Like most breastfeeding moms, I get very excited whenever someone I know is pregnant.  I will try to 'convert' the new mommy to breastfeeding.  Most people, when they are first pregnant, know little about breastfeeding.   Whatever little they know are also mixed up with half-truths or completely bogus information.

Not knowing much, new mommies have a lot of apprehension about breastfeeding.  I will try to address a few common ones that I always come across.  I hope, if any new mommies are reading this, that I will help to dispel your apprehensions and give you that extra boost towards breastfeeding.

1. What if I don't have enough milk?

This is one of the most common questions.  They may come from mommies who have failed at breastfeeding before due to ignorance, or heard of others who 'didn't have enough milk'.  You will have enough milk as long as you nurse often and don't supplement with formula.  Always remember that in the first few days, your breasts will produce colostrum, the 'liquid gold' which is full of goodness and antibodies.  However, the amount may not be much.  This does not mean that you do not have enough milk.  Don't start panicking and resort to supplementing with formula milk.  It is a sure 'formula' for failure.

For other issues relating to difficulties in breastfeeding, please read Tips on Breastfeeding.

2. I need the rest and sleep at night

Mommy dearest, you have to be prepared that once your little one arrives, you will no longer have the luxury of 8-10 hours unbroken sleep.  This is true whether you feed formula or breastfeed.

Of course, your mother or mother-in-law or your confinement nanny may encourage you to give your baby formula milk so that someone else can do the feeding at night (most likely your maid?) while you get your beauty sleep.  But I raise my objections as such :

Firstly, this pattern of broken sleep will last only a couple of years in your child's life.  The well-being of your child is far more important.  Look at the big picture.

Secondly, to those of you who are intending to rely on your maids to do the night feedings, I urge you to reconsider.  Being a SAHM with no domestic help, I know what it is like to do housework, cleaning, washing, and taking care of young children.  Chances are you will require your maid to do far more than what you would do yourself (without maid) as far as housework is concerned.  Let me tell you that it is almost humanly impossible for someone to do all that work during the day and still can keep up with all the feedings at night.  You risk having a very tired and sleepy maid who may be more prone to accidents during the day, and one who may mixed the formula wrongly at night or use scalding hot water or prepare the formula in unhygienic manner in the middle of the night.

Thirdly, think long term.  In the short run, within your confinement month, of course it is nice to have someone take over the night feeds and you get your sleep.  But what happens after that when the helpers are all gone?  Then you will have to do the night feeds and isn't it easier to pick up the baby in the middle of the night and latch him on, rather than to have to stumble around to fix up a bottle of formula?

To overcome the sleep problem, some people feed their babies in bed.  This way, they can also catch some sleep at the same time.  In fact, it is certainly more convenient to breastfeed at night than to struggle to wake up and mix a bottle of formula.  Another way of catching up on sleep is to try as much as you can to sleep when the baby is sleeping, and nap when the baby is napping.

After the first month, once breastfeeding is established, if you really wish so, you can start expressing some milk and someone else can do the feeding at night by giving the baby expressed breastmilk.