Breadcrumb
Breastfeeding & Feeding Your Baby
Learn the basics of breastfeeding your baby, how to stay healthy during the process and what support is available. Explore alternatives to breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding support phone line - Healthy From the Start
Do you have questions or concerns about breastfeeding and feeding your baby? Looking for someone to talk to?
Call 1-855-868-7710 from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST to speak with a breastfeeding specialist.
Our lactation consultants can help with common breastfeeding questions and challenges. They can also share information about resources in your community.
Information about breastfeeding/chestfeeding
Your milk is the only food that your baby needs for the first six months. It is recommended that nursing continue for 2 years or more, with the addition of a variety of age-appropriate food starting at 6 months of age.
While breastfeeding/chestfeeding is natural, it is not always easy and can take time, patience and support.
- Healthlink BC Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding Booklet for Indigenous Families
- Prenatal Breastfeeding Education
- Prenatal Hand Expression
- Prenatal Hand Expression Pamphlet
- Free Zoom Prenatal Breastfeeding Classes: More Milk Sooner
- Prenatal Videos – Firstdroplets.com
- Watch these videos on breastfeeding:
- Skin-to-Skin
- Baby Feeding Cues
- Comfortable Breastfeeding Positions and Helpful Hints
- Indigenous Breastfeeding Wellness Teachings
- Tips for Breastfeeding Twins
- Ten Steps to Being Baby-Friendly
The words breastfeeding and breastfed are used throughout this section to describe a baby being fed human milk produced by a parent at the parent’s breast. You may prefer different words, like nursing or chestfeeding. Use whichever terms you are most comfortable with, and ask that your friends, family and health care providers use them too.
Everybody needs a bit of help sometimes. It can take time for you and your baby to get used to breastfeeding. Do not give up. It can sometimes take up to 6 weeks. Breastfeeding is good for your baby and good for you.
Health professionals have a lot of experience helping women and their babies breastfeed. They understand what you are going through.
You can get help, advice, tips, and support for breastfeeding from:
- Your doctor or midwife
- Your public health nurse at your local Public Health Centre
- The Healthy From The Start breastfeeding support phone line. Call 1-855-868-7710 from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST to speak with a breastfeeding specialist.
- Our lactation consultants can help with common breastfeeding questions and challenges. They can also share information about resources in your community.
- HealthLinkBC
- La Leche League
You might express milk if your baby is not sucking well or is unable to breastfeed, your breasts are uncomfortably full, to boost your milk supply, or you have to be away from your baby.
If it is not possible to give your baby your milk, try pasteurized donor human milk (if available). A prescription from a doctor or midwife is required for donor milk. For more information about donor milk or becoming a donor, visit the BC Women's Provincial Milk Bank website.
If you are thinking about giving your baby milk from an informal donor, talk with your health care provider first to discuss the risks and benefits of all feeding options. See Informal Milk Sharing for more information.
It is important to stay healthy while breastfeeding
- Canada's Food Guide : Healthy eating when pregnant and breastfeeding
- Dietitian Services at HealthLinkBC.
- Breastfeeding: Exercise and weight loss
- Sleep, rest and breastfeeding
- Baby blues, depression and anxiety
- Alcohol and smoking after pregnancy
- Cannabis, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
- Cannabis and Breastfeeding: FNHA


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