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Breastfeeding & Feeding Your Baby

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.

Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Booklet for Indigenous Families
Prenatal Breastfeeding Education
- ABC’s of Breastfeeding – Prenatal breastfeeding class
  - Virtual (available to all Interior Health communities)
  - Penticton
  - Vernon
- La Leche League Breastfeeding Essentials Prenatal Breastfeeding Class
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.

Breastfeeding support

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

Expressing breast/human milk

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

Donor milk

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.

Staying healthy while breastfeeding

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
Cold, flu and breastfeeding or chestfeeding

Additional resources and links

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