Most data about breastfeeding are relatively close in time, although it is the natural diet of the human being. The fact that during this century artificial milk even came to be recommended by doctors made breastfeeding almost forgotten and that research was also minimal.
This made the knowledge about breastfeeding available to very few people and that such ignorance continues to occur today, persisting many of the truths that were known before and that Now they have become almost myths.
The problem with breastfeeding myths is not that they existed in their time (as I said at the time they were true and as such they had to be treated), but that they still exist now, because health professionals and popular knowledge are still determined to prevent them from falling In oblivion
It is for this reason that it might be interesting to try some of the myths about breastfeeding more extended in order to know what the current scientific evidence is and what the unfounded advice. To start we will talk about a myth that is quite famous: for a woman to have enough milk she must drink plenty of water.
“Drink good water and you will have more milk”
I don't know if you've ever heard it, but I do, and not a few. There is a belief that the mother needs to drink more water than her body asks to have more milk. Something like "force yourself to drink a little more and your baby will thank you."
I say there is a belief, because to date there is no study that supports this theory. In fact, there is not even data to help show that a woman who drinks little water will have little milk, so a priori, advise drinking a lot or drinking a little seems to be supported by the same scientific evidence: none.
More water, less milk
In the absence of evidence, anyone can think: "Well, that it is not known does not mean that it is not true" and it is really right. What is not studied is not that it is a lie, but that no one can prove that it is true (and normally, even if there are no studies, a categorical affirmation can be made). So common sense seems to say that the more liquid a woman has in her body, the more liquid she will generate and, as breast milk is a liquid generated by the body, the more milk she will have.
Well, it could be, but it isn't. What can not be said is that more water more milk because, as we say, there is no study to support this, however yes there are studies that support the opposite, that more water, less milk.
In a study conducted in 1985 with lactating women it was observed that when mothers were forced to drink water milk production decreased, the difference was not considered significant, however this was already studied in 1939 by Olsen, who in the conclusions of his work said that “Forced and excessive drinking is not necessary or beneficial in terms of breastfeeding, and could even be harmful”.
In another similar study conducted with 210 women who had just given birth to their babies, a group drank the water they wanted, with an average of about 2 liters per day. The other group of women took an average of 3 liters, forcing the intake above the sensation of thirst. The results were the same, since the women who drank more water produced a smaller amount of milk and their babies had more problems to increase their weight correctly.
But common sense says the opposite, doesn't it?
We said a few paragraphs ago that according to common sense the more liquid a woman has in her body, the more liquid she will generate and, as breast milk is a liquid generated by the body, the more milk she will have.
It seems to have some logic, however breast milk is not the only fluid that a woman generates and if we thought so we would be giving very little value to her urine, which offers the female body (and the male) an impressive and very valuable work.
In all the commented studies it was observed that the more water women drank, the more they urinated. Similarly, it was seen that those women who drank less water urinated less, without affecting milk production.
Conclusion
The more water a woman drinks, the more times she will have to go to the bathroom to urinate and, unfortunately, less milk will have for your baby. This does not mean that a woman now has to consciously decrease the amount of water to drink, but that he must pay attention to his physiological feeling of need, that is, his thirst. No more no less.
