Breastfeeding & Feeding Your Baby

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. 

• Breast Compression
• Hand Expression of Breast Milk Handout
• Expressing Breast Milk and Hand Expression Video
• How to Clean Breast Pump Parts
• How to Use an Electric Breast Pump
• Increasing Your Milk Supply
   

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
   

• Baby’s Best Chance
• HealthLinkBC: Breastfeeding
• Breastfeeding and Infant Nutrition
• Vitamin D for babies and toddlers
• Perinatal Services BC: Breastfeeding
• How to Choose, Prepare and Store Infant Formula
• Transgender & Non-binary Parents
• Translated Resources