Getting support with breastfeeding may be helpful if you’re having difficulty with feeding or need some reassurance or guidance. Help is available in your local area and online.
People may struggle with breastfeeding for different reasons, including:
Even if you are feeling confident with breastfeeding, it can still be helpful to get support or seek information to help you to learn more. If you need health guidance for you or your baby, speak to a medical professional.
You will have an allocated health visitor or midwife who you can speak to for support if you’re struggling with breastfeeding. You’ll find their contact details in your red book. This is the personal child health record you get when your baby is born.
You can also speak to your GP. You don’t have to wait for your routine checks to ask for advice and support.
Other places to look for support near you includes:
The Association of Breastfeeding Mothers also has a map showing local breastfeeding support from a mix of providers.
You can find breastfeeding support online from:
You can also get online guidance on breastfeeding from the information pages on the NHS website, the La Leche League and The Breastfeeding Network.
You might need support with chestfeeding if you’re trans or non-binary. Breastfeeding support groups are becoming more inclusive, but you may find some groups use language that doesn’t include chestfeeding parents.
Support for chestfeeding parents includes:
If you’re not sure if a group has had training to advise on medical issues associated with chestfeeding, you can also find some chestfeeding guidance on the NHS website.
It can help to think about if you have any friends or family who can support you. They may be able to help you if you’re struggling emotionally or physically with the challenges of breastfeeding. Some of them may have faced similar difficulties to you, or may just offer a space to talk.
This advice was written by our experienced Parent Talk coaches. Parent Talk is a free online service for parents and carers, provided by the charity Action for Children. For more advice, message our parenting coaches with our online chat.
