Breastfeeding guide

15 guides · Breastfeeding

However you feed your baby, you are doing a good job. If you are breastfeeding, these guides cover latch, supply, the painful bits, pumping and stopping when you are ready, so you can find what works for you and your baby.

Guides in this section

• Breast engorgement and blocked ducts: causes and how to treat them. Engorgement and blocked ducts are common early breastfeeding problems.
• Breastfeeding latch and positioning: getting it right. How to get a good breastfeeding latch and comfortable position: step-by-step guidance, signs of a good latch, common positions,...
• Breastfeeding support and the Stillberaterin. Understand the role of a Stillberaterin (lactation consultant), the difference from an IBCLC, and how to access statutory breas...
• Breastfeeding support and workplace rights. Federal law gives most employees the right to pump at work.
• Breastfeeding support: finding help and knowing your rights. A guide to breastfeeding support organisations, IBCLC lactation consultants, and your statutory right to paid breastfeeding bre...
• Breastfeeding support: where to get help. Australian Breastfeeding Association helpline, Child and Family Health Nurses, lactation consultants and free resources for bre...
• Breastfeeding when you go back to work: expressing, storage and your rights. How to continue breastfeeding when returning to work: expressing schedules, milk storage, your legal rights to breaks, and how...
• cluster feeding: why it happens and how to get through it. What cluster feeding is, why babies do it in the evenings, how long it lasts, and how to protect your milk supply through it.
• Foods and herbs that support milk supply. An evidence-based guide to galactagogues: foods and herbs traditionally linked to milk supply, what the science says, and what...
• How to stop breastfeeding: weaning gradually and what to expect. How to wean from breastfeeding step by step, what happens to your milk supply, the physical side effects to expect, and why the...
• keeping breastfeeding going when you return to work. How to maintain breastfeeding when you go back to work: expressing schedules, supply management, storage, and how to handle a d...
• Mastitis: symptoms, causes and how to treat it. Mastitis causes a hot, hard, red area on your breast with flu-like illness.
• Night weaning: how to stop night feeds for babies and toddlers. When to night wean, gradual and cold turkey approaches, protecting your milk supply, and how to night wean a toddler.
• Tongue tie and breastfeeding. Tongue tie affects 4-11% of newborns and is a common cause of painful breastfeeding.
• Tongue tie in babies: symptoms and treatment. What tongue tie looks like in newborns, how it is assessed, when treatment is needed, and what to expect from a division proced...

Common questions

How do I know my baby is getting enough milk?

Good signs are steady weight gain, plenty of wet and dirty nappies, and a baby who is content after most feeds. Your health visitor can weigh your baby and reassure you if you are unsure.

Why does breastfeeding hurt, and is that normal?

A little tenderness in the early days is common, but ongoing pain usually points to the latch. Repositioning often helps quickly. Cracked nipples, a blocked duct or thrush also cause pain and are worth getting checked.

What can I do about engorgement or a blocked duct?

Feed or express often, use gentle warmth before a feed and cold after, and massage the area towards the nipple. See your GP promptly if you develop a hot, painful lump with flu-like symptoms, as this can be mastitis.

How do I stop breastfeeding gently?

Drop one feed at a time every few days so your supply adjusts and you avoid engorgement. There is no right age to stop, and a gradual wind-down is kinder for both of you.