Lots of people ask how they can best support a breastfeeding mother. Although they may not be able to feed the baby directly, there are lots of ways others can help. These might include practical support such as helping cook her a meal or doing some housework, helping her get support if something isn’t working right or being her advocate and always supporting her if people are questioning her choices. In our research mums tell us that just being there for her and supporting her decisions really helps.
At the heart of supporting breastfeeding is simply supporting the mother to care for her baby – looking after her so she can care for her baby. Sometimes partners worry about how they can best help. You might feel unprepared or not know how to get your partner support. Our research with fathers finds that they often want to help but don’t know the best way to do it. It’s normal to feel frustrated and wanting to get more involved but there are lots of ways you can help.
Find out more:
- Read our article on the importance of fathers (and men more generally) in supporting breastfeeding. Breastfeeding isn’t just a ‘women’s issue’ – it affects us all.
- Explore the number of ways in which everyone can help breastfeeding by focussing on caring for new mothers
- Watch our animation with more ideas about how everyone can play a part in supporting breastfeeding
- You might want to check out the Association of Breastfeeding Mother’s Team Baby information pack. Anyone who wants to learn more about supporting a breastfeeding mother they know can sign up to the module