The downside of Google
We love information. It’s so much different than it was 30 years ago, even just 10 years ago. We have SO much information with just a quick question into Google or another search engine. However, is that a good thing?
When you have a new baby, everything is new. You haven’t been a parent before, don’t know how to take care of a newborn, how to feed them, get them to sleep, deal with all the new issues. So it just makes sense that you would Google your questions at 3 am, when you are up for what feels like the 10th time that night. Then you get answers right away! Win-win, right?
Unfortunately, the internet does lie and is just plain wrong sometimes. So do social media and parent groups. They may talk about something that worked for them, but that doesn’t mean it will work for you. And it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
One example is sunflower lecithin. In parent groups, it’s suggested as a way to fix clogged ducts and mastitis. In reality, it’s bad for your gut health and doesn’t do anything to help clogs or mastitis. It was thought to years ago, but then proven not to be helpful with studies. The problem is it takes years to get the evidence, and while the studies were happening, people kept promoting Sunflower lecithin, saying how great it was. Now, even with research showing it doesn’t help (and hurts your gut) it’s still the most recommended supplement for clogs in any parent group or online. Getting people to know about the change, to follow the evidence, is tough.
What we do recommend first is an individualized approach. Working with an IBCLC who can help figure out the root cause is much better than trying to chase after a problem. There is also good evidence showing Choline helps, as well as breast-specific probiotics. Since we have a unique microbiome in different parts of our body (gut, skin, brain, mouth, breast, vagina, etc.) there are different bacteria that need to keep each area healthy and balanced. But the most important thing is to figure out why something happens and how to keep it from happening again. Root cause treatment is the best.
Another common recommendation I hear is adding formula to a bottle of pumped milk to help baby sleep. This is really NOT a good idea. Babies have specific hydration and kidney needs, and adding formula that wasn’t mixed with water is a bad idea. Somehow this has been said for decades despite MUCH evidence showing it’s a bad idea. Please, don’t do this.
When your baby needs more calories, or more volume, there are many safe ways to do that. If you have an abundance of pumped milk you can make fatty bottles. If you don’t have enough milk for baby you can safely add in formula (which should also be prepared safely, refer back to thi blog for how to prepare formula). But if you have plenty of milk and are just being told it doesn’t have enough calories, not as many as formula, that is incorrect. From studies we know that human milk is 20-30 calories per ounce! Formula is always 20 calories per ounce (unless you have a specific preemie high calorie formula). That means human milk is at least as calorie rich as formula but often is much better!
The point here isn’t that sunflower lecithin isn’t helpful or that adding formula to breastmilk isn’t a good idea, the point is that getting your information from Google isn’t a reliable source. We all use the internet to research, learn and connect, but for health it’s a good idea to work with a knowledgable provider. If you have questions, reach out today.