Breastfeeding is one of the best things you can do as a new mum. It provides the perfect food for baby and releases hormones that can heighten feelings of love, helping you bond with your newborn. It protects your own health by lowering the risk of illnesses like breast and ovarian cancer. However, it’s not always easy. Our tips can help you make it happily through that first year of breastfeeding.

Breast milk provides your baby with the right amounts of all the nutrients needed for healthy growth.
When you breastfeed your baby, you transfer antibodies and other protective factors present in the milk that will help protect your baby against common infections.

Breast milk is easily digested and absorbed and is less likely to cause stomach upsets and diarrhea. Your baby is also less likely to become constipated if she is breastfed.

Breast milk is always available at the right temperature, in just the right amounts, and is sterile and is free.

Breastfeeding will help your womb return to its normal size after your baby is born and, if you continue to breastfeed for a few months, it may help you get your shape back sooner by using up the extra fat that your body has stored in preparation for making milk.

Once established, breastfeeding is an enjoyable experience for both you and your baby, and an important part of building a bond between you. 

Getting Started

1. Settle into a comfortable position: sitting up or lying down, with baby angled across your breasts or alongside you. The baby's entire body should be facing you, not just her head. Use pillows as needed to support your arms, your back, and/or the baby.
2. Ignore distractions and concentrate on the softness of your baby's face against your breasts. Touch your baby’s cheek with the nipple or finger and she will turn towards your breast and open her mouth.
3. Help your baby to latch on to your breast correctly. Her mouth should encircle the entire nipple area (called the aureole), not just the nipple itself. Some babies take a while to learn how to do this, but it's essential, because incorrect latching-on quickly leads to sore nipples. Help her by placing your nipple in the centre of her mouth, with as much of the aureole as possible within her lips.
4. Adjust your position and hers as necessary while she's feeding. The more relaxed you feel, the better the feeding will go.
5. When baby has finished, gently slip you finger between her mouth and the breast to break the suction
6. Unless your nipples are sore, it's okay to let her enjoy slowly sucking for as long as she likes.