9 Bizarre Facts About Breastfeeding No One Ever Told You
Wait...breast milk does what?!
SeventyFour / Shutterstock There are so many arguments for and against breastfeeding.
And the controversy surrounding it (and doing it in public) is constantly in the news, whether it's Facebook figuring out its stance on the topic or a celebrity mom posting a special, proud parenthood moment with her child on Instagram.
There are also a lot of myths out there circling the act. There's no doubt a great bonding experience that you can share with your baby but what about the bizarre stuff that no one ever tells you?
Well luckily, we gathered some of the stranger facts about breastfeeding that will definitely amaze you:
1. The taste of breast milk is never boring.
You would imagine that someone would get tired of having the same thing to drink morning, noon, and night but your breast milk can taste different according to what you eat. This is a great way for nature to help prepare your baby to get used to the taste of solid foods.
2. Your breasts provide "liquid gold" for the first few days.
After giving birth, your breasts provide yellowish liquid also known as colostrum, or liquid gold. It's packed with so many nutrients like calcium, potassium, proteins, minerals, and antibodies. It's also filling.
3. Breast milk has healing power.
You might have heard this before but were skeptical about the truthfulness of this statement, but it's the real deal. Breast milk can heal minor injuries like conjunctivitis or "pink eye," ear infections, scratches, cuts, and sore nipples. Who knew? That will save you a visit to the first aid aisle for quite some time.
4. You burn calories just by producing milk.
It's pretty well known that breastfeeding helps shrink your uterus back down to its original size and helps you lose weight, but what is the actual calorie burn from producing milk? Producing milk burns 1,000 calories a day which means you need to eat 500 more calories daily to keep up! What a workout.
5. Your breasts aren't equal when it comes to producing milk.
Most breasts don't match in terms of size, and it turns out, that they don't match when it comes to producing milk either. About 75 percent of mothers produce more milk in their right breast regardless if they are right- or left-handed.
6. Milk comes out of where?!
This isn't an easy question to answer since milk comes out of several holes — not just one — and the amount varies for each mom.
7. In the 60s, feeding your baby formula was très chic.
As most things come in and out of fashion, so has breastfeeding. In the 60s, there was less talk about the health benefits of breast milk, making formula more popular. During that time the US experienced the lowest rate of breastfeeding with just 20-25 percent of mothers taking the natural route.
8. It can save you $1,500.
Breastfeeding means no need to spend money on formula. How much is it saving you? In your child's first year alone, it can save you more than $1,200 to $1,500. That's a Google Glass for you if you feel so inclined. Cha-ching.
9. Breastfeeding means sleep for everyone.
Not only does breast milk contain melatonin, which helps your little one get some shut-eye, but it also helps you get a good night's sleep. According to one study, breastfeeding parents got 40-45 minutes more sleep per night on average during the first 3 months postpartum.
Nicole Weaver is a senior writer for Showbiz Cheat Sheet whose work has been featured in New York Magazine, Teen Vogue, and more. Follow her on Twitter.