By: Ruth Abi, B. Pharm. Freelance Health Writer. Medically reviewed by the DLHA Team.
A black woman breastfeeding her baby.
Growing up as a child in different countries in Africa, it was normal to hear myths deeply rooted in traditional beliefs about many concepts. Sadly, African myths have no regard for and affect even issues relating to health.
In this blog, you will learn to separate fact from fiction about breastfeeding in Africa. Let's dive in!
Due to the thick and yellowish nature of colostrum, a lot of Africans believe that it is bad, and should not be given to the baby. Contrary to this opinion, colostrum is high in nutrients and extremely beneficial to your baby. Its composition is different from that of regular breast milk, and this is what ensures the immune system stimulation that babies need. Colostrum is regarded as one of the best food supplements of natural origin. [1]
Your baby has breastfed, but just won’t stop crying. Your elderly mother-in-law sits across from you suggesting the baby keeps crying, likely because of thirst. As an African mom, you may have been in this situation, and disagreeing with your mother-in-law is not something anyone wants to do. So, you give the water. But, the truth is, your baby does not need water to be fully hydrated after breastfeeding. This is because breast milk is made of more than 80% water. In fact, giving water to a baby under six months can lead to diarrhea or make your baby stop breastfeeding early. Breastfeeding your baby for the first six months after birth without formula or water (exclusive breastfeeding) is highly recommended and adequate. [2]
It is true that the composition of baby formula has consistently improved over time, but breast milk remains the best milk babies can consume. [3]
Many women believe that breastfeeding causes their breasts to sag, but this is untrue. Research shows that the real reason why your breast may look different is pregnancy itself. During pregnancy, the weight of the breasts doubles; this puts more stress on the supporting structures of the breast, and causes sagging. Other reasons why breasts sag include: the mother’s age, heredity, smoking, large breasts, major weight gain and loss. [4]
The size of a woman’s breasts has absolutely nothing to do with the amount of breast milk she produces. Irrespective of her breasts size, the breast tissue needed to make breastfeeding possible forms as a result of pregnancy. The more you breastfeed your baby, the more milk your breasts produce. [4]
You probably heard that breastfeeding is a reliable method to prevent pregnancy, but this is not totally true. Getting pregnant while breastfeeding does happen. Breastfeeding can prevent pregnancy only if:
a) You feed your baby solely with breast milk during the first 6 months.
b) Your menstrual period does not return within that time frame.
The absence of a menstrual period means there is no release of eggs from the ovary, and pregnancy cannot occur. It is important to note that meeting these benchmarks does not guarantee a pregnancy won’t occur. [5]
Breastfeeding mothers do not need to eat specific foods or restrict their diet to ensure the production of breast milk. A balanced diet consisting of carbohydrates, protein, fat and oil, vitamins, minerals and water is just great. [4]
The issue of breastfeeding when a mother is positive for HIV is a controversial one. This is because the chances of the baby surviving without breastfeeding is low due to diarrhea and malnutrition. Also, the chance that the baby could get infected with HIV through breastfeeding also exists. But, over time, the recommendation for breastfeeding among HIV positive women has changed. The World Health Organization recommends that mothers who are HIV positive can exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months and continue even up to 2 years. This recommendation is based on the condition that the mother takes her medications religiously, such that HIV cannot be detected if she is tested. As long as the virus cannot be detected, the disease cannot be transmitted to the baby. [6]
Breastfeeding does not cause diarrhoea in babies. Studies show that exclusive breastfeeding is directly linked to reduced hospital admissions due to diarrhoea in babies. So, if your baby has diarrhoea, breastfeeding is part of the solution, not the problem. [7]
During the first two weeks of breastfeeding, you may experience nipple tenderness which will be uncomfortable. But, as time passes, you and your baby are able to discover what works best. If the pain in your nipple lasts up to 5 or 6 days, consult your physician. [4]
There is a lot of misinformation about breastfeeding in Africa. It is important to verify the information you hear on a daily basis, especially if it concerns health and general wellbeing.
1. Mohamed EL. Colostrum Ingredients, its Nutritional and Health Benefits - An Overview. Clinical Nutrition Open Science. 2022; 44.126-143 Doi: 10.1016/j.nutos.2022.07.001. Available from here.
2. World Health Organization. Breastfeeding. [Internet]. 2023 December 20. Cited November 22, 2024. Available from here.
3. Caroli M, Vania A, Tomaselli MA, Scotese I, Tezza G, Verga MC, Di Mauro G, Antignani A, Miniello A, & Bergamini M. (2021). Breastfed and Formula-Fed Infants: Need of a Different Complementary Feeding Model? Nutrients, 2021; 13(11), 3756. doi.org/10.3390/nu13113756. Available from here.
4. Koura H. Myths about breastfeeding (2019). Al-Azhar Assiut Medical Journal 2019; 17(2):p 109-113. DOI: 10.4103/AZMJ.AZMJ_112_18. Available from here.
5. Shaaban OM, Glasier AF. Pregnancy during breastfeeding in rural Egypt, Contraception, 2008; 77, (5), 350-354. DOI:10.1016/j.contraception.2008.01.005. Available from here.
6. Umeobieri AK, Mbachu C, Uzochukwu BSC, Elias A, Omotowo B, Agunwa C, Obi I.. Perception and practice of breastfeeding among HIV positive mothers receiving care for prevention of mother to child transmission in South-East, Nigeria. Int Breastfeed J. 2018; 13, 50. doi.org/10.1186/s13006-018-0191-8. Available from here.
7. Mulatu T, Yimer NB, Alemnew B, Linger M, Liben ML. Exclusive breastfeeding lowers the odds of childhood diarrhea and other medical conditions: evidence from the 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey. Ital J Pediatr 2021; 47, 166. Doi: 10.1186/s13052-021-01115-3. Available from here.
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Published: November 28, 2024
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