Why ‘insufficient breastmilk’ is a myth affecting optimal infant feeding practices

The notion that a mother's body can't make enough breastmilk to feed her baby is a myth that continues to weaken breastfeeding attempts.

Dr Poojashree K S

Published Aug 26, 2025 | 2:08 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 26, 2025 | 2:08 PM

Newborns have small tummies, and breastmilk is easily digestible, so they require frequent feeding – at least 8-12 times in 24 hours. (Wikimedia Commons)

Synopsis: The “insufficient breastmilk” myth is a significant barrier to optimal infant feeding practices in India. It must be vigorously debunked through education, support, and correct information for new mothers and their families.

For years, mothers in India and around the world have been fed a widespread, but frequently untrue, tale: “Your milk isn’t enough.”

The notion that a mother’s body can’t make enough breastmilk to feed her baby is a myth that continues to weaken breastfeeding attempts. In the face of overwhelming scientific proof and concerted efforts by health agencies, this myth remains deeply rooted, causing numerous mothers to introduce commercially made baby milk, such as formula milk, too soon and unnecessarily.

Also Read: How Kangaroo Mother Care is revolutionising neonatal health

Myths and facts

The concept of “not enough breastmilk” usually arises from a misunderstanding of how breastfeeding works and what a baby needs. Let’s look at some myths and the essential facts that contradict them:

Myth: “My breasts are small, so I must have insufficient milk.”
Fact: Breast size is determined by the amount of fatty tissue, not by the number of milk-producing glands. A mother’s breast size has absolutely no bearing on her ability to produce a full and abundant milk supply. Milk production is driven by demand – the more the baby nurses, the more milk the body makes, regardless of breast size.

Myth: “My breasts don’t feel full, so I must not have enough milk.”
Fact: Fullness of breasts often decreases as breastfeeding becomes established, usually after the first few weeks. It is an indication that your body is adjusting well to your baby’s demand and has nothing to do with the low milk supply. To be precise, the more a child feeds, the more milk the mother’s body produces. The data from NFHS results indicate that there are better health outcomes for children who are exclusively breastfed.

Myth: “My baby eats very frequently, so my milk isn’t filling.”
Fact: Newborns have small tummies, and breastmilk is easily digestible, so they require frequent feeding – at least 8-12 times in 24 hours. This regular feeding is normal and important to establish and maintain a good milk supply. It does not indicate your milk is “weak” or inadequate. The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) strongly recommends breastfeeding for the first half a year because it has infection-protective effects.

Myth: “I must give formula milk ‘just in case’ or to make my baby sleep longer.”
Fact: Giving formula milk, even a little bit, can decrease milk supply. When a formula is provided, the baby nurses less, which sends a message to your body to produce less milk. Breastmilk adjusts its composition during the day and at night to suit a baby’s shifting needs, like the fulfilment of thirst, attaining satiety, and inducing sleep.

These myths continue to exist despite scientific facts. It’s a multifaceted problem with many interlinked causes. Such as:

There’s no uniform, thorough breastfeeding education before birth. Post-birth, mothers frequently don’t receive competent guidance and get mixed advice from family and friends, which isn’t scientifically true, resulting in ambiguity and self-doubt.
Decades of aggressive and misleading promotion by formula manufacturers have made formula feeding seem normal, making formula a safe “backup”.
Public breastfeeding is taboo or considered immodest in some cultures, making it more difficult for mothers to breastfeed on demand outside the home.
There’s overwhelming societal pressure to have babies “sleep through the night” early. Formulas, as more difficult to digest, can cause babies to sleep longer early on, perpetuating the myth that it’s more “filling” or that breastmilk isn’t sufficient.
While bottle-feeding presents visible evidence of how much milk has been consumed, breastfeeding does not have this visible reassurance. This can cause doubt and anxiety regarding whether the baby is receiving enough.
Working women might be forced to rejoin work sooner, leading to stress, and in turn, the thought of insufficiency might arise.
Grandmothers, aunts, and other relatives, wanting to help, share information based on their own experience or what was prevalent in their day, such as perhaps “weak milk” beliefs or the necessity of supplementation.

The “insufficient breastmilk” myth is a significant barrier to optimal infant feeding practices in India. It must be vigorously debunked through education, support, and correct information for new mothers and their families.

With knowledge of the actual indications of adequate milk consumption, respecting a mother’s body, and an understanding of the unmatched advantages of breastfeeding, we can encourage more mothers to breastfeed.

(Edited by Majnu Babu).