Breastfeeding Advice: 7 Tips Every New Mum Should Know

Breastfeeding advice is most useful when it reflects the reality that every experience is different. As a mother of three, I can tell you that each of my breastfeeding journeys was completely unlike the others — the duration, the feelings, the organisation, the challenges. What worked once did not necessarily work again. These seven tips draw on personal experience and aim to help you find your own path, free of pressure or guilt. Whether you are breastfeeding for the first time or have done it before, breastfeeding advice that respects your individual circumstances is always more useful than one-size-fits-all rules.

1. Listen to Others — But Not Too Much

Friends, family and online communities can offer genuinely useful breastfeeding advice, but no single experience mirrors yours. Every pregnancy, every birth and every baby is different. Listening to others is a good starting point; taking their experience as a template for your own is not. Absorb what resonates, leave the rest. The most grounded breastfeeding advice comes from people who respect that your situation is unique.

Well-meaning relatives may tell you that you are feeding too often, not often enough, or that your baby looks hungry. Partners, friends and even strangers in cafes can have strong opinions. None of them are living in your body or feeding your baby. Take information from those around you as one data point among many — not as instruction.

2. Motivation Matters More Than Anything Else

If there is one piece of breastfeeding advice that outweighs all others, it is this: be sure of your own choice before you begin. Doubt, external pressure, and a lack of support are the most common reasons breastfeeding does not last as long as a mother hoped. If you want to breastfeed, own that decision fully. If you do not wish to, that is equally valid. You are the parent of your child, and you know what suits your family best.

No one should feel obligated to justify their feeding choice to anyone else. Formula feeding is not failure. Breastfeeding is not martyrdom. What matters is that you and your baby are well, and that feeding — however it happens — is as calm and sustainable as possible.

3. Involve Your Partner

Your partner cannot breastfeed, but they can do a great deal to support you. Changing nappies after a feed, settling the baby back to sleep, handling the school run for older children, and simply being present and encouraging all reduce the physical and emotional load. Open communication about what you need — and when — makes a real difference. Small, consistent contributions from a partner — a cup of tea, a nappy change at 3am, keeping older siblings occupied — add up to significant support over days and weeks. For more on sharing responsibilities from the start, read our guide on how to co-parent a newborn.

If you are breastfeeding within a co-parenting arrangement, communication with your co-parent is even more important. Feeding schedules, expressing routines and handover times all need to be agreed in advance. The earlier these conversations happen, the smoother the transition when the baby arrives.

4. Trust Yourself and Your Baby

You are the person best placed to understand your baby’s needs and your own limits. If breastfeeding feels right and your baby is thriving, continue. If something feels wrong or unsustainable, it is worth seeking help rather than pushing through alone. Good breastfeeding advice always starts with listening — to your body, your instincts, and your baby’s cues. As one midwife put it: a bottle given with love is better than breastfeeding done unwillingly.

Babies feed on demand in the early weeks — sometimes every 90 minutes, day and night. This is normal and does not mean your milk supply is inadequate. Frequent feeding stimulates supply. Trusting this process, rather than trying to impose a schedule too early, makes the early weeks considerably easier for most mothers. If you are unsure whether your baby is feeding well, a health visitor can offer reassurance — seeking that kind of breastfeeding advice early is always worthwhile.

5. Let Go of Duration Targets

According to WHO recommendations, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months is ideal, with continued breastfeeding alongside complementary foods up to two years or beyond. However, every feed your baby receives is beneficial, regardless of how long you breastfeed overall. Setting rigid targets around weaning age or duration can create unnecessary stress — and stress is one of the main obstacles to a successful breastfeeding experience. The most practical breastfeeding advice on duration is simply this: continue for as long as it works for both of you.

Some mothers breastfeed for six weeks and feel it was the right amount of time. Others continue for two years or more. Neither is more valid than the other. What matters is that the decision to stop — when it comes — is yours, made in your own time, for your own reasons.

6. Use the Right Growth Charts

Breastfed babies gain weight differently from formula-fed babies. Breast milk is digested more quickly, feeding frequency varies, and growth patterns are not identical. The WHO publishes specific growth charts for breastfed infants — use these rather than general charts to assess your baby’s progress. If you have any concerns about weight gain, your health visitor or midwife is the right person to ask. For broader preparation before your baby arrives, our pregnancy due date guide can help you plan ahead.

It is also worth knowing that breastfed babies often experience a small weight dip in the first few days after birth before your milk comes in fully. This is normal and expected. Most babies regain their birth weight within ten to fourteen days. If yours takes a little longer, speak to your midwife rather than immediately switching to formula — in most cases, positioning adjustments or more frequent feeding resolves the issue.

7. Seek Professional Support Early

Friends and family can offer comfort and shared experience, but trained professionals offer something different: evidence-based, practical help. La Leche League GB provides free one-to-one support from trained volunteer leaders across the UK. The NHS breastfeeding help and support page lists helplines, drop-in clinics, peer supporters and lactation consultants available in your area. Reaching out early — before difficulties become entrenched — makes a real difference. This is perhaps the most underused piece of breastfeeding advice: ask for help before you feel you are struggling.

International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) are the most highly trained breastfeeding specialists available. If you are experiencing persistent pain, concerns about supply, or difficulties with latch that your midwife has not been able to resolve, asking for a referral to an IBCLC is a reasonable and worthwhile step. Many work privately if NHS waiting times are too long.

What About Expressing Milk?

Expressing and bottle-feeding is a valid middle ground. It takes time to establish a routine and find a pump that works for you, but it gives your partner the opportunity to take on feeds and allows you more flexibility. Many mothers who find direct breastfeeding difficult or uncomfortable find expressing a manageable and rewarding alternative. If you decide to go this route, a midwife or lactation consultant can advise on technique, storage times, and how to build up a supply without affecting your milk production. Electric pumps, hand pumps and manual expression each suit different situations — there is no single correct method.

Expressed breast milk can be stored for up to six hours at room temperature, up to five days in a fridge set at 4°C or below, or up to six months in a freezer. Labelling containers with the date and time helps you use older milk first. When returning to work, many mothers find that expressing during the day maintains their supply while allowing their baby to continue receiving breast milk.

Common Breastfeeding Challenges and How to Handle Them

Even with the best preparation and the most practical breastfeeding advice, difficulties can arise. Knowing what to expect makes them less alarming when they do. Good breastfeeding advice always includes preparation for the most common hurdles, not just the ideal scenario.

Engorgement — when the breasts become uncomfortably full — is common in the first week as your milk comes in. Feeding frequently, applying a warm flannel before feeds and a cold compress after, and expressing a small amount to relieve pressure all help. Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast tissue, sometimes caused by a blocked duct or bacteria entering through a cracked nipple. Symptoms include a hard, red, painful area of the breast, often accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Continue feeding from the affected breast if you can, rest as much as possible, and contact your GP if symptoms do not improve within 24 hours as antibiotics may be needed.

Nipple pain in the early days is very common and usually related to latch. Lanolin cream can soothe cracked or sore nipples between feeds. Air-drying after feeding and using breast shells to prevent fabric rubbing can also help. If pain persists beyond the first few weeks, seek professional assessment — persistent pain is not something you simply have to endure.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I breastfeed for?

There is no single correct answer. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding up to two years or beyond. However, any duration is beneficial. The best breastfeeding advice is to continue for as long as it works for both you and your baby, without external pressure driving the decision.

What should I do if breastfeeding is painful?

Pain during breastfeeding is common in the early days and is often caused by positioning or attachment issues. Contact your midwife, health visitor, or a lactation consultant as soon as possible. Most latch problems can be resolved quickly with professional guidance. Do not wait — early help prevents longer-term difficulties.

Can I get breastfeeding advice if I am co-parenting?

Breastfeeding advice applies equally in co-parenting arrangements, though some additional planning around feeding schedules is needed. Breastfeeding is entirely compatible with shared parenting from birth. Explore our co-parenting guide and co-parenting classes for practical support on structuring your arrangement around your baby’s needs.

Is it normal to want to stop breastfeeding?

Completely normal. Many mothers go through periods of finding breastfeeding exhausting, painful or isolating — particularly in the early weeks. Before making a final decision, it is worth speaking to a breastfeeding supporter or lactation consultant to explore whether practical changes could make things more manageable. However, if you have considered it carefully and stopping is the right decision for you, that is a valid choice. Whatever path you take, seeking breastfeeding advice from a professional before deciding ensures the decision is fully informed.

Whether you are planning your first pregnancy or already navigating life with a newborn, CoParents.co.uk connects people across the UK who are building families in a wide variety of ways. Create your free profile and find the right co-parent or donor for your situation.