You don't need to be a lactation consultant to make a real difference. The six things that matter most: get properly trained, understand how breastfeeding actually works, know how to store and prepare milk safely, offer genuine emotional support, keep accurate feed records, and make it clear you're on the family's team rather than working against their goals.
The World Health Organization recommends that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months, and describes breastfeeding as "one of the most effective ways to ensure a child's health and survival". Here's how nannies and maternity nurses can support the families who are trying to do that.
1. Get properly trained
Nannies and maternity nurses who plan to make a career of caring for newborns benefit enormously from formal infant feeding training. Babyem's accredited maternity nurse training covers infant feeding in depth, and our specialist courses go further into colic, reflux and infant allergies — all taught by IBCLCs and clinicians.
2. Understand how breastfeeding actually works
Even practitioners with extensive newborn experience may be new to the basics of breast milk and breastfeeding. Educating yourself on how supply works, what normal newborn behaviour looks like, and what good feeding looks like means you can offer genuine encouragement rather than well-meant misinformation.
This matters more than it sounds. A practitioner who mistakes normal cluster feeding for low supply can unintentionally undermine a mother's confidence at exactly the wrong moment.
3. Know how to store and prepare milk safely
Some parents prefer to pump and freeze their milk for later use, others store pumped milk in the fridge. Whichever method a family chooses, familiarise yourself with best practice for preparation and storage.
Frozen breast milk should never be microwaved. It destroys nutrients and creates hot spots that can burn the delicate tissues of a baby's mouth.
4. Provide emotional support and encouragement
Returning to work after the birth of a child is an emotional time, and that's amplified if feeding was already difficult to establish.
One of the most important things you can do is encourage the parent and offer emotional support as they begin to juggle maintaining a career with continuing to breastfeed.
5. Record feeds accurately
Record what time feeds occur, and any other relevant information such as spitting up. This gives a breastfeeding parent the information they need — and it also shows them you're committed to helping them reach their feeding goals.
6. Remember you're a team
Knowing that the person caring for her child is dedicated to helping her provide the best possible nutrition can give a new parent the confidence and support system she needs to maintain both her career and breastfeeding.
Make sure your employer knows you're on her team.
Common questions
Can you microwave frozen breast milk?
No. Microwaving destroys nutrients and creates hot spots that can burn a baby's mouth.
Do nannies need infant feeding training?
It isn't legally required, but it makes a substantial difference. Accredited training means you can support a family accurately rather than passing on well-meant misinformation.
Why does recording feeds matter?
It gives the breastfeeding parent the information they need to track how feeding is going, and signals that you're invested in their goals.
Train to support feeding properly
Babyem's accredited courses are taught by IBCLCs, clinicians and published authors — so you can support families with real knowledge, not guesswork.