Pediatrician dispels myths about breastfeeding

Breast size does not determine the volume of breast milk, and the main factor for successful lactation is the regularity and effectiveness of feeding the baby. On July 29, pediatrician and breastfeeding consultant Guzel Rakhimova told Izvestia about this.

"The amount of milk is determined primarily by how effectively and often the baby suckles. The more active the baby is, the more milk the mother's body produces," Rakhimova explained.

She also refuted the view that milk can suddenly run out: lactation works on the principle of "supply and demand," and regular breast emptying supports milk production. Rakhimova added that a strict diet and excessive water consumption do not increase the amount of milk.

"It is enough to drink when you are thirsty, maintaining a normal drinking regime. Excess fluid does not lead to an increase in milk production," the expert said.

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At the same time, on-demand feeding, rather than on a schedule, is considered the most physiological and helps maintain stable lactation. In addition, the composition of milk adapts to the age of the child and remains a complete source of nutrients even after a year. Frequent application of the baby to the breast is often associated with growth, the need for emotional contact or individual characteristics, and not with a lack of milk.

"The main signs of adequate nutrition are a good weight gain, a sufficient amount of urination and a normal baby's well—being," Rakhimova emphasized.

She recalled that successful breastfeeding depends on the proper organization of lactation, timely support from specialists and a calm attitude to natural processes.

Ekaterina Prokhorova, a radiologist and Candidate of medical Sciences, told us in which cases mammography is absolutely necessary, and when ultrasound can be dispensed with. According to her, mammography and ultrasound do not replace, but complement each other. Mammography reveals microcalcifications, one of the earliest signs of breast cancer, which can appear one to two years before the tumor is detected.