Breastfeeding

Planning to breastfeed

Planning to breastfeed your baby is a wonderful decision for the long term health, development and growth of your child. There are many health benefits for mothers and babies when breastfeeding.

Unique elements in your milk encourage growth and prevent harmful bacteria in your baby's tummy which can help reduce your baby’s risk of:

• Ear infections
• Breathing (or respiratory) infections and wheezing
• Digestive (gastric related) infections such as diarrhoea and vomiting
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Allergies such as eczema
• Dental alignment issues
• Sudden Infant Death

Breastfeeding can also reduce your risk of:

• Breast cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Osteoporosis
• Obesity

Breastfeeding is free and always ready to go

• Breastmilk never runs out, so it's always available
• It's always at the right temperature
• There's nothing to sterilise
• No formula to buy, which can cost hundreds of pounds a year

A special thing between you and your baby

• Breastfeeding is more that just nutrition. You can offer the breast whenever your baby needs closeness and comfort or you want to put your feet up and relax. Breastfed babies can not be overfed. The hormones that are released when you breastfeed can help you with forming a bond with your baby.

Partners, other family members and friends are very important in supporting you while you breastfeed too, helping you give your baby the best possible start in life. Knowing how they can support you can help to you plan and help them to feel involved.

For example:

• Your partner can be involved by bringing you drinks and snack, changing baby's nappy and bathing baby.
• Your friends being there to talk to.
• Grandparents keeping the older children entertained and helping round the house.

UNICEF Baby Friendly

Derbyshire Family Health Services are committed to supporting mothers to breastfeed and helping you to sustain that choice. We’re guided by the principles of UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative and in February 2014, along with Derbyshire County Council Children's Centres, we were awarded full Baby Friendly accreditation. We undergo Baby Friendly re-accreditation every 3 years to ensure maintain the standards set by UNICEF. This means that across Derbyshire, breastfeeding is supported and protected.

Find out more

• Reasons to be proud about breastfeeding
• Benefits of breastfeeding (link to The benefits of breastfeeding - Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)
• Watch this video about biological nurturing

Skin to skin contact

Skin-to-skin contact following your baby’s birth is a great way to begin your breastfeeding journey because it will:

• Help to calm and comfort your baby
• Help stimulate your baby’s digestion and interest in feeding
• Stimulate your hormones to support breast feeding
• Help your baby to crawl to the breast and begin to learn how to latch onto the breast

Breastfeeding is a skill

Although breastfeeding is a natural process, it is also a skill that can take time for you and your baby to learn. It can take up to 1 month for your breastfeeding to become fully established. 

Whilst you’re learning to breastfeed it’s best not to use dummies or bottle teats. Dummies can make it harder to know when your baby needs feeding because they soothe your baby, so you may miss their feeding cues which can have an impact on your breast milk supply. Teats can sometimes cause your baby to get confused between how they would attach to the breast and feed from a teat.

How do I know when my baby needs to be fed?

Getting to know your baby’s feeding cues will help you to know when your baby is hungry, it can take a little while to learn your babies cues so start by looking for some of these common signs. 

Some common signs your baby is hungry are:

• Moving more in their moses basket or crib
• Sucking their fist or fingers
• Smacking their lips or making murmuring sounds
• Start to root by turning their heads and opening their mouths

How often does my baby need to be fed?

After the first few days of life your baby will feed very frequently. This is normal. A breast fed baby can feed every few hours and every baby is different.

Most babies will want to feed at least 8 -12 times per 24 hours including overnight. Night time feeds are particularly important because the hormone that produces breast milk is higher at night time.

Breast feed your baby as often and for as long as they want to feed. You can offer the breast for comfort or to settle your baby. 

Your baby may feed for between 5 and 40 minutes at each feed. They may want to feed from both breasts, which is normal. As your baby grows and develops, they might get quicker/more efficient at breastfeeding and you’ll notice they won’t want to feed as often or for as long.

What is cluster feeding?

Your baby might want to feed more often at certain times during the day. This is known as cluster feeding. 

Cluster feeding helps to increase your breast milk production to meet your growing baby’s needs. It will settle down as your supply becomes more established. 

How do I know if my baby is getting enough breast milk?

If you watch a feed you can get some good clues about how feeding is going.

You should see quick sucks at the start when baby gets the milk flowing, then a deep rhythmical suck-swallow-pause-suck-swallow-pause pattern. Your baby swallows when he pauses. He will also have some longer pauses throughout the feed, towards the end of the feed you will notice the pauses become longer and the sucking more fluttery.

When your baby has finished feeding on this breast they should let go of the breast

There are many ways you can tell they are getting enough breast milk:

• Having increasing number of wet nappies -1 or 2 in first day, 2 to 3 in the next two days and so on until by around a week and beyond, having at least 6 wet nappies every day.
• Your baby’s urine should be pale
• Having at least 2 poos every day - in the first few days this will be black and sticky meconium, gradually changing colour (green- orange/yellow) and getting looser 
• After the first few days your baby’s poos should then be soft, yellow and seedy and your baby will usually poo several times per day
• Settled and content after feeding
• Gaining weight consistently after the first 5 days - it can be normal for babies to lose a certain amount of weight initially after they have been born.
• It’s not uncommon after 6 weeks of age for breast fed babies to sometimes go up to 10 days without having a poo

Does my baby need any other drinks other than breast milk?

Breast milk is all your baby needs to feed on for the first 6 months. They don’t even need water. 

It’s recommended that all breast fed babies are given a daily vitamin D supplement from birth even if you are taking a vitamin D supplement as a breastfeeding mum. (This is because we do not get enough natural sunlight in the UK)

You can carry on breastfeeding when you start introducing solid foods to your baby (from around 6 months of age), when they will also need some water. 

You can continue to breastfeed for as long as you and your child want to. 

More information and support:

Start4life - Breastfeeding help and support 

There are many myths, stories or beliefs about breastfeeding that are heard and passed on to mothers, whether or not they happen to be true facts is another matter.

Below are ten commonly heard myths, plus a short explanation:

Breastfed babies need to be given drinks of water in hot weather

NO – breastmilk contains everything a baby needs for the first six months, it changes to meet the individual needs of each baby. When it’s hot, babies often have shorter, more frequent feeds to receive more thirst-quenching milk. It’s also been shown that if breastfed babies are given water, they will take less breastmilk which in turn can reduce a mother’s milk supply.

Larger breasts make more milk than smaller breasts

NO – the size difference is the amount of fat each breast contains and not the capacity of the breast to make milk.

You have to be careful what you eat when you’re breastfeeding

NO – there are no special foods to include or avoid when breastfeeding, but it’s important for every mother (whether breastfeeding or formula feeding) to look after herself by eating and drinking fluids regularly. Breastfeeding mothers may feel more hungry and thirsty, so this is not the time for dieting.

Breastfeeding makes breasts saggy

NO – pregnancy changes the shape of a woman’s breasts, so they may feel different after having a baby. After breastfeeding, over a period of time, fat is laid back down in the breasts.

Breastfeeding is a painful business

NO – this shouldn’t be expected, because painful, misshapen or damaged nipples are usually signs that attachment needs some adjustment. There are new sensations when breastfeeding for the first time which will soon become familiar. Understanding how babies attach and having the right help and information at the beginning will minimise problems.

Expressing your breasts shows how much milk is in them

NO – babies are usually more efficient at moving milk than breast pumps. Something mechanical doesn’t tend to have the same effect on a mother’s hormones (let-down reflex) as her baby.

Spacing out breastfeeds gives your breasts time to fill up with milk

NO – by spacing out feeds you will lower the hormone that makes milk which will start to reduce your milk supply. Breastfeeding more often will increase this hormone and signal your body to make more milk.

There is little difference between breastmilk and infant formula

NO – infant formula has no antibodies, living cells, hormones or enzymes and does not change to meet the individual needs of each baby at various stages of growth and development. Formula milk is universal, not individual.

There is no way of knowing how much milk a breastfed baby takes

NO –while measuring the exact amount of milk available to the baby could be tricky, there are several ways of knowing your baby is taking plenty of milk.

• They are usually more satisfied after a feed than before
• Nappies are wet and heavy, with several soiled ones each day in the early weeks
• They’re growing
• You can hear baby swallowing milk
• Your breasts feel softer and looser after a feed than before
• You can see your baby is taking effective long, deep nutritive sucks

Babies get all the goodness in the first few days of breastfeeding, that’s the most important time

NO- every day counts with breastfeeding. Colostrum (first milk) is a concentrated form of breastmilk because the volume is small. Mature breastmilk is equally important and continues to provide ongoing protection from infections throughout the period of breastfeeding. Whatever germs are present in the environment, mothers will provide antibodies, in their milk, to protect their babies.

Watch our breastfeeding myths and truths videos to find out the truth behind more breastfeeding myths. 

We talk about how you can tell if your baby is getting enough breastmilk. We ask, do bigger babies need more breastmilk? We look at whether your breastmilk can run out, and much more.

Breastfeeding myths and truths: understanding my breastmilk supply

Breastfeeding myths and truths: how do I know if my baby is getting enough breastmilk?

Breastfeeding myths and truths: Breastfeeding and me

Positioning

You can breastfeed in a number of different positions. Finding one that works for both of you will help your baby feed as well as possible by ensuring they have a good latch and make feeding more comfortable for you. 

There are lots of different ways you can hold or position your baby to feed. You may stick with one or two or you may use a variety of different positions. It is normal to find one side easier than the other.

If you’re lying back in a well supported position with your baby lying on your tummy, they will sometimes move themselves onto your breast and begin to feed.

You can try feeding lying on your side or sat in a chair, supported in an upright position. This will make it easier to hold your baby so their neck, shoulders and back are supported and they can reach your breast easily.

Whatever position you use, there are some important principles, you can remember this by the word CHINS;

• Close – baby needs to close to you to breastfeed.
• Head free – baby needs to be able to tilt their head back to feed. Think about you throw your head back to take a big drink.
• In line – babies head and body need to be in a line. Try drinking a glass of water with your head turned to the side- it is difficult! This is why baby should not have to twist their head to face the breast.
• Nose to nipple – line baby up with their nose opposite your nipple so your know they’re in the right spot. They will then throw their head back to latch on.
• Sustainability – make sure you and baby are comfortable as you may be in the position for a while!

Attachment (latching)

To get your baby latched on well, get them in a close position, make sure your nipple is level with their nose and then brush your nipple against baby’s top lip. Baby will open their mouth wide, they will tilt their head back and so long as they are close enough, their chin will make contact with the breast first and then the nipple will follow. You should aim for the nipple to be well back in baby’s mouth, towards the back and roof of their mouth.

Remember to keep you baby safe at all times.

Breastfeeding should feel comfortable and your baby should be relaxed making soft swallowing noises. If it doesn’t feel right, start again. Slide one of your fingers into your baby’s mouth, gently break the suction and try again.

The 'Off to the best start guide' shows these steps in action.

Useful videos and further information

• Breastfeeding first time mum
• Breastfeeding second time mum
• Breast feeding: positioning and attachment

Most breastfeeding problems are linked to the way your baby attaches to your breast, including things like painful breastfeeding, sore or cracked nipples and swelling. Attachment can often be the cause of problems like prolonged feeding, poor weight gain or overly frequent feeding.

Signs that baby isn’t attaching to your breast properly

• You can see baby’s bottom lip just under the base of the nipple
• Discomfort or pain
• Their mouth isn’t opening very wide
• Cheeks sucking in with each jaw movement
• They appear to not have sufficient breast in their mouth
• You can see more of your areola (darker skin) below your baby’s bottom lip than above it
• There’s a space between the chin and breast
• They constantly slip/slide off the breast
• Rapid sucking with not many swallows
• Noisy feeding (usually clicking noises)
• Your nipple is misshapen when baby releases your breast

How do I know that my baby is feeding well?

• They have a large mouthful of breast and their chin is firmly touching your breast
• It doesn’t hurt you to feed (although the first few sucks may feel strong)
• If you can see the dark skin around your nipple, you should see more dark skin above your baby’s top lip than below their bottom lip
• Their cheeks stay rounded during sucking
• They rhythmically take long sucks and swallows (it’s normal for your baby to pause from time to time)
• They finish the feed and come off the breast on their own

Breastfeeding isn’t something you need to hide, but it’s important you do what makes you feel comfortable. The law says you are protected when breastfeeding in public places. 

A few hints and tips

• Try practising in front of a mirror at home so you can see how little of your breast is on display. 

• The more you practice, the better you get at getting baby latched on quickly.

• You never need to go and hide in a toilet

• Try and get settled somewhere before your baby gets hungry. This gives you time to get comfortable and ready to feed.
• In cafés, find a comfortable place to feed. If you have to keep moving your chair, it might upset the baby’s feed
• If you’d prefer to find somewhere out of the way to breastfeed, try these:
  • Fitting rooms
  • With your back to the room
  • In the car
  • Using your pram or buggy to help screen you and your baby
• Find places in Derbyshire who have signed up as breastfeeding friendly The Breastfeeding Welcome Here Award - Derbyshire County Council
• Remember that if you think people are looking at you, they are most likely admiring your lovely baby, give them a smile!

Clothes

Breastfeeding is nothing to be embarrassed about, but knowing how to feed without feeling you are too exposed can help you feel more confident.

Using a sling can make carrying your baby easier because they put less strain on your back, plus they can allow you to feed discreetly with a little practice. You can feed your baby whilst they're in their sling when out and about, but we highly recommend you seek advice before trying this to ensure you're doing it safely. Carrying Matters have some really useful information to get you started. 

Clothes that work

• Any tops that unbutton or unzip at the front
• Stretchy tops or dresses that pull up/down/to the side
• Two-piece outfits 
• Bras and tops made especially for breastfeeding
• Jackets, cardigans and shirts over a vest top are all great – wearing any loose top over a vest top (top layer pulled up and the vest top pulled down) allows you to access the breast without feeling you are too exposed (and keeps you warm!)
• Scarves and light baby blankets or muslin squares are also good at keeping things under wraps if you feel you want to use a cover.

Clothes that don’t work

• Items that are tricky to gain access to your breasts (for example zips/buttons only at the back)
• Items that make you feel really exposed

Further resources for breastfeeding in public

• The Breastfeeding Welcome Here Award - Derbyshire County Council
• Breastfeeding in public - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

You don’t need to stop breastfeeding just because you’re returning to work, but if you do want to breastfeed while working, you need to tell your employer in writing in advance. Then they‘ll be able to make preparations for you.

Here are a few different options you can try:

• Ask your employer for flexible working hours to allow you to build your working day around breastfeeding
• Arrange childcare close to work, this way you can breastfeed during breaks or before and after work.
• Express breast milk by hand or by using a pump and store it safely so someone else can feed your baby while you’re at work

Further information

• Pregnancy and work – what you need to know as an employee
• Expressing and storing breastmilk
• A Guide For New And Expectant Mothers Who Work
• Returning to work or study

Storing breastmilk

Once you’ve expressed your milk by hand or by pump (always make sure equipment is sterilised), it is important to store it safely.

Milk should be stored in a fridge and carried home in a cool bag. Ask your employer to provide a fridge if you don’t already have access to one.

Milk can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days at 5 - 10°c or for 5 days at 0 - 4°c (usually at the back of the fridge). Breastmilk can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the ice compartment of a fridge or for up to 6 months at -18°c or lower in a freezer.

Storage tips

• Label and date breastmilk before putting it in the fridge or freezer
• Have a trial run with childcare before returning to work
• Be prepared by keeping an extra top and some breast pads at work
• Defrost frozen breastmilk in the fridge and use it within 12 hours, but don’t refreeze it once thawed
• If you’re using milk within 5 days of expressing it, it’s better to store it in the fridge than in the freezer
• Breastmilk must always be stored in a sterilised container
• If you use a pump, make sure you wash it thoroughly after use and sterilise it before use
• Don't use a microwave oven to warm or defrost breastmilk

Did you know you can borrow a breast pump?

If there is a medical need, our team may be able to support you with a short term loan of a hospital grade breastpump. Contact your Health visitor or feeding support worker to discuss you concerns. 

However if you are looking for a breastpump to support return to work or study, you can rent or buy a variety of different breast pumps. Why not drop in to one of the Breastfeeding Network volunteer groups to ask other mums?

Making sure you have all the support you need can be crucial in making breastfeeding work for you. So don't be afraid to ask family and friends for help and show them this information so they know how they can help you.

Partners

During the first few weeks of breastfeeding your role is going to be crucial. Mum needs to know she’s not in this alone and that you’re there to give her support 24 hours a day without ever putting her under pressure.

You don't have to feed your baby to bond with them so don't feel left out if mum's doing all the feeding. There are plenty of things you can help out with:

• Know what you need and who you can turn to for help and advice
• Be positive, patient and never suggest mum gives up
• Offer moral support
• Go to breastfeeding support groups together
• Be there at important times like first feeds and the 10-day check up with your health visitor
• Change nappies, change nappies and change more nappies
• Make snacks for night time feeds if mum is feeling peckish
• Give your baby their night-time bath
• Remember skin-to-skin contact is great for you to bond with baby too

Grandparents

Being a grandparent can be incredibly rewarding and the bonds you build with your grandchildren can be really special. You can also play a vital role in the first few weeks of breastfeeding.

On a practical level there are lots of things you can help with, but mum needs your support on an emotional level too. It’s important to recognise your support and approval really do matter, so try to be positive and reassuring, even if you did things differently when you had children.

• Provide emotional support and be positive
• Understand why breastfeeding is important, even if you bottle-fed your children
• Spend time with any older grandchildren and make sure they feel special
• Babysit when mum needs a rest during the day
• Provide reassurance that mum is making the right decisions for her family
• Encourage her to get additional support if she is struggling
• Help out around the house
• Make drinks, snacks and meals

Friends

Becoming a mum is an amazing experience, but when you’re spending all day with a baby you can sometimes feel isolated and lonely. And that’s where friends like you come in. By being there for your friend, you can make a big difference by reassuring her, making her laugh and helping her get things off her chest.

• Make sure your friend still has a social life
• Plan baby-friendly days out
• Find public places where she is happy to breastfeed
• Keep her up to date with the latest gossip
• Never discourage her from breastfeeding
• Reassure her she looks amazing
• Offer a sympathetic ear if things get her down
• Organise a get together with all her friends
• Encourage her partner to take the baby out to give her some quiet time
• Offer to take the baby out for a walk so she can have a break

Infant feeding practitioners

Infant feeding practitioners provide support and information to families to help each child have a healthy start in life. The team support with getting breastfeeding, combination feeding and expressing off to a good start.

If you live in an area where you pay your council tax to Derbyshire County Council, you are eligible for a home visit from an infant feeding practitioner before your baby is 10 days old. If you haven't received a phone call from our team within 48 hours of coming home from the hospital, then please call the Derbyshire Family Health Service number on 01246 515100.

Health visitors (HV)

Your health visitor is there for you and your partner throughout pregnancy and to support you with your new baby/babies. Their role is to:

• Help your baby avoid illnesses and stay healthy
• Talk to you about breastfeeding, general baby feeding or anything about your baby's behaviour that you're concerned about
• Give you advice if you're feeling down, anxious or depressed
• Suggest places to find help or get in touch with groups where you can meet other parents

Infant feeding specialists (IFS)

Infant feeding specialists work with your health visitor to support complex feeding challenges. In Derbyshire county our infant feeding specialists are international board certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs). 

The Breastfeeding Network

The Breastfeeding Network runs support groups across Derbyshire. The groups are run by trained volunteers and can be a great way to socialise with your baby and gain support and information about feeding and parenting. You don’t need to book onto the groups, just turn up. You can find your nearest group here.

Finding out you’re a pregnant or trying for a new baby does not mean you have to stop breastfeeding. Mothers can breastfeed whilst they are pregnant, and some go on to breastfeed their new baby alongside their older child too. This is known as ‘’tandem feeding’’. It is possible to tandem feed two or even three children if that is what would work best for your family.

Benefits of Tandem Feeding

• Tandem feeding allows for the benefits of breastfeeding for the older child and mother to continue!
• Children who tandem feed are often found to have a special bond and it can ease the transition of a new sibling which some toddlers find a stressful time and potentially reduce jealousy if they can breastfeed alongside the new baby.
• Breastfeeding your older child can relieve symptoms of engorgement when your new baby is born
• Breastfeeding your older child can help protect your milk supply if the new baby is not feeding effectively or is needing support with their feeding

Decision to Tandem feed or wean

Many mums find this decision a difficult one and can feel differently about both options at different times. You may find it helpful to take this decision one day at a time or speak to your health visitor or infant feeding support group for further information and support.

Around the 4^th or 5^th month of pregnancy, your hormones are likely to cause milk supply to reduce and can change in taste. This is normal for your stage of pregnancy and can cause some children to feed less or wean from breastfeeding. Some children then resume breastfeeding at a later stage. Continuing breastfeeding during pregnancy does not affect the amount of milk produced once the new baby is born. Colostrum continues to be produced by your body in pregnancy whether or not it is taken from the breast by your older child until your new baby is born.

Myth: ‘’You must feed one child at a time’’

Some mums prefer to feed their children separately and some mums prefer to feed both children at the same time – whatever works for your family!

Myth: ‘’The new milk won’t be suitable for your toddler’’

Whilst you are pregnant your breastmilk will continue to meet the nutritional and emotional needs for your older child.

Myth: ‘Breastfeeding during pregnancy will cause premature labour’’.

Breastfeeding releases the hormone oxytocin which can help progress a slow labour but is not usually at a high enough level to cause you to go into labour before your body is ready. Research has shown that there is normally no reason that breastfeeding would not be safe during pregnancy, but you can check this with your midwife if you have any concerns.

Myth: ‘’There won’t be enough milk for the new baby’’

It is normal to worry about milk supply being enough for both children. Some mothers choose to feed their new baby first in the early days to ensure they are receiving enough colostrum. Looking out for your new baby’s feeding cues and giving them unrestricted access to feeds will help to ensure your new baby receives the milk they need. The more milk that is removed from the breasts the more milk your body will produce.

Myth: ‘’Continuing to breastfeed your toddler will mean you cannot provide for them when you go into labour’’

You can discuss with your midwife and hospital team that you would like access for your toddler soon after birth if you wish. Some mothers opt for a home birth if able as this can allow for more options for including your toddler in the birthing process if desired. However, many mothers prefer to wait until the new baby has arrived to have their older child with them.

Further information:

La Leche League: Tandem nursing

La Leche League International: Breastfeeding during pregnancy and tandem nursing

The World Health Organisation recommends breastfeeding until at least the age of 2 years old due to the benefits to both the child and the mother. Children who breastfeed beyond infancy typically naturally wean between the ages of 2 and 7 years old.  Breastfeeding beyond infancy is normal and should be celebrated by those who wish to do so!

Benefits of breastfeeding beyond infancy

Breastfeeding continues to be a source of nutrition and immunity for as long as breastfeeding continues, including breastfeeding into toddlerhood.

There is evidence that breastfeeding supports a child’s intellectual and social development with children experiencing the greatest gains being those who breastfed the longest.

Breastfeeding is also an important source of comfort, and this also continues into toddlerhood, with mothers finding breastfeeding an important tool in their parenting when helping to calm and soothe a tired, frustrated, or injured toddler!

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of cancers such as breast and ovarian, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes and these benefits continue for mothers who breastfeed beyond infancy.

The importance of weaning gradually

Natural weaning allows for children to wean at different times individually. The mother’s body reduces milk production gradually as it responds to signals to do so. Gradual weaning allows a child to maintain their emotional attachment and contribute to their self-esteem and rapid weaning can cause a child to be more at risk to infections during this time. Rapid weaning can also cause a mother to experience uncomfortable breasts, mastitis or breast abscesses, or depression.

Myth: ‘’Breastfeeding for more than one year makes it harder to wean a baby’’

There’s no evidence that breastfeeding over one year of age makes it more difficult to stop breastfeeding however there is evidence that breastfeeding beyond infancy is beneficial for mothers and their babies. Every mother and baby are different, and it should be determined together how long they want to continue breastfeeding for.

Myth: ‘’Continuing to breastfeed leads to tooth decay’’

There is no evidence of harm to mums or babies who breastfeed to this point of natural weaning – including to oral health and tooth decay.

Myth: ‘’Continuing to breastfeed would put another pregnancy at risk’’

Some mothers fall pregnant whilst breastfeeding, and there is no evidence that breastfeeding during normal pregnancy causes harm or risk of miscarriage to an unborn baby. It is possible to continue to breastfeed your older child during pregnancy and to feed both children when their sibling is born which is called ‘’tandem feeding’’.

Myth: ‘’Sore nipples, engorgement or mastitis only happen to breast feeding mums of young babies’’

Women who are breastfeeding a child of any age can develop mastitis, blocked ducts, thrush, engorgement or sore nipples and should seek support if they are concerned from a health professional such as their GP, Health Visitor or Breastfeeding Support Networks.

Myth: ‘’There’s no need for the nutrition or immunity in breastmilk after the age of one’’

It can take between 2 and 6 years for an immune system to fully mature and breastmilk can continue to support and boost your child’s immune system whilst it develops. The composition of breastmilk continues to be made up of the nutritional need tailor made for each child. The nutrients and immunity are not compromised the longer breastfeeding continues.

Futher information:

La Leche League: Breastfeeding beyond a year

The breastfeeding volunteers in Derbyshire are all managed by the Breastfeeding Network who train, supervise and support their development and the development of breastfeeding groups.

Breastfeeding volunteers aren’t healthcare professionals or health visitors, they’re mums who have breastfed and had further training on breastfeeding and how to support breastfeeding families. They’re there to listen to you, reassure you when breastfeeding is going well or signpost you to other resources when it isn't. 

The Breastfeeding Network Volunteers in Derbyshire County facilitate the Breastfeeding groups that are run across the area throughout the week. For more details of when and where you can access their website. 

• What's happening in Derbyshire.

I’m thinking of becoming a breastfeeding volunteer

We greatly welcome any time women can spare to support breastfeeding mothers in their area, at locations, days and times to suit you.

For more information visit The Breastfeeding Network's training page 

• Derbyshire Breastfeeding Network
• La Leche League breastfeeding support
• The Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative
• Chestfeeding if you're trans or non-binary