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Our slides to recap!

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Following on from our antenatal breastfeeding session I hope this Padlet can provide you with straightforward, evidence based, WHO compliant information to support you in the very early days of breastfeeding.

Please get in touch if you need support after the session.
I will be available on Friday mornings at the Key Centre from Friday 12th March.
If you cannot attend our free group I may be able to visit you at home privately for a fee. If I am not available, I will be able to recommend a colleague to you.
My number is 01373465716  or 07886578809

Katherine Woodbury

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NCT helpline
0300 330 0700
National Breastfeeding Helpline
0300 100 0212
Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
0300 330 5453
La Leche League
0345 120 2918

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Colostrum Collection in Pregnancy: When to start and how to do it

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A visual guide from the NCT

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What happens during a feed- a must watch! 

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What happens during a feed- a must watch! 

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This demonstrates the transition of your milk 

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This demonstrates the transition of your milk 

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I prefer the phrase transition, rather than 'coming in' as its already there!

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There is a lot of support out there for you!
These are local to Frome, so if you are not nearby please check out your local area for support- your local NCT branch is a great place to start!

Baby Connections Frome
Every Friday 10-12 at the Key Centre. Breastfeeding support from myself along with peer supporters and lashings of tea and cake!
https://www.facebook.com/BabyCafeFrome/

You can follow Frome NCT on Facebook and Twitter!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Fromenct/

https://twitter.com/FromeNCT

Le Leche League Frome
unknown group meetings atm
Contact Veryan on (01373) 812481or conncave@live.co.uk

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Here is a diagram on how breastfeeding works and the hormones involved

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Here is a diagram on how breastfeeding works and the hormones involved

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Breastfeeding common concerns and solutions 

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Breastfeeding common concerns and solutions 

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A great article written by a colleague, well worth a read.

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Vinall The value of introducing laid-back breastfeeding

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Biologocal Nurturing (laid back breastfeeding) video

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Biologocal Nurturing (laid back breastfeeding) video

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A GREAT video from global health media

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Good attachment will help a baby get more milk and make breastfeeding more comfortable. This video shows why good attachment is so important to breastfeeding success and what a mother can do to deeply attach her baby to her breast.

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Attaching Your Baby at the Breast - Video - Global Health Media Project

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Good attachment will help a baby get more milk and make breastfeeding more comfortable. This video shows why good attachment is so important to breastfeeding

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Positons for breastfeeding video- NHS  Choices

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Positons for breastfeeding video- NHS  Choices

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How to breastfeed

Breastfeeding is a skill that you and your baby learn together, and it can take time to get used to.

There are lots of different positions you can use to breastfeed. You can try different ones to find out what works best for you. You just need to check the following points:

Are you comfortable? It's worth getting comfortable before a feed. Use pillows or cushions if necessary. Your shoulders and arms should be relaxed.

Are your baby's head and body in a straight line? It's hard for your baby to swallow if their head and neck are twisted.

Are you holding your baby close to you, facing your breast? Supporting their neck, shoulders and back should allow them to tilt their head back and swallow easily.

Always bring your baby to the breast and let them latch themselves. Avoid leaning your breast forward into your baby's mouth, as this can lead to poor attachment.

Your baby needs to get a big mouthful of breast. Placing your baby with their nose level with your nipple will encourage them to open their mouth wide and attach to the breast well.

Try not to hold the back of your baby's head, so that they can tip their head back. This way your nipple goes past the hard roof of their mouth and ends up at the back of their mouth against the soft palate.

Read Start4Life's information on 3 common positions for breastfeeding

How to latch your baby on to your breast

1. Hold your baby close to you with their nose level with the nipple.

2. Let your baby's head tip back a little so that their top lip can brush against your nipple. This should help your baby to make a wide, open mouth.

3. When your baby's mouth is open wide enough their chin should be able to touch your breast first, with their head tipped back so that their tongue can reach as much of your breast as possible.

4. With your baby's chin firmly touching your breast and their nose clear, their mouth should be wide open. When they attach you should see much more of the darker nipple skin above your baby's top lip than below their bottom lip. Your baby's cheeks will look full and rounded as they feed.

Read Start4Life's visual guide to latching your baby on

Video: how do I know if my baby is properly latched?

In this video, a midwife talks about how to check if your baby is latched on properly when breast feeding.

Help and support with breastfeeding

If you have any questions or concerns, you can:

speak to your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding supporter

call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 (9.30am to 9.30pm, daily)

get online advice about sore nipples and other commmon breastfeeding problems

Visit healthtalk.org to see mums talking about positioning and attaching their babies at the breast.

How to tell if your baby is getting enough milk

You baby starts feeding with a few rapid sucks followed by longer sucks.

Their cheeks stay rounded out, not sucked in, and you can hear them swallowing.

Your baby seems calm during feeding and comes off your breast themselves when they have had enough.

They appear content and satisfied after most feeds.

They should be healthy and gaining weight (although it's normal for babies to lose a little weight in the first week after birth). Talk to your midwife or health visitor if you are concerned your baby is not gaining weight and is unsettled during or after breast feeds.

After the first few days, your baby should have at least 6 wet nappies a day.

After about 5 to 6 days, your baby's poo should stop looking black and thick and they should also have at least 2 soft or runny yellow poos.

See tips on building up your milk supply.

Breastfeeding premature and ill babies

If your baby is in a neonatal or special care unit after the birth, you'll probably be encouraged to try something called kangaroo care once your baby is well enough. Kangaroo care means holding your baby close to you, usually under your clothes with your baby dressed only in a nappy.

This skin-to-skin contact helps you bond with your premature baby and increase your milk supply.

Find out more about breastfeeding a premature baby.

Got a breastfeeding question?

Use the Start4Life Breastfeeding Friend chatbot for fast, friendly, trusted NHS advice anytime, day or night.

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Breastfeeding is a skill that you and your baby learn together, and it can take time to get used to. There are lots of different positions you can use to breastfeed. You can try different ones to find out what works best for you. You just need to check the following points: Are you comfortable?

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Mums expecting twins aren't always encouraged to consider breastfeeding; but twins, and even triplets, can be breastfed exclusively. Only a few women won't have enough milk for their babies. Milk supply works on the principle of supply and demand. Breastfeeding tells a mother's body to produce more milk in response to her baby's (or babies') needs. With two babies, more milk is removed from the breasts, so more milk is made. The best way to make sure you establish a good supply is to feed your babies often in the early weeks and to ask someone knowledgeable to help you check that they are attached and breastfeeding correctly.

During the first few days and weeks, babies send signals to your milk supply and may sometimes feed more frequently. This frequent feeding is sometimes perceived as a sign of a lack of milk but, if feeds happen responsively, milk supply will swiftly increase, and feeding will settle into a pattern again. Your babies' weight gain and their nappies will reassure you that they are getting the milk they need.

"I found out at an antenatal scan that I was expecting twins. I asked if I could breastfeed them and was told that I would have to give bottles as well. This upset me as I'd really enjoyed breastfeeding my other two children. The twins were born at 36 weeks (though I nearly had them earlier than that). They never had bottles. I'm glad I found out in advance that it's possible to breastfeed twins."
How can I breastfeed two babies?
Confidence and the belief that it can be done are important. Attend a breastfeeding support group or workshop while you're pregnant to increase your confidence and find out where to get support locally. If you have any questions after your babies are born, you'll know who to ask. Perhaps you can be put in touch with someone who has breastfed twins (or see the Facebook group mentioned below).

"The twins were our first children and I thought I'd like to try to breastfeed. I read a little and a friend invited me to watch her breastfeed her baby. Most of the mums I met at a twins' club hadn't tried, but I decided to give it a go. Our babies were born at 37 weeks after a straightforward labour and the hospital staff were generally encouraging. I wish I'd known a bit more about growth spurts though and how to let the babies increase my milk supply at these times. I also wish I had known about antenatal hand expressing."

Twins can be fed separately or together. Many mums find that they do both in different situations and when their twins are at different stages of development. Feeding babies together can be a good way to establish a plentiful milk supply quickly and can save time. While mum and each baby are still learning about breastfeeding, it may be easier to spend some time feeding separately. As the babies grow and their head control develops, it will be easier to breastfeed them together. Later still, the babies will be able to position themselves. Decisions like when to swap breasts and which positions work best, will vary from family to family.

"Don't be afraid to ask for help positioning the second twin in the early days, so you can have a go at feeding two babies together."

Rugby hold, Parallel and Crossover holds
Breastfeeding cushions designed with twins in mind are more likely to enable a mum to tandem feed and even feed hands-free. However, some mums find they prefer to use V-shaped or normal pillows or cushions or use positions where no cushions are needed. If you have someone to assist you in the early days, they can help you position a second baby after the first one has started feeding.

"After a couple of weeks, I got the hang of feeding lying down and that made things a lot easier at night. When they were a little older, I managed to find a way of feeding both lying down. You get inventive about using different positions and doing things like answering the phone while breastfeeding."

"Our girls are now 17 months old and I'm still enjoying breastfeeding them. Now they are toddlers, I tend to feed them separately, but I used to do a mixture of breastfeeding separately and together."

What if my babies are born early?
Twins are more likely to be born early than single babies. If babies are born early, their mother's milk will be different to full-term milk and have specific advantages for pre-term babies. Breastmilk reduces a baby's chances of becoming ill and some conditions can be particularly serious in a pre-term baby. If twins are born very early, they may need to be fed by tube or special cup until they are able to breastfeed. Expressing breastmilk for premature babies will mean a mother is making a valuable contribution to her children's welfare, especially as hospital staff are responsible for other aspects of their care. Donor milk can also be an option.
Won't I be too tired to breastfeed?
Tiredness is sometimes given as a reason not to breastfeed twins, but there's no evidence that breastfeeding in itself is tiring. In fact, breastfeeding mums can make the most of opportunities to sit or lie down. It's important to eat a balanced diet and to rest when your babies sleep.

Once breastfeeding is established, it gets easier to go out or travel with twins, because breastmilk is available immediately and at the right temperature. Imagine the sheer number of bottles to be washed, sterilised, made up with hot water then cooled down for bottle-fed twins, and the cost of formula.

Breastfeeding involves the release of specific hormones that help a mother to feel relaxed. This is particularly beneficial for mums of twins who are likely to have an even busier time than other mothers. Also breastfeeding will help your uterus (particularly enlarged after having twins) to contract back to its pre-pregnancy shape and size and will help you lose weight more quickly.

If families feed their babies at the same time, they may choose to wake the other twin at night to minimise the number of night feeds. Breastfeeding at night can be done lying down and can help to establish a good supply of milk.
But my family and friends want to help
Grandparents or others might ask if they can help by giving a baby a bottle, but if bottles are introduced early on, this may make breastfeeding more difficult to establish and reduce a mother's milk supply. Dummies may also mean the demand on your milk is reduced so the supply reduces. However, some mothers of twins do find that expressing breastmilk can be useful and allows someone else to feed the babies occasionally.

There are lots of other things that family and friends can offer to do to help parents of newborn twins e.g. cuddling a baby, changing a nappy, offering mum a drink or sandwich, helping at bath time if needed, or hanging out washing. The support and encouragement of friends and family is an important aspect to breastfeeding twins successfully.
More information:

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Many new mums worry about whether they will have enough milk, but in fact there are very few women who don't have enough.

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Breastfeeding Twins From the Twins Trust 

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Breastfeeding Twins From the Twins Trust 

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Many mothers of twins or more breastfeed their babies successfully and we're here to support you.

Multiples are more likely to be born early and we know that very small or premature babies can find it difficult to breastfeed at the beginning.  If you are unable to feed your babies straight away it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to breastfeed.

Spending time with your babies, giving them skin-to-skin time with you or your partner and expressing breastmilk regularly, can all help babies to get going with breastfeeding.  Talk to the hospital staff and your midwife about how they can support you to feed your babies in the way you want to.

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Many mothers breastfeed their twins, triplets or more. Twins Trust is here to support you with whichever feeding choice is best for your family.

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Skip to main content

This video guides mothers on how to hand express and talks about the times when hand expression might be useful.

See the Breastfeeding Network website for FAQs and a leaflet all about expressing and storing breastmilk.

Problems viewing this video? Contact us.

Find more resources

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Hand expression video - Baby Friendly Initiative

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This video guides you through how to hand express, and talks about the times when hand expression might be useful for you.

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This page describes various useful signs for checking whether a baby seems to be feeding  well and what to expect.

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How much milk does a baby need?

A breastfed baby who is fed on demand can't be overfed. Although you can't measure how much milk a breastfed baby is drinking, they will come off the breast when they have had enough, and will ask for more if they want to stimulate your supply (see our article ' Breastfeeding - How much, how often'). How much milk a baby should drink varies from child to child. Importantly, your breasts and nipples should not be sore when or after breastfeeding. If they are, do ask for help.

A formula fed baby will need to be fed according to the guidelines for their weight and age, and the instructions for the brand of formula.

Whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding, you will be able tell if your child is thriving or not feeding well by the contents of their nappy, their behaviour, and whether they are growing and putting on weight.

How do I know that my baby is thriving?

There are different weight charts your health visitor or midwife may refer to, but any weight chart used needs to be interpreted for each individual baby, taking various factors into account before figuring out whether or not your child is getting enough milk.

Weighing needs to be combined with looking at how the baby is overall, and weight changes interpreted carefully. A child's appearance and behaviour are useful guides to whether they are thriving. A thriving baby has good skin colour, is alert when awake, asks for feeds and is usually satisfied after them. A child who seems lethargic - but is not ill - probably needs more milk. The amount of weeing and pooing is also a useful sign (read more in our article 'Newborn baby poo in nappies: what to expect').

Is my baby getting enough milk?

In the first 48 hours, your baby is likely to have only two or three wet nappies. Wet nappies should then start to become more frequent, with at least six every 24 hours from day five onwards. Their urine should be pale and not dark brown. After the initial meconium, your baby should be passing creamy yellow stools every day ( read more here). If you're formula feeding, your child's stools may be more solid.

Most babies lose weight initially so don't be alarmed if yours does. They should be weighed by a health professional some time around day three to five. From then on, they should start to gain weight. Most babies regain their birth weight in the first two weeks.

A baby who has dryish nappies and scanty poos is not taking in enough milk. Talk to your health visitor, midwife or a breastfeeding counsellor if this is the case.
Last updated: June 2015
Further information

NCT supports all parents, however they feed their child. If you have questions, concerns or need support, you can speak to a breastfeeding counsellor by calling our helpline on 0300 330 0700, whether you are exclusively breastfeeding or using formula milk.

Breastfeeding counsellors have had extensive training, will listen without judging or criticising and will offer relevant information and suggestions. You can also find more useful articles here.

NCT Helpline: 0300 330 0700

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Is my baby feeding well and getting enough milk?

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How much milk does a baby need? A breastfed baby who is fed on demand can't be overfed. Although you can't measure how much milk a breastfed baby is drinking, they will come off the breast when they have had enough, and will ask for more if they want to stimulate your supply (see our article ' Breastfeeding - How much, how often').

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On days 5-6

Wees: Five or more heavy nappies per day.

Poos: At least two soft, yellow poos per day. They're yellow, because there is no more 'mec' in the bowel.

False menstruation or pseudo menstruation is harmless. It is a very light bleed from the vagina in some baby girls. It comes from the effects of your own hormones on her system, and it soon stops.

After the first week: babies continue to wee and poo several times each day for the first few weeks.

After about six weeks, some (not all) babies poo much less often. Breastfed babies may go many days without producing any poo at all after this time - that's normal, too. As long as your baby is growing well, and the poo he produces is soft, you don't need to be worried. Ask your health visitor about this, if you need to.

What's a 'heavy nappy'?

Try this test - pour three tablespoons of water (45ml) into a dry nappy, and pick it up. That's how heavy your baby's nappy will be, after the first five to six days.

How do I know if my baby is weeing often enough when disposable nappies just absorb the wee?

All babies should produce several heavy nappies every day. If you use disposable nappies, do the 'heavy nappy' test with water so you know what you are looking for. You can also place a cloth inside the nappy, which will stay wet when your baby wees. Any questions about your baby's health or feeding, just ask your midwife.

Urates, sometimes known as brick dust because that's what it looks like: tiny orange or pinkish crystals. They are harmless: they are salts in the urine, and tend to show up in the very early days. Most babies will pass them once only. They can be a sign your baby needs a little help to feed more often or more effectively. Ask you midwife.

Further information

Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0300 330 0700.

You might find attending one of NCT's Early Days groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area.

Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.

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Newborn baby poo in nappies: what to expect | Baby & toddler articles & support | NCT

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Wees: Five or more heavy nappies per day. Poos: At least two soft, yellow poos per day. They're yellow, because there is no more 'mec' in the bowel. False menstruation or pseudo menstruation is harmless. It is a very light bleed from the vagina in some baby girls.

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Dads and Partners- supporting  breastfeeding 

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Dads and Partners- supporting  breastfeeding 

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When it comes to breastfeeding, you might wonder what you can do to support your partner and baby. The truth is you can make a huge difference.

Did you know that a mum is more likely to choose to breastfeed if she's sure her partner is positive about it? And if she does decide to breastfeed, she's much more likely to have a good experience and manage any difficulties if her partner supports her decision (Tohotoa, 2009; Rempel, 2011). A partner's emotional support is so important for helping mums to breastfeed for longer too (Tohatoa et al, 2009; Su, 2016).

Why is breastfeeding important?

If your partner is breastfeeding your baby - or planning to - that's fantastic because breastmilk has so many benefits for babies. For instance, breastmilk can help to reduce the risk of your baby getting infections and diseases (NHS, 2017). It also contains hormones that help your baby's development (Victora et al, 2016).

Overall, breastfeeding will have a positive impact on your baby's health. What's more, it can influence their health as an adult too (Victora et al, 2016).

Is breastfeeding hard or will my partner just know what to do?

Many parents see breastfeeding as a natural process but it can take time for mum and baby to learn this new skill together. It might take around six weeks to get the hang of it fully (NHS, 2016).

The good news is that with the right support, your partner can overcome any challenges and continue breastfeeding if she wants to. If you think your partner needs more information, support or just someone to talk to, why not give one of our trained breastfeeding counsellors a call on our support line: 0300 330 0700. The line is open every day from 8am to midnight, including bank holidays.

You might find it helpful to read up about breastfeeding and attend a breastfeeding session before your baby is born. This can help you know what to expect and perhaps give you a little more confidence. It can also help you both talk about feeding your baby and raise any questions or worries you might have.

What do I need to know about breastfeeding?

You might find it helpful to know how breastfeeding works and what normal behaviour is for breastfed babies. Here are a few quick and handy facts:

Babies are happier if they're fed as soon as they show signs of being hungry.

Babies usually feed frequently (anything from eight to 12 times or more in 24 hours) in the early weeks, especially during the evenings.

Some babies are slow feeders at first, but they get quicker as they get older.

The more a baby feeds, the more milk their mum makes because it's the removal of milk that drives the production of it.

The Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least your baby's first six months. Breastfeeding is also beneficial for toddlers because it gives them a health boost every time they feed. So your partner can breastfeed your baby for as long as they both want to.

Nipple soreness or pain during feeding might be a sign that a baby needs some adjustment to their attachment at the breast. If there is soreness or pain when breastfeeding, talking to a healthcare professional or breastfeeding counsellor can help.

Women enjoy feeding more when they are comfortable and relaxed.

(Department of Health, 2011; La Leche League, 2016; NHS, 2016)

What can I do to help support my partner with breastfeeding?

There are lots of things you can do to support and encourage breastfeeding.

Here are 10 tips:

1. Boost your partner's confidence by encouraging her and being positive about her progress. As with learning any new skill, reassurance and praise are a massive help.

2. Listen and talk honestly about how you each feel about finding your way with your new baby.

3. Be involved with your baby in other ways so that the caring is shared (see below).

4. Help to reduce the household chores so your partner can feed your baby for as long and as often as they need.

5. Try to help your partner to relax by giving them a massage.

6. Women don't need to eat anything special while breastfeeding, but it's a good idea to encourage your partner to eat and drink regularly.

7. Help her get specialist support if she's struggling with breastfeeding. As mentioned above, you can both talk to one of our breastfeeding counsellors on 0300 330 0700.

8. Help out by bottle feeding your baby expressed milk once your partner and baby have got the hang of breastfeeding (see below).

9. Accept your partner's decision on when to stop breastfeeding.

10. Try to remember that with your support, breastfeeding can quickly become just another part of your family life.

(Rempel et al, 2010)

What practical support can I give to my baby if my partner is breastfeeding?

You might expect to feel like a bit of a spare part with feeding but it's good to remember that each parent plays a different and vital role. The decision on how you feed your baby is certainly a joint one (deMontigny et al, 2018). It might take a while to get used to the different parts you play though.

Whatever you decide to do, you might actually find feeding is less important to you than you expected anyway. Especially if you're hands-on with your baby in different and rewarding ways.

Tips for being a hands-on partner with your baby

Changing nappies and generally caring for your baby - it's great if you can spend time with your baby and interact (see below) with them while you're looking after them.

Bathing your baby - you could bath your baby or even have a bath with your baby. You'll both enjoy the bonding benefits of skin-to-skin contact and one-to-one time together (NHS, 2018).

Talking and playing - babies enjoy hearing gentle sounds. They even recognise the muffled tones of people talking from their time in the womb and they'll be aware of familiar voices like yours (Lee and Kisilevsky, 2013). So a chat with your baby might be a little one-sided but rest assured, they know it's you. Socially interacting with your baby through their senses helps to stimulate their brain development; for example, you could pull some different expressions (Boucenna et al, 2010).

Baby carrying - this means taking your baby out and about in a sling. It can be a rewarding and comforting experience for both you and your baby (Miller, 2019).

For more ideas on being a hands-on parent, see our article about bonding with and getting to know your baby.

How can I share feeding our baby?

If you're keen to feed your baby, you could give them expressed breastmilk from a spoon, syringe, cup or a bottle. But only introduce your baby to a bottle once breastfeeding is going well. For more on expressing, see our 10 bottle feeding tips for breastfed babies article.

And once your baby's moved on to solid food, there are so many ways you can get involved with that...chopping, mashing, cleaning up all the food that ends up on the floor...

I want to support breastfeeding but will it affect our sex life?

Possibly, but tiredness - and your partner's birth experience and recovery - is more likely to affect their sex drive rather than breastfeeding (Rowland et al, 2005). See our article about breastfeeding and sex for more details.

What if I feel uncomfortable about my partner breastfeeding in public?

If you're feeling uncomfortable or nervous about your partner breastfeeding in public, have a chat with her so you can talk it through. Maybe you're worried about your partner showing her breasts in public? Yet in reality, very little breast actually shows when a baby is feeding. You might have even seen a mum breastfeeding before without realising it.

It might also help to talk to other families where the mum is breastfeeding and find out about both partners' experiences of it. The chances are, you'll change your mind as you get used to seeing breastfeeding.

It's good to know that breastfeeding in public is protected by the law under the Equality Act 2010. That means providers of any services or facilities open for the public are not allowed to discriminate against women who are breastfeeding (Maternity Action, 2019).

Many places now welcome breastfeeding and have special facilities for mums if they'd prefer to feed in private.

Some mums might feel uncertain themselves about feeding in public at first and may appreciate the reassurance of having their partner with them.

At the end of the day...

Don't underestimate the huge difference you can make if your partner is breastfeeding. With you both on board, breastfeeding can quickly become an everyday part of your lives (Rempel, 2011).
This page was last reviewed in October 2017.
Further information

NCT supports all parents, however they feed their baby. If you have questions, concerns or need support, you can speak to a breastfeeding counsellor by calling our helpline on 0300 330 0700, whether you are exclusively breastfeeding or using formula milk. Breastfeeding counsellors have had extensive training, will listen without judging or criticising and will offer relevant information and suggestions. You can also find more useful articles here.

You might find attending one of our Early Days groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area.

Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.

Visit our breastfeeding support contacts page.

NHS Choices breastfeeding information.

National Breastfeeding Line (government funded): 0300 100 021.

Health Talk has some interesting videos about different people's experiences of breastfeeding, click here to view them.

Boucenna S, Gaussier P, Andry P, Hafemeister L. (2010) Imitation as a communication tool for online facial expression learning and recognition. 2010 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Taipei: 5323-5328. Available at: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/5650357 (Accessed 1st July 2018)

deMontigny F, Gervais C, Larivière-Bastien D, St-Arneault K. (2018) The role of fathers during breastfeeding. Midwifery. 58:6-12. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29272696 (Accessed 1st July 2018)

Department of Health. (2011) Breastfeeding. Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Nutrition/Nutritionpregnancyearlyyears/DH_127625 (Accessed 1st July 2018)

La Leche League. (2016) Still nursing? Available at: https://www.laleche.org.uk/still-nursing/ (Accessed 1st July 2018)

Lee GY, Kisilevsky BS. (2013) Fetuses respond to father's voice but prefer mother's voice after birth. Dev Psychobiol. 2014 Jan;56(1):1-11. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23817883 (Accessed 1st July 2018)

Miller R. (2019). Babywearing education in the neonatal intensive care unit. The International journal of childbirth education: the official publication of the International Childbirth Education Association. 34. 43-47. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334151320_Babywearing_Education_in_the_Neonatal_Intensive_Care_Unit (Accessed 1st July 2018)

NHS. (2016) How to combine breast and bottle feeding. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/combining-breast-and-bottle/ (Accessed 1st July 2018)

NHS. (2017) Benefits of breastfeeding. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/benefits-breastfeeding.aspx (Accessed 1st July 2018)

NHS. (2018) Washing and bathing your baby. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/washing-your-baby/ (Accessed 1st July 2018)

Rempel LA, Rempel JK. (2010) The breastfeeding team: the role of involved fathers in the breastfeeding family. J Hum Lact. (2):115-21. Available at: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0890334410390045 (Accessed 1st July 2018)

Rowland M, Foxcroft L, Hopman WM, Patel R. (2005) Breastfeeding and sexuality immediately post partum. Can Fam Physician. 2005 Oct;51:1366-7. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1479788/ (Accessed 1st July 2018)

Su M, Ouyang YQ. (2016) Father's role in breastfeeding promotion: lessons from a quasi-experimental trial in China. Breastfeed Med. 11:144-9. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26836960 (Accessed 1st July 2018)

Tohotoa J, Maycock B, Hauck Y, Howat P, Burns S, Binns C. (2009) Dads make a difference: an exploratory study of paternal support for breastfeeding in Perth, Western Australia. Int Breastfeed J. 4:15. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2788531/ (Accessed 1st July 2018)

Victora CG, Bahl R, Barros AJ, França GV, Horton S, Krasevec J, Murch S, Sankar MJ, Walker N, Rollins NC; Lancet Breastfeeding Series Group. (2016) Breastfeeding in the 21st century: epidemiology, mechanisms, and lifelong effect. Lancet. 387(10017):475-90. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26869575 (Accessed 1st July 2018)

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How can dads and partners support breastfeeding?

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When it comes to breastfeeding, you might wonder what you can do to support your partner and baby. The truth is you can make a huge difference. Did you know that a mum is more likely to choose to breastfeed if she's sure her partner is positive about it?

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Here is a guide of what to expect in the first few days.
This website contains useful information on :
Preparing to breastfeed before the birth
Skin-to-skin contact
Colostrum: your first milk
Your let-down reflex
How often should I feed my baby
Building up your milk supply
Dealing with leaking breasts
Help and support for breastfeeding

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Breastfeeding: the first few days - NHS.UK

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Find out what to expect from breastfeeding in the first few days after birth, including what colostrum is, what happens when your milk "comes in" and what the let-down reflex feels like.

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Skin to Skin is nearly always available in theatre too!

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Skin to Skin is nearly always available in theatre too!

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Top tips

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Read our top tips on breastfeeding in public, including your legal rights and real mums' stories.

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Your rights

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New parents need time to adjust to their new roles. Life may change dramatically, especially for a ﬁrst time mother-many women say they didn't feel prepared for the emotional upheaval they experienced on becoming a mum. Even experienced mothers can have difﬁculties juggling the needs of the new baby with those of older children. At this time a pair of practical helping hands can make a big difference by allowing a mother time to recover from the birth and establish breastfeeding. In the early days, a baby will probably want to breastfeed a lot of the time he's awake. At this stage, a mother may only be managing to eat, sleep and nurse the baby.

This is normal. At ﬁrst his mum and nursing will be at the centre of a baby's world. The security of a baby's bond with his mother is the basis for all other relationships. A breastfeeding mum generally feels an intense connection with her baby, both emotionally and physically, due to breastfeeding hormones and the practical need to stay close to nurse her baby.
This way, babies get what they need to thrive. A baby's wants are his needs-he can't wait like an adult can. By meeting his needs a mother gives him a secure attachment so he can develop into a conﬁdent child.

Why breastfeed?
When can a baby start eating solid food?
When will a baby sleep through the night?
When does breastfeeding stop?
Support for mothers is important
Ways to support a breastfeeding mother
What breastfeeding mums say when asked what would help
What about partners?
What about dads?
Two women having a baby
What about other family members?
What about visitors?
Other ways to help
When a mum has no support

Why breastfeed?

Breastmilk is normal, formula is artiﬁcial. Human milk contains living cells, hormones, active enzymes, antibodies and compounds with unique structures that can't be copied in a factory. Infant formula is a processed food: a combination of modiﬁed cows' milk, vegetable oils and other additives. Infant formula can never equal human milk. The make-up of a mother's milk changes from feed to feed, adapting to the needs of her baby as he grows-formula just can't do this.

Brain not brawn

Cows' milk is designed to help calves grow fast and put on lots of muscle. Human milk builds intelligent human brains with gradual physical growth.

Less risk of disease and illness

Studies show that a baby has the best chance of growing up healthy if he is breastfed. Being fed infant formula signiﬁcantly increases a child's risk of gastroenteritis, diabetes, and developing cancers, to name but a few. What about breastfeeding in public places? Babies often want to breastfeed when people around them are eating and drinking-and why not? Mothers breastfeed in many public places and tend to be so discreet you may not even have noticed. Breastfeeding is also convenient when a mother is out and about. She can spot early feeding cues and offer a feed before her baby gets frantic-well before those around her are even aware. After all, no one notices a baby nestled in mum's arms but a crying baby guarantees an audience!

When can a baby start eating solid food?

Breastmilk is a complete food so a healthy baby needs only mum's milk until about the middle of the ﬁrst year. There's no beneﬁt to be found in introducing solid foods before this time. If a baby seems hungry, more breastmilk usually does the trick-mum could breastfeed more often, offering both sides. Many babies who start on solid foods from around six months quickly learn to feed themselves and enjoy sitting up with the family at mealtimes.

When will a baby sleep through the night?

What about bottles and dummies? Bottles or dummies can confuse a baby's sucking technique, so if a supplement is needed, a spoon, ﬂexible feeding cup or syringe can be used. Giving formula affects a mum's milk production since a baby will take less breastmilk. Some mums express milk for their partner, or another support person, to give but expressing takes more effort than simply breastfeeding. If a mother is ﬁnding night feeding exhausting you could encourage her to rest during the day, to try feeding lying down and to keep baby close at night so she doesn't have to get up. See our page on Safe Sleep for more information.

When does breastfeeding stop?

When does a baby's need to use nappies or a highchair stop? It's all very individual. It doesn't usually help to push children on to the next stage until they are ready. Breastmilk is just as nutritious as it was when he was tiny and it still protects him from infection. There is no evidence that continuing to breastfeed makes a toddler clingy-in fact the opposite may be the case. A toddler may seem big but emotionally he's still a baby. It's easier on mum and baby to let breastfeeding end gradually.

Breastfeeding bonuses

Nothing compares with breastmilk for growing healthy, clever babies.

No getting up to prepare bottles during the night.

Your baby's nappies won't smell bad.

No feeding equipment and expensive formula to buy for your baby.

Less to take with you when you go out with your baby.

Support for mothers is important

One very real problem is that many mothers don't receive enough support in the early days and months, and simply try to do too much. Most mums who stop breastfeeding before they want to cite lack of support as the reason. They need time to recover and adjust, especially after a difﬁcult birth. Caring for a newborn really is a full time job, and that's before you add in essential housework and caring for any older children. All mothers need practical help and support. The biggest challenges for all mothers are:

Getting enough sleep.

Keeping up with basic housework.

Lack of emotional support.

Isolation: the help you give can make a lot of difference to a new mother, especially when her baby seems to be nursing all the time and is waking at night. Be sensitive to her needs. What you can offer and do will partly depend on whether you are a friend or family member, and the closeness of your relationship. Some mothers will want more practical help, others more emotional help-and a mother may have strong views on what help she will accept and from whom.

Ways to support a breastfeeding mother

You may be her partner, the baby's dad or mum, a family member or friend. All mums need support, and whatever your relationship to her there are things you can do to help.

With baby:

Walks in the fresh air. Consider wearing baby in a sling or other carrier.

Go out and about; babies are social people.

Read and sing to baby-he'll love hearing your voice.

Take a bath together, or bathe him in the baby bath. Many babies love bathtime!

Sleep with him. Visit our page on Safe Sleep and the Breastfed Baby.

Hold him on your chest while he naps to help him feel safe and relaxed.

Nappy changes are perfect for games and chat.

Talk to him about things around the house.

Take him to his mother whenever he needs her.

Use the Magic Baby Hold: with your baby's back against your front, bring your left arm over his left shoulder (one arm on either side of yours), and hold his right thigh.

Try other comfort techniques.

Jiggle and sway. Babies tend to like side- to- side motion.

For mum:

Make sure she has food and drinks.

Cut her food up for her if she's holding the baby!

Hold the baby so she can take a shower.

Help her get good help if she needs it.

Guard against too many visitors. Let others know when you need to be alone. Protect mum and baby from over-enthusiastic visitors and callers, and try to ensure you all have some peaceful uninterrupted time together. Turn off the phone and put a 'do not disturb' sign on the front door.

Look after older children. Provide fun activities and opportunity for exercise. Try to meet their needs for attention, sleep and healthy food.

Fight off any pressure to separate mum and baby. Help mum and baby spend lots of time snuggling together in the hours and days after birth.

What breastfeeding mums say when asked what would help

"The best presents for a new mum are home cooked meals frozen in take away tubs- ready meals but real food!"
"Order a box set & takeaway!"
"I need friends supporting me, sharing laughter and tears, coffee and cake"
"Make sure I have water, muslin, remote control, phone, book & cake"

"Bring me snacks that are tasty, healthy and one-handed!"
"When it's really hot and my baby is going through a growth spurt, bring me long, cool glasses of water!"
"The best way anyone can help is by taking care of the pile of washing up!"
"Call me during the day to say 'Hi!' and ask how I'm doing""Please don't try and give my baby formula, the moment you do you undermine my confidence in my body's ability to sustain my baby"
"Give me support & encouragement and tell people who criticise or question me that I'm doing ok"
"Don't tell me it is 'normal' and that I should persevere if I am in pain"
"Pass me the phone with a breastfeeding counsellor on the other end if I'm in pain"
"Never say 'well you are breastfeeding' when I say I'm tired"
"Tell me it's ok to take one feed at a time"
"Give me a thumbs up!"
"Tell me my baby is beautiful""Take my older children to the park"
#helpmebreastfeed

Below is lots of information about supporting a breastfeeding mother, divided into different sections. You may find useful information in all of the sections regardless of your own role and relationship to mum and baby.

What about partners 1
Your baby doesn't need you to feed him.* So what can you do? Anything else! You are The Safe Person Who Is Not Mum.
Whether or not you are your baby's biological parent, and whatever your family looks like, your partner needs your support. In the early days, your baby will probably want to breastfeed a lot of the time he's awake. At this stage, your partner may only be managing to eat, sleep and nurse the baby. This is normal. At first his mum and nursing will be the centre of your baby's world. Don't worry if you find you don't get to hold your baby for long before mum is needed again. A baby's bond with his mother is the basis for all other relationships. Encouraging the closeness with mum will strengthen his love for you later. Soon that tiny baby will be reaching out to the rest of the world. He will want all the fun and excitement you can give!

You are different. Your shape, voice, hands, and smell are different. You hold baby differently. You teach him that different can be good, and when he's frazzled you may be just the difference that he needs.

As life settles down you and your partner will probably both need time to adjust to your new roles as parents. Many women say they didn't feel prepared for the emotional upheaval they experienced on becoming a mum. You'll also find lots of changes in your life. Breastfeeding mums often feel an intense connection with their baby, both emotionally and physically, due to breastfeeding hormones and the practical need to stay close to feed the baby. It can be easy to feel a bit left out of this. Try to get involved in practical ways. It will help you bond with your baby-your partner will love you for it and so will your baby. You may both find that your baby becomes central to your life-his needs being met before either of yours. This is nature's way of ensuring babies get what they need to thrive. A baby's wants are his needs-he can't wait like an adult can. By meeting his needs you give him the secure attachment he needs to develop into a confident child.

Your first job is to support breastfeeding, not compete with it. A "relief bottle" may seem helpful, but it's more likely to cause breastfeeding problems and health risks for baby. Protect your partner from criticism and tell her she's doing a good job. Protect your partner from well meaning but unhelpful advice that undermines breastfeeding-even if it comes from your own mum!

Admire and praise your baby's mother. Your love and encouragement will work wonders. Firmly resist pressures to feed baby anything other than mum's own milk before he is six months old. Your baby doesn't need other foods until he can sit up and begin to feed himself. Even then, breastmilk carries on being an important food for older babies and toddlers.

*Some non-gestational mothers do breastfeed their babies. See the section Two women having a baby

What about dads? 2

Dads feel different, they often have deep voices and a different smell. They move and hold a baby differently. At the end of a long day, dad, with all his special differences, can be just what baby and mum need. Dads are fun and have a special gift for playing with babies. They play the sort of exciting games babies enjoy. Your baby will adore your singing and funny noises (even if mum doesn't). And you'll probably enjoy your baby's toys as much as he does! Dads are just as good at cuddles as mums. A great way to comfort your baby is to use a carrier-babies usually love them and it's a handy way to settle your baby. At times when your baby is fussy or uncomfortable and nothing else works, the colic hold is a dad's speciality.

Caring for your baby teaches him that love comes from interacting with people as well as from food.

Try some of suggestions in the section above Ways to support a breastfeeding mother.

You can support your baby's mother by making the

most of your paternity leave. Take as long as you can manage. Take it when the new mum and baby would otherwise be at home alone. Concentrate just on the needs of mum, baby and any other children. Let everything else wait.

Meet your baby's need for you. Your baby needs you to be a dad, not a substitute mother. Spend time with your baby and enjoy your unique father-baby relationship.

Two women having a baby

It's a normal part of life in twenty first century Britain that lesbian couples may have a baby. However, if you're the non-gestational parent you may feel left out - especially if you have to explain you are the baby's mother too. Finding support for yourself and your breastfeeding partner is important. Your partner and your baby need you now, and your baby will need you more and more as he grows. You could be entitled to paid leave although your employer may not be aware of this, there are resources in Further Reading that might help.

In some couples two mothers do share breastfeeding; others find different ways to connect, you'll find lots of ideas in the section above Ways to support a breastfeeding mother.

Deciding to share breastfeeding, and how you do that, are personal decisions.
You will find resources in Further Reading, or contact your local LLL Leader who can help you talk about your options. 3

What about other family members?4

Is the new baby in your family breastfed? New research has shown that breastfeeding is important for the baby's health and development and for the mother's health, both now and in the future. It's even good for the environment.
Research has found that breastfeeding works best when the baby is fed in response to hunger cues, not on a schedule. That's usually quite frequently, especially in the beginning. Fortunately, you can't feed too often.
Sore nipples aren't an expected part of breastfeeding; they are a sign that something isn't quite right. With some expert help, the mother should soon be breastfeeding comfortably.
Most medical experts, including the NHS and the World Health Organization, recommend that babies be breastfed exclusively- no formula or solid foods- for six months or so, and continue breastfeeding with solid foods added to their diet into these toddler years-even two years or more.
Much of this may be different from what you learned when you had your own babies. But guess what hasn't changed? New mothers still need lots of help, lots of support, and lots of loving family members around to prepare meals or throw in a load of laundry. They need people to be patient with them as they fi gure out both breastfeeding and motherhood. And babies still need their grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, siblings and other family members to love them. Your practical help and support are a golden investment in your family's future, and in your lives together.

What about visitors?

Prioritise tasks: the needs of people are best dealt with before housework. Avoid trying to take over baby care or expecting to be entertained when you visit. Concentrate on 'mothering the mother' and helping with household jobs.

Offer practical help with housework and essential tasks: grocery shopping, laundry, preparing meals or providing a meal that can simply be reheated, leaving her a sandwich lunch, washing up and cleaning the kitchen, t idying and vacuuming.

Bring her the things she needs while nursing: eg drinks, snacks, pillows, books, the TV remote, her mobile.

Make her a drink and offer your company for a while.

Tell her how well she's doing.

Listen if she is feeling worried, tired, or overwhelmed. She might find it easier to talk to you about her worries than to close family.

Help her ﬁnd another mother to talk to.

Help with the baby and any older children: changing nappies; care for the baby while mum sleeps, goes to the loo, takes a short walk or a bath.

Entertain and care for older children. Perhaps take them out for a walk, to the park or invite them round to play with your children. Help with the school run or taking older children to after school activities.

Other ways to help

Welcome breastfeeding so the mum feels comfortable nursing in your presence, be a breastfeeding advocate. Avoid undermining her conﬁdence by asking negative questions like, "Are you sure the baby is getting enough to eat?" or, "Why isn't he sleeping through the night yet?"
Offer a sympathetic ear rather than advice when she complains or seems tired-try to support and encourage.
Find out about what is normal for nursing babies of different ages. Remember that breastfeeding problems have breastfeeding solutions. Bottles or weaning are rarely the answer.
Encourage or help the mum to ﬁnd the support she needs. Mothers can easily get skilled help from an LLL Leader by calling our Helpline.
An offer to take the mother to her local LLL group when she feels ready may be very welcome. It can be hard to get out of the house when you have a new baby.
Many mothers will appreciate having someone familiar with them when they go to a new group for the ﬁrst time, and any woman is welcome at meetings. Some groups may also run meetings for couples.

When a mum has no support

LLL meetings are a great place to meet other mothers and to share experiences.
If there is no LLL group in your area you may be able to attend online meetings, and join Facebook groups to get support and share experiences with other breastfeeding mums. Contact us for details.

Homestart are a national charity who help families with young children. Their website has lots of practical ideas and stories, and also details of how to contact Homestart in your area.

Your Health Visitor will have details of local activities including post natal groups. Libraries and playgroups are good places to meet other mums.
If you, or a mum you are supporting, is feeling depressed or down you might find useful information on our Adjusting To Motherhood page.

Written by mothers of LLLGB and adapted by Ellen Mateer. The original text of Supporting a Breastfeeding Mother was sponsored by Jill Welsh in memory of her mother, Rose Wesby, who encouraged her to breastfeed and showed her the gentle art of mothering.

Photos courtesy of Kimberly Seals Allers', Helen Lloyd, Arda, Benaifer Bhandari, Dawn Osabwa, Amanda Dunbar and Ellen Mateer.
Kimberly Seals Allers' photos on this site are used under a Creative Commons license of Black Breastfeeding 360° http://mochamanual.com/bb/

Further Reading
Amazing Milk
Beginning Breastfeeding
Comfortable Breastfeeding
Caesarean Birth & Breatsfeeding
Dummies & Breastfeeding
Is My Baby Getting Enough Milk
Out and About With Your Breastfed Baby
Rhythms & Routines
Safe Sleep and the Breastfed Baby
Smoking & Breastfeeding
Starting Solid Food
Relactation & Induced Lactation
Mothers on ... support from our nearest & dearest
LLL's father concept - it's not just about dads!
LLLI articles
Other articles
Two Women and a Baby: LGBTQ and Breastfeeding Letter To Support My Sister
Other websites
Help for young mothers
Help for single mothers
Help for LGBT parents
ACAS Paternity rights and pay, including fathers and mothers who are not married or in civil partnerships.
USDAW Guide to rights & benefits for same-sex parents

References
1 What about Partners? is adapted from Chapter 20 of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.
2 What About Dads? is adapted from the LLLGB information sheet by Sue Upstone and Deborah Robertson.
3 Useful information for two mums sharing breastfeeding:
Our page on Adoptive Breastfeeding & Induced Lactation
Induced Lactation and the Newman-Goldfarb Protocols for Induced Lactation
Breastfeeding Without Birthing
Breastfeeding in a Same-Sex (Female) Relationship
4 What about other family members? is adapted from Chapter 20 of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

The information on this page is adapted from Supporting a Breastfeeding Mother which is available to buy in printed form from our shop.

Copyright LLLGB 2016.

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Supporting a Breastfeeding Mother - La Leche League GB

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New parents need time to adjust to their new roles. Life may change dramatically, especially for a ﬁrst time mother-many women say they didn't feel prepared for the emotional upheaval they experienced on becoming a mum. Even experienced mothers can have difﬁculties juggling the needs of the new baby with those of older children.

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There is a vast selection of bottles and teats available online or in the High Street. Many of them claim to be closer to breastfeeding in some way, whether it is the shape or size of the teat, the rate of flow of milk, the softness of the material or something about the sucking mechanism. Unfortunately, most of these claims are poorly researched and simply a ploy to increase sales. Although there is no single “best bottle” for breastfeeding, and we can’t rely on advertising claims, there are certain bottle teat characteristics that seem to help preserve a baby’s breastfeeding technique.

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There is a vast selection of bottles and teats available online or in the High Street. Many of them claim to be closer

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The majority of parents are aware that it’s safest not to drink any alcohol during pregnancy. But what about breastfeeding and drinking alcohol? Most experts agree that drinking small amounts of alcohol won’t hurt your baby, however opinions can vary over the amount of alcohol that is safe for a breastfeeding mother to drink. This article looks at the recommendations around breastfeeding and drinking alcohol and answers frequently asked questions.

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The majority of parents are aware that it's safest not to drink any alcohol during pregnancy. But what about breastfeeding and drinking alcohol? Most experts agree that drinking small amounts of alcohol won't hurt your baby, however opinions can vary over the amount of alcohol that is safe for a breastfeeding mother to drink. This article looks at the recommendations around breastfeeding and drinking alcohol and answers frequently asked questions.

Does alcohol get into breast milk?

Alcohol passes into breast milk reaching the same levels measured in a mother's blood. However the amounts of alcohol moving into blood and breast milk are very low compared to the alcohol consumed. Dr Jack Newman, a Canadian paediatrician explains:

Depending on the jurisdiction, you are considered too drunk to drive with more than 0.05% to 0.1% alcohol in your blood. Alcohol behaves differently from other drugs. The concentration of alcohol in blood and breastmilk is about the same. So, if the mother has 0.06% alcohol in her blood, she will have 0.06% alcohol in her milk-one-tenth that of de-alcoholized beer! This is not a concentration of alcohol that is going to make the baby sick or cause brain damage (as some have suggested).

Alcohol levels peak in breast milk about 30-60 minutes after drinking or after 30-90 minutes if taken with food. And the concentration of alcohol gradually falls if the mother doesn't have another drink. A couple of hours after having a single drink (i.e. one unit of alcohol), the alcohol will have mostly left the mother's breast milk (and her blood) because alcohol is not stored in the breast. One unit of alcohol is approximately a single (25ml) measure of spirits, half a pint of beer or half a standard (175ml) glass of wine, although it depends on the strength of the drink-see this Drinkaware's Alcoholic unit calculator or Alcohol Change UK's Unit calculator. The more drinks a mother has, the longer it takes for her body to clear the alcohol (see below).

What happens if baby drinks breast milk with alcohol?

Drinking small amounts of alcohol occasionally won't affect the breastfed baby. .

However drinking excess alcohol may affect:

Baby's sleep and growth

Drinking regularly or heavily while breastfeeding may lead to drowsiness, deep sleep, weakness and decreased growth for your baby.

Problems with milk let-down

Studies have shown that excess alcohol can affect the hormones that control breast milk production with the potential to reduce a milk supply and affect the let-down (when milk releases from the breast). For this reason drinking alcohol has not been shown to increase a mother's breast milk supply despite the fact that drinking beer was historically thought to be very good for helping a mothers' milk supply. For further information see Beer and Breastfeeding.

Milk intake

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding explains that babies seem to take less milk when there is alcohol in it which could affect a baby's growth if a mother drinks a lot:

...babies don't metabolise alcohol nearly as well as adults do, and when there's alcohol in the milk they seem to take less milk than they would otherwise. Combine that with the slowed milk release that can result from alcohol, and your supply and your baby's growth can be compromised if you drink substantial amounts regularly. A beer or a glass of wine a couple of times a week is unlikely to matter, and the effects decrease as your baby gets older.
What you can do
If you want to minimise the alcohol your baby gets, try breastfeeding right before you have a drink-your milk will be alcohol-free again within two or three hours.

How much alcohol can affect a breastfed baby?

Pharmacist Wendy Jones from the Breastfeeding Network says that a mother's alcohol blood levels would need to reach 300mg/100ml to make a baby sleepy:

maternal blood levels have to reach 300mg/100ml before mild sedation is reached in the baby (this compares with a level of 80mg/100ml needed to fail the police breath test in England, Wales and N. Ireland; 50mg/100ml Scotland.

In terms of units of alcohol drunk, drugs-info.co.uk equates 200-300mg/100ml blood level to 15-20 units of alcohol (7-10 pints of beer) noting that after drinking this amount most people would have passed out.

Alcohol Change Uk and UK's National Health Service recommend drinking no more than 14 units per week spread over three or more days as general guidance for everyone.

How much alcohol affects the let-down?

Breastfeeding and medications author Thomas Hale says that to affect a mother's let-down, 1.5 to 1.9 g/kg alcohol will need to be consumed . According to Lundgaard et al alcohol consumption of 1.5 g/kg is "binge level" and NHS describes binge drinking as more than 6 units of alcohol in one drinking session. See the next section for more on binge drinking and breastfeeding.

Drinking alcohol and caring for your baby

Drinking alcohol can affect a mother's capacity to look after her baby, particularly enough alcohol to make her feel disorientated or be sick. The Breastfeeding Network and the UK's NHS remind mothers of the dangers of drinking alcohol while in charge of a baby, irrespective of feeding method:

It is vital that mothers who have been drinking alcohol should never let themselves be in a situation where they might fall asleep with the baby; on a bed, chair or settee (this would also apply to other carers who have been drinking alcohol). The place of sleep is a bigger risk than the fact that the mother has been drinking unless her consumption has been very high.

Drinking alcohol reduces the ability of the mother to be aware of her baby's needs, whether she is breastfeeding or not. It is safest to ask someone else to care for the baby.

Binge drinking, where you have more than 6 units of alcohol in 1 session, may make you less aware of your baby's needs.

If you do binge drink, your baby should be cared for by an adult who has not had any alcohol.
You may want to express for comfort and to maintain your milk supply.

Do I need to "pump and dump"?

There is no need to pump and throw away your breast milk after having an alcoholic drink-unless you are engorged and need to express for comfort. The alcohol will naturally leave the milk in your breasts of its own accord and pumping won't hurry the process. Any milk you express during the waiting period will still contain alcohol (the alcohol won't disappear from the milk as it does in the breast).

As alcohol leaves the bloodstream, it leaves the breast milk. Since alcohol is not "trapped" in breast milk (it returns to the bloodstream as mother's blood alcohol level declines), pumping and dumping will not remove it. Pumping and dumping, drinking a lot of water, resting, or drinking coffee will not speed up the rate of the elimination of alcohol from your body.

How long does it take for alcohol to leave my breast milk?

Exactly how quickly the alcohol will clear from your breast milk depends on how many units of alcohol you have drunk, your body weight and whether you have eaten food with the alcohol. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine refers mothers to the Motherisk Program's table which gives estimated time intervals for alcohol to clear from breast milk depending on units consumed and body weight. The less you have drunk and heavier you are, the quicker your body can metabolise the alcohol. Examples from the table:

A nine stone woman (125lb/57kg) is estimated to metabolise one unit of alcohol from her breast milk in 2.5 hours and four units in 10 hours.

A twelve stone woman (170lb/77kg) is estimated to metabolise one unit of alcohol from her breast milk in about two hours and four units in just over eight hours.

How can I reduce the effects of alcohol on my baby?

To minimise the alcohol a baby gets, a mother could avoid breastfeeding for two or three hours after she has had a drink. Some experts advocate waiting two hours before breastfeeding for every unit of alcohol consumed but others feel this may be overly cautious as the actual amounts of alcohol moving into breast milk are very low. Denise Fisher, IBCLC makes the following recommendations to reduce a baby's exposure to alcohol:

minimising alcohol exposure to the infant for at least the first 3 months of life

choosing low alcohol [or non alcoholic!]drinks

eating before and while drinking

avoiding breastfeeding for 2 to 3 hours after drinking

storing alcohol-free breast milk for use after moderate or heavy drinking

There is no requirement to pump and dump (see above) however if your breasts become full during the waiting period for the alcohol to clear, hand express or use a breast pump.

Summary

Small amounts of alcohol move into breast milk when a breastfeeding mother has an alcoholic beverage. The concentration of alcohol peaks in breast milk about 30-60 minutes after the drink is consumed and then the levels gradually fall if the mother doesn't have another drink. A couple of hours after having one unit of alcohol, the alcohol will have mostly left your breast milk. Drinking small amounts of alcohol occasionally won't affect your baby, however drinking regularly or heavily may affect your milk supply and/or your let-down reflex, make your baby sleepy or affect their growth.

*Book e xtracts reproduced by permission from Pinter & Martin.

Footnotes & References

1. Breastfeeding A Guide for the Medical Profession, Lawrence and Lawrence, 2016

2. Dr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding updated edition, Jack Newman & Teresa Pitman, 2014, p202

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The majority of parents are aware that it's safest not to drink any alcohol during pregnancy. But what about breastfeeding and drinking alcohol? Most experts agree that drinking small amounts of alcohol won't hurt your baby, however opinions can vary over the amount of alcohol that is safe for a breastfeeding mother to drink.

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Breastfeeding and a Mother’s Diet: Myths and Facts

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Breastfeeding and a Mother’s Diet: Myths and Facts

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Breastfeeding and a Mother’s Diet: Myths and Facts - La Leche League GB

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How to have a healthy diet while you are breastfeeding, including advice on what vitamins you need, and foods to avoid while breastfeeding.

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Sarah Ockwell-Smith's Blog - The Great Baby Reflux Epidemic (or not....) - October 10, 2014 06:31

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How many people do you know whose baby has, or had, reflux? A lot I'd imagine.Reflux medications such as infant Gaviscon, Losec, Omeprazole, Domperidone...

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Reflux, spitting up or possetting are all names used to describe babies bringing back some of the milk that they swallowed earlier. Some spitting up is

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1. How do I express breast milk?

2. Expressing breast milk by hand

3. Expressing milk with a breast pump

4. Storing breast milk

5. Defrosting frozen breast milk

6. Warming breast milk

7. Breast milk if your baby is in hospital

8. Having difficulty expressing?

9. Video: How do I express my milk?

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Expressing milk means squeezing milk out of your breast so you can store it and feed it to your baby later.

You might want to express milk if:

How to express breast milk

You can express milk by hand or with a breast pump. How often you express your milk, and how much you express, will depend on why you're doing it.

Sometimes it takes a little while for your milk to start flowing. Try to choose a time when you feel relaxed. Having your baby (or a photo of them) nearby may help your milk to flow.

You may find it easier to express if you cover your breasts with a warm towel first, or after you have a shower or bath.

Expressing breast milk by hand

Some find it easier to express milk by hand, especially in the first few days or weeks. It also means you can express without needing a pump, or an electricity supply.

Hand expressing allows you to encourage milk to flow from a particular part of the breast. This may be useful, for example, if one of the milk ducts in your breast becomes blocked.

Hold a sterilised feeding bottle or container below your breast to catch the milk as it flows.

These tips may help:

Before you start, wash your hands with soap and warm water.

Have something clean ready to collect the milk in.

Some find gently massaging their breasts before expressing helps their milk to let down.

Cup your breast with one hand then, with your other hand, form a "C" shape with your forefinger and thumb.

Squeeze gently, keeping your finger and thumb a few centimetres away from your nipple, just outside the darker area around it (areola). Do not squeeze the nipple itself as you could make it sore. This should not hurt.

Release the pressure, then repeat, building up a rhythm. Try not to slide your fingers over the skin.

Drops should start to appear, and then your milk usually starts to flow.

If no drops appear, try moving your finger and thumb slightly, but still avoid squeezing the darker area near your nipple.

When the flow slows down, move your fingers round to a different section of your breast, and repeat.

When the flow from one breast has slowed, swap to the other breast. Keep changing breasts until your milk drips very slowly or stops altogether.

Watch a video about expressing milk by hand on the UNICEF website

Expressing milk with a breast pump

There are 2 different types of breast pump: manual (hand-operated) and electric.

Manual pumps are cheaper but may not be as quick as an electric pump.

You may be able to hire an electric pump. Your midwife, health visitor or a local breastfeeding supporter can give you details of pump hire services near you.

The suction strength can be altered on some electric pumps. Build up slowly. Setting the strength to high straight away may be painful or damage your nipple.

You may also be able to get different funnel (the part that goes over your nipple) sizes to fit your nipples. The pump should never cause bruising or catch your nipple as it's sucked into the funnel.

Always make sure that the pump and container are clean and sterilised before you use them.

Find out how to sterilise baby bottles

Storing breast milk

You can store breast milk in a sterilised container or in special breast milk storage bags:

in the fridge for up to 8 days at 4C or lower (you can buy fridge thermometers online) - if you're not sure of the temperature of your fridge, or it is higher than 4C, use it within 3 days

for 2 weeks in the ice compartment of a fridge

for up to 6 months in a freezer, if it's -18C or lower

Breast milk that's been cooled in the fridge can be carried in a cool bag with ice packs for up to 24 hours.

Storing breast milk in small quantities will help avoid waste. If you're freezing it, make sure you label and date it first.

Defrosting frozen breast milk

It's best to defrost frozen breast milk slowly in the fridge before giving it to your baby. If you need to use it straight away, you can defrost it by putting it in a jug of warm water or holding it under running warm water.

Once it's defrosted, give it a gentle shake if it has separated. Use it straight away. Do not re-freeze milk that's been defrosted.

Once your baby has drunk from a bottle of breast milk it should be used within 1 hour and anything left over should be thrown away.

Warming breast milk

You can feed expressed milk straight from the fridge if your baby is happy to drink it cold. Or you can warm the milk to body temperature by putting the bottle in a jug of warm water or holding it under running warm water.

Do not use a microwave to heat up or defrost breast milk. This can cause hot spots, which can burn your baby's mouth.

Storing breast milk if your baby is in hospital

If you're expressing breast milk because your baby is premature or sick, ask the hospital staff caring for your baby for advice on how to store it.

Read more about breastfeeding a premature or sick baby

If you're having difficulty expressing breast milk

If you're finding it difficult or uncomfortable to express your breast milk:

Ask your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding supporter for help. They can also tell you about other breastfeeding support available near you.

Search online for breastfeeding support in your area.

Call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 (9.30am to 9.30pm daily).

The Bliss website also has advice about expressing milk for a premature or sick baby

Community content from HealthUnlocked

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Expressing milk means squeezing milk out of your breast so you can store it and feed it to your baby later. You might want to express milk if: You can express milk by hand or with a breast pump. How often you express your milk, and how much you express, will depend on why you're doing it.

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Paced bottle feeding can help you feed your baby more slowly and develop their suck reflex. This is especially helpful for babies to go from the bottle to the breast.

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There are several reasons that a breastfeeding mum might choose to introduce a bottle to her baby; for some it is because they simply want to combination feed, others like the freedom of leaving a bottle of expressed milk when they go out while still others may be headed back to the workplace.

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More about paced/responsive bottle feeding- an important read! 

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More about paced/responsive bottle feeding- an important read! 

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Emma Pickett
IBCLC, Lactation Consultant and Breastfeeding Counsellor

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Responsive Bottle-Feeding - Attachment Parenting UK

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The different types of infant formula, and other infant milks, marketed for babies and young children can seem confusing when you see lots of different ones on the supermarket shelf, but the information you need as a parent or carer is really quite simple. The majority of infants who are formula fed or mixed fed should be given a first infant milk (sometimes called first stage or stage 1 milk) throughout the first year.

All infant formula on the UK market must meet compositional regulations, so all products are perfectly ok to feed a baby. More expensive brands still have to meet the same compositional standards as cheaper brands. In this section you will find answers to questions you may have about infant formula (or other infant milks) and some information on making up infant formula safely and responsive bottle feeding.