Hoppin mad: Breastfeeding causes dehydration?

[babibelli]

Ok, this is about one of the most blatantly ignorant articles I have read so far:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9268075/

This so-called Doc is actually advocating supplementing?

idiot.

[velcromom]

Yes, there have been a couple of articles written based on that study, and they both have completely missed the point - that better breastfeeding education for both drs and moms is needed - and they both have mistakenly identified the symptom (dehydration) as the problem - when actually, the problem is poor education. It's very irritating to see a study so poorly interpreted and delivered to the public with a message that implies simply breastfeeding your baby could cause them a health risk.

[jaclyn7]

Please don't hop - that could cause dehydration !

[Finch]

Great. Just what we need, reinforce the crappy misinformation already given out there. Just lovely.

[Ruthla]

I think this was discussed a couple of days ago- with a link to the original study. The study was pretty clear that the solution is to improve breastfeeding technique, not switch to formula. The study DID mention that supplementation was needed in some (not all) cases.

[ruthieroo]

Even the title of the article is irritating, "Breastfed babies may become dehydrated." As if dehydration is a risk only to breastfed babies? Um, no. And the subtitle, "New first-time mothers may not have adequate supply of milk, study says" is also stupid because it makes it sound like for no reason new mothers just might not have enough milk when the issue they're addressing is that inadequate transfer of milk can lead to low supply. I just think headlines like that are so damaging because it seems like every new mom I have known, including myself, freaks out and thinks, "What if I'm starving my baby?" at some point in the early weeks. All in all a very un beneficial article.

[sparklefairy]

So why not

provide new moms with information about appropriate urinary and BM output and having an adequate support network for moms to turn to for assistance with getting breastfeeding off to a good start?

The blame belongs on the inadequate support for breastfeeding, not breastfeeding itself.