” your nipples causes damage—not preparation.

Healthy nipples are soft and protected. If breastfeeding hurts, something needs adjusting in latch, position, or baby’s oral function.

Myth #2: “Pain is normal—you just have to push through it.”

Truth: Pain is a signal that something is off.

While slight tenderness can be normal in the early days, sharp pain, cracking, pinching, burning, or “lipstick-shaped nipples” are not.

These are signs of:

  • a shallow latch

  • poor positioning

  • tongue tie

  • tight jaw muscles

  • fast letdown

  • low milk transfer

Pain is fixable—quickly—with professional support.

Myth #3: “Every mom needs to pump to build a good milk supply.”

Truth: Most moms do NOT need to pump in the early days.

Over-pumping can lead to:

  • oversupply

  • engorgement

  • clogged ducts

  • mastitis

  • unnecessary stress

Your body is designed for baby at the breast. Pumping is only needed for specific medical reasons or separation from baby—not as a universal requirement.

Myth #4: “You have to breastfeed in one specific position.”

Truth: There is no single correct position.

The best position is one that:

  • feels comfortable

  • protects the nipple

  • keeps baby deeply latched

  • supports milk flow

Football, cradle, cross-cradle, laid-back, and side-lying are all valid. Comfort + deep latch = the right position for you.

Myth #5: “Breastfed babies can go 7–10 days without pooping.”

Truth: In the early weeks, breastfed babies should poop several times per day.

The idea that “one poop a week is normal” is outdated and unsafe.

Low stool output often signals:

  • poor milk transfer

  • shallow latch

  • tongue tie

  • low intake

  • early supply concerns

Healthy newborns should have multiple yellow, seedy stools daily.

Myth #6: “Some moms don’t have fatty enough milk.”

Truth: Every mother produces milk with the perfect fat content for her baby.

Milk does not come in “low-fat” versions. When milk appears “watery,” it’s usually due to:

  • lactose overload

  • oversupply

  • rapid letdown

  • baby receiving mostly foremilk

This is a feeding pattern issue—not a milk quality issue.

Myth #7: “Babies only need to nurse for a certain number of minutes.”

Truth: There is no magic number for feeding duration.

You might hear:

  • “10 minutes per side”

  • “15 minutes total”

  • “20 minutes each breast”

These numbers are arbitrary.

Feed time varies based on:

  • age

  • flow

  • oral motor strength

  • latch efficiency

  • growth spurts

What matters most is effective milk transfer, not the clock.

Myth #8: “If baby is gaining weight, tongue ties don’t matter.”

Truth: Weight gain is only one part of the feeding story.

Tongue ties can still impact:

  • nipple pain

  • shallow latch

  • milk transfer

  • maternal supply

  • reflux

  • gas

  • swallowing

  • oral motor development

  • airway and dental growth

A baby may “gain well” while working extremely hard to compensate.

Weight alone does not rule out a tongue tie.

Myth #9: “If baby is fussy, it means you’re not making enough milk.”

Truth: Fussiness is normal newborn behavior.

Babies fuss for many reasons:

  • overstimulation

  • gas

  • needing closeness

  • digestion

  • cluster feeding

  • growth spurts

Fussiness alone does NOT indicate low supply.

The true markers of adequate intake:

  • wet diapers

  • dirty diapers

  • steady weight gain

  • strong, rhythmic suck-swallow patterns

Myth #10: “If baby is gaining weight, breastfeeding must be going perfectly.”

Truth: Babies can gain weight while still struggling with feeding mechanics.

A compensating baby may:

  • feed for long periods

  • rely on frequent feeds

  • become gassy or refluxy

  • have a shallow or painful latch

  • struggle with oral motor skills

And mom may experience:

  • pain

  • recurrent clogged ducts

  • oversupply

  • low supply from inefficient transfer

  • exhaustion

Weight alone is not the whole story.

Myth #11: “Your body won’t make enough milk unless you follow a strict feeding schedule.”

Truth: Strict schedules—especially early on—are a top cause of low milk supply.

Newborns are biologically wired to feed on demand, not on a rigid 3-hour schedule.

Scheduled feeds interfere with:

  • milk production

  • baby’s hunger cues

  • feeding instincts

  • supply regulation

And yes—this includes sleep training and early night weaning.

Both can lead to:

  • decreased night feeds

  • decreased prolactin (your milk-making hormone)

  • reduced overall stimulation

  • gradual or sudden drop in supply

Night feeds are biologically normal and essential for maintaining supply in the early months.

Responsive feeding—not scheduling—is what builds and protects breastfeeding.

Myth #12: “You shouldn’t ask for help—breastfeeding should just happen naturally.”

Truth: Breastfeeding is natural, but support is essential and transformative.

Moms who receive prenatal education + early postpartum support have:

  • fewer complications

  • more confidence

  • longer breastfeeding journeys

  • healthier milk supply

  • less stress

You don’t need to “push through” or wait until there’s a crisis.

Support early = success long-term.

Dawnalea Robinson