The single most useful thing you can do antenatally is find your support network now — before you need it. Most people who hit difficulties do so in the first six weeks postpartum, and having support already in place makes problems like sore nipples, engorgement, mastitis and low supply less likely to derail feeding. Planning how to feed your baby is as important as planning your birth.
Deciding how to feed your baby can be a difficult decision, and making informed choices is challenging when there's so much persuasive marketing to navigate. If you're supporting a family with breastfeeding, you can use this as a guide too.
Find your support network before you need it
As an IBCLC who has supported families with breastfeeding for many years, the one piece of advice I give everyone antenatally is this: find your support network now.
Don't wait until you're experiencing problems to ask for help. Don't wait until those problems become so severe that you think you won't be able to sustain breastfeeding.
Having support in place in the early days makes you more likely to feel confident at breastfeeding from the start, and can reduce your experience of problems such as:
- Sore nipples
- Engorgement
- Mastitis
- Low milk supply
- Faltering growth
Use pregnancy to ask questions
Feeding is something people don't often consider during pregnancy — and then when the baby arrives they can feel overwhelmed by the information they're given.
Pregnancy is a great time to ask questions and do your research. There are some excellent evidence-based books on breastfeeding worth reading before the birth.
What to arrange while you're pregnant
It's really important to discuss your breastfeeding goals with your midwife, your healthcare providers and your partner — as if it were part of your birth plan.
- Discuss your options for skin to skin for the golden hour
- Ask for syringes so you can begin antenatal colostrum harvesting
- Find an IBCLC, and follow some infant feeding pages on social media
- Find out where your local breastfeeding groups are
Pop along to a group one day and meet some of those families, see how they feed their little ones, and get to know them. Social support is just as vital as practical support.
After the birth
You don't need to wait until there's a problem with feeding to get support. Ask for help and reassurance, and know how to look for signs that your baby is feeding well, so you can be confident going forward.
Common questions
When do most breastfeeding problems happen?
In the first six weeks postpartum. That's why having support arranged before the birth matters so much.
What's the most useful thing to do before the birth?
Find your support network — an IBCLC, a local group, and a partner and midwife who know your goals — rather than waiting until problems appear.
Should I discuss feeding in my birth plan?
Yes. Discuss your breastfeeding goals with your midwife and healthcare providers as part of your birth planning, including skin to skin for the golden hour.
About the author
Charlotte Treitl is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and a Babyem tutor, supporting families with infant feeding from pregnancy through the postnatal period.
Be the support families need
Babyem's accredited training gives practitioners the knowledge to support families antenatally and through the first six weeks, when it matters most.