Supporting breastfeeding mothers

Many women anticipate that a natural activity like breastfeeding will be easy and expect that their breastfeeding experience to be trouble-free.

Unfortunately, many are shocked and upset to discover that the early days and weeks are, in fact, an intensive time, with some unexpected hurdles, and tiring too.

However, it’s essential to know that mothers and babies are hard-wired to breastfeed. It’s also important to know that there is also a learning element to feeding your baby.

In the first 4-6 weeks, breastfeeding mothers and their babies work hard to establish milk supply, as well as working out which positions are more comfortable. 

Coupled with that, every day, their baby puts in more and more demand for milk, causing the mother’s body to make that little bit more milk each day.

So if you are a mother, grandmother, or partner of a breastfeeding mother, it can’t be stressed enough how vital your role is.

It’s fascinating to read studies that examine different cultures and how each one supports breastfeeding.

Some cultures expect the mother will need to sit around for many weeks to enable her to get breastfeeding established. The supportive, often extended family members will attend to the household chores, which may also include looking after older children too.

While we may not have the same level of support in our culture, be encouraged to know that your role is vitally important. So If you’re supporting a breastfeeding mother, it can be advantageous to find out as much as you can about breastfeeding.

You may wish to go along to a local antenatal class to learn as much as you can about how breastfeeding works, how to get breastfeeding off to a good start, and the health advantages for mother and baby when breastfeeding.

Learn about how babies feed frequently, and how to know that the baby is getting enough milk. This information will help you to empower her when she’s going through this intensive time in those first few weeks.

From a practical perspective, find out what type of help she may need, e.g. housework, hoovering, cleaning, changing baby’s nappies; it could be a whole load of possible things. 

It might merely be that she would value psychological support by providing a listening ear without judgement.

If she has an older child, it can be difficult for her to find enough time to give to that child as well as getting breastfeeding established, so offering to do the school runs, or playing/occupying the child in some way is extremely helpful.

Lactation Support

Another handy way to offer support is to offer to bring her along to a breastfeeding café or breastfeeding drop-in where she can get breastfeeding help.

It will also give her a chance to chat with other breastfeeding mothers.

It can be daunting to come out for the first time to a new venue, but it will help to boost her confidence.

The importance of your psychological support can’t be stressed enough, as you help her to get to grips with breastfeeding. This builds up her confidence and helps her to reach her goals at all stages of her breastfeeding journey.