If you have any problems with breastfeeding, it’s important to ask for help from your midwife, health visitor or infant feeding specialist as soon as possible.
This can help to solve issues like sore nipples or breast engorgement as soon as possible.
The NHS website has lots of useful information around some of the most common problems breastfeeding and tips on how to tackle them.
Click here to visit the NHS website
Call us 24 hours a day on the maternity advice line for breastfeeding support on 01609 763093.
Here are some useful videos
Positioning and attaching your baby at the breast
Effective position and attachment is important to help your baby to be able to take as much milk as they need. Breastfeed should be comfortable for you both. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort during feeding, please tell your midwife or health visitor who will be able to support your.
Hand expressing
Hand expressing is a useful skill for all breastfeeding women, especially in the following situations:
- To tempt a sleepy baby to feed
- To relieve blocked ducts
- When breasts are full, which can make it difficult for your baby to attach
- If you are separated from your baby
- To collect milk if your baby is unwell or on the neonatal unit
You can also hand express your colostrum (first breast milk) from 37 weeks of pregnancy onwards.
- Click here to find out more about expressing colostrum during pregnancy
- Click here to view Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative hand expression video
Exaggerated latch technique
Also known as modified latch or ‘flipple’, this technique can help you to achieve a deeper, more effective and more comfortable attachment.
Breast compressions
Breast compressions can help to increase the flow of breastmilk. This is useful if your baby is sleepy during feeds or if they are struggling to feed efficiently.