For many first-time mothers, breastfeeding comes with anxiety, uncertainty, and an endless stream of advice — some helpful, others misleading. Among the growing misconceptions is the belief that a breast pump is essential for successful breastfeeding.

However, the Director of Health Promotion and Nutrition, Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Khadijah Alarape, says nothing could be further from the truth.

Speaking during activities marking the 2026 World Breastfeeding Week in Ibadan, Dr Alarape explained that nature has already designed the perfect mechanism for breast milk production, and it begins with placing the baby on the breast.

“A mother does not need a breast pump before she can feed her baby. The baby’s suckling is the natural trigger for milk production. Once the baby is put to the breast, the nerves are stimulated, and milk begins to flow naturally,” she said.

According to her, although breast pumps may be useful in certain situations, many mothers wrongly assume they are necessary before breastfeeding can begin.

She warned that over-reliance on breast pumps could create unnecessary anxiety and even cause discomfort or breast injury if improperly used.

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Instead, she advised mothers to focus on early skin-to-skin contact and immediate breastfeeding after birth, allowing the baby to initiate the natural milk let-down reflex.

According to her, once breastfeeding is established, expressed breast milk can be safely stored for several hours and fed to the baby when necessary.

Another misconception discouraging many women from breastfeeding is the belief that breast size determines the amount of milk a mother can produce.

Dr Alarape dismissed the notion completely, explaining that milk production has little to do with breast size and everything to do with how effectively a baby suckles.

“There is virtually no mother who cannot produce enough breast milk for her baby if breastfeeding is properly established,” she said.

She explained that many mothers wrongly believe they need to consume large quantities of pap, pepper soup, or special drinks before breast milk can flow.

“Good nutrition is important for the mother’s health, but breast milk production depends mainly on the baby’s suckling reflex. The more effectively the baby suckles, the more milk the breast produces.”

Perhaps the greatest mistake many mothers make, she said, is allowing babies to suck only the nipple instead of attaching properly to the darker area around it, the areola.

“The baby should latch onto the areola, not just the nipple. Proper positioning is what stimulates adequate milk production,” she explained.

She noted that when babies are poorly positioned, they may spend a long time at the breast without receiving enough milk, leaving both mother and child frustrated.

A baby that is correctly attached, she said, often receives enough breast milk within 15 to 20 minutes and may even fall asleep after feeding because it has become satisfied.

Dr Alarape also advised mothers against switching breasts too quickly during feeding.

According to her, breast milk comes in two stages. The foremilk, which comes first, quenches the baby’s thirst, while the hindmilk, released later, contains higher concentrations of fat and nutrients essential for growth.

“If mothers move the baby to the second breast too early, the child misses the nutrient-rich hindmilk,” she explained.

Her recommendation is simple: allow the baby to empty one breast completely before offering the other at the next feeding.

One concern increasingly expressed by young women is that breastfeeding causes breasts to sag.

Dr Alarape described this as another widespread myth. She explained that breast sagging is largely influenced by age, genetics, and individual body characteristics, rather than breastfeeding itself.

“Some women who never become pregnant experience breast sagging, while others breastfeed several children and their breasts remain firm. Breastfeeding is not the cause.”

Perhaps the most deeply rooted misconception, she noted, is the belief that babies need water alongside breast milk during the first six months of life. She said breast milk already contains more than 88 per cent water, making additional water unnecessary.

“When mothers give water, the baby’s small stomach becomes filled, reducing the amount of breast milk the baby takes. That denies the child valuable nutrients,” she added.

She, therefore, urged mothers to practise exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months without adding water, infant formula, or herbal mixtures.

After six months, she advised, mothers should introduce nutritious, locally available complementary foods, while continuing breastfeeding up to two years or beyond.

As Nigeria continues to grapple with child malnutrition and poor exclusive breastfeeding rates, Dr Alarape believes that dispelling long-held myths may be just as important as expanding access to healthcare.

“The information mothers receive determines the decisions they make. When they understand how breastfeeding truly works, they gain the confidence to nourish their babies the way nature intended,” she declared.