Breastfeeding help and support - Is cow milk bad for infants?

Breastfeeding help and support: Don’t be afraid to ask for the support and help you need to make breastfeeding work for you and your baby. No problem is too small – if something is worrying you, the chances are that other mothers will have felt the same.

You can get help from a peer supporter, your midwife or health visitor. You might also want to join a local breastfeeding group. It’s a great way of making new friends as well as sharing the ups and downs of looking after a new baby. Most groups usually include a mix of healthcare professionals and local trained volunteer mothers (peer supporters). These mothers have breastfed their own babies and have had some training in basic breastfeeding techniques. Some peer supporters will have had more in-depth training to help them support new mothers.

There may be specialist drop-ins in your area where you can go if you have a specific concern or difficulty.

To find out what is available in your area, talk to your midwife or health visitor, or contact the National Breastfeeding Helpline. You can also get advices online from the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers and the Breastfeeding Network.

The Breastfeeding Network runs a Supporter line, and also offers a helpline for speakers of Bengali/Sylheti.

NHS guidance on breastfeeding is available online.

The following voluntary facilities can also provide advice: La Leche League NCT Breastfeeding, the UNICEF Baby Friendly site provides advices and links to useful resources about the benefits of breastfeeding.

The Breastfeeding Network’s medicines in Breast milk Helpline can provide advices about breastfeeding and medicines.

All these voluntary facilities provide training for peer supporters.

The Bump to Breastfeeding (Best Beginnings) DVD is a useful source of advices and will give you an insight into other mothers’ experiences of breastfeeding.

You should have been given a copy of the DVD during your pregnancy.

If not, ask your health visitor

Avoid cow’s milk while breastfeeding     

Cows’ milk should not be given as a main drink to a child under the age of one year. Small amounts of cows’ milk can be used for cooking after six months of age. Condensed milk, evaporated milk, dried milk, sheep’s milk, goats’ milk, or any other type of ‘milk’ drink (such as rice, oat or almond drinks, often known as ‘milks’) should never be given to a baby under the age of one year. You should not use soya formula unless it has been prescribed by your GP.

You can find more facts on rice drinks online, because Follow-on formula is not suitable for babies under six months.