One of the main reasons that mums stop breastfeeding is that they are not prepared for the reality of the early days. Some mums find it easy, some mums find it incredibly hard. I was one of the latter. Something I thought should be easy, wasn’t and getting through the next feed was painful, emotional and didn’t at all fit with the idea I had in my head of how it should be. I persevered though, with a little help!
Remember that as a new mum there are a lot of people there to help you.
Breastfeeding support is available from trained volunteers from our local midwifery or health visiting team, who can offer you a range of support including advice on positioning, attachment, hand expressing and assisting you and your family to continue to breastfeed for as long as planned.
Doncaster’s Breast Start Groups and First Friends Groups offer mums and mum’s to be a strong support network in an informal, relaxed, friendly environment.
There is online help too. The Breastfeeding Friend from Start4Life is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and all information provided is NHS approved. Whatever your breastfeeding related question, they can help and are available on Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Facebook Messenger.
There are lots of national breastfeeding helplines listed here on the Start4Life website.
Useful articles:
Breastfeeding is not ‘easy’ – stop telling new mothers that it is
If you’re an expectant or breastfeeding mum, or someone who supports breastfeeding, we are holding the Doncaster Big Latch On in August and lots of people who can offer support will be there in one place, so come along and join us!
