6 ways to support a breastfeeding mother

Sometimes women are faced with complicated clinical challenges with breastfeeding such as insufficient glandular tissue and tongue tie, but often the common challenges to breastfeeding are simple roadblocks that can easily be overcome with the right support.

Research shows that although 96% of children are breastfed soon after birth, only 15% of mums are still breastfeeding exclusively 5 months later. The survey, which involved more than 28,700 children, also found that by the time they are 6 months old, 4 in 10 babies are receiving no breastmilk at all.

The common causes for this can be linked to the issue of mothers lacking reassurance and support from the people around them as well as receiving a bag full of conflicting advice from their caregivers. This causes many mothers to stress about ‘what way is the right way’, rather than just following their instinct.

For example, most of the reasons why women stop breastfeeding are relatively easy to resolve such as poor attachment or supply concerns. These situations can also bring added stress for mum, with a crying unsettled baby or a sore bleeding nipples.

When we come to understand that biologically we were never designed to feed and nurture a baby alone, we can begin to change the way we behave around breastfeeding mothers by doing six simple things:

Touch

Kerstin Uvnas Moberg shares the story of a dairy farmer who created a kind of massage machine to prepare his cows for milking. She explains

“similar to a car wash, but dry, the machine gives the cows a delightful stroking sensation. They become relaxed, appear in better condition and produce 26% more milk”

So when mama is feeding ask if she would like a foot or head massage.

Love 

What can you do to make mama feel loved? Pamper her feet, paint her nails, brush her hair, read her a story, stroke her arm, change the baby’s nappy and burp it for its next feed, sit by her side and hold her.

Space & Time

Sometimes partners and parents of new mothers can interfere and provide advice with good intentions, but what they are doing and saying can actually undermine mama’s confidence or make her distrust intuition. The best thing a family member can do is step away and do the chores. Cook, clean, wash, shop, child mind!

Food

Kerstin Uvnas Moberg states in her book The Oxytocin Factor that:

“Cows that are fed at the same time as they are milked become calmer and more sociable, and produce more milk.”

So, bring mama a snack and cup of tea. And then bring her another one.

Confidence

Tell her that what she is doing is amazing, the greatest gift she can give her child. Acknowledge and celebrate her efforts. Leave her a card or put a positive message on her breastfeeding chair so she knows ‘she’s got this!’.  A simple display of gratitude and thanks can make mama feel so damn proud.

Connection

There are so many amazing resources and helplines that you can help connect her into. You can ring breastfeeding support helplines, hire a lactation consultant or connect her with other breastfeeding mothers who listen to her problems and help her resolve issues that are causing distress for herself and her baby.