Women World

Helen's story: a feeding cushion is your best friend Helen breastfeeding twinsBreastfeeding twins is perfectly possible, but it is quite a strain on your body, certainly at first. My boys were born by emergency caesarean section, which left me physi...

Helen's story: a feeding cushion is your best frie...

Most mums in England choose to breastfeed. It's a lovely way to care for your baby, and has many health benefits for you both. When it's going well, breastfeeding can help you to build a close relationship with your baby. However, breastfeeding isn'...

Most mums in England choose to breastfeed. It's a ...

Breastfeeding has many benefits for both you and your baby. It's a lovely way for you to feel close to each other. Best of all, though, your breastmilk gives your baby everything she needs to thrive for the first six months of her life. And once you...

Breastfeeding has many benefits for both you and y...

Does the caffeine I have get into my breastmilk? When you have a cup of coffee or eat chocolate, a small amount of caffeine will enter your bloodstream. Once it's in your blood, about one per cent of it will appear in your breastmilk. Some flavours ...

Does the caffeine I have get into my breastmilk? ...

The more often you express milk, the more you will produce. You'll probably find that short sessions, done often, give you the best results. Aim to express a minimum of six times in 24 hours. Try not to leave more than six hours between expressing s...

The more often you express milk, the more you will...

You can store your breastmilk to keep it fresh for your baby in a number of ways: - At room temperature (no more than 25 degrees C) for up to six hours. - In a cold box with ice packs for up to 24 hours. - In a fridge (at four degrees C or colder) f...

You can store your breastmilk to keep it fresh for...

It'll take a bit of practice, but once you get the hang of it, you'll find it really useful. You can express your milk by gently and rhythmically pressing down on your breasts. There are probably as many ways of doing this as there are mums. The tri...

It'll take a bit of practice, but once you get the...

Should I tell my colleagues that I'm expressing? You don't have to tell your colleagues what you're doing during your breaks if you don't want to. But you should tell your line manager, so that she knows what you are doing. She needs to know that ex...

Should I tell my colleagues that I'm expressing? ...

Is it worth the hassle of expressing at work? It's true that expressing milk can be time-consuming, and it might feel a bit strange doing it at work. But many mums find it's worth the effort. You are still able to give your baby the benefits of bre...

Is it worth the hassle of expressing at work? It'...

How do I store breastmilk? It is best to put breastmilk in plastic feeding bottles with secure tops to seal in freshness. You can also use plastic bags made especially for storing milk, or disposable baby bottle liners. Remember to write the date on...

How do I store breastmilk? It is best to put brea...

What does expressing mean? Expressing is simply a way of taking milk from your breast without your baby suckling. You can do this: - by hand - with a manual pump - with an electric pump Once you've expressed your milk, you can store it in the frid...

What does expressing mean? Expressing is simply a...

What can I do if my milk supply doesn’t slow down? If your breasts are still producing a surplus of milk, it is likely that your baby is not latching on properly . If your baby can't latch on well, she may need to feed more often than those babies ...

What can I do if my milk supply doesn’t slow down?...

What is an overabundant milk supply? An overabundant milk supply is when you have lots of milk which may leak and spray. Your baby may struggle to latch on and come off your breast, coughing and spluttering if she can’t swallow fast enough. She may ...

What is an overabundant milk supply? An overabund...

Do I need extra calories when I am breastfeeding? You don't need to have extra calories as a new mum, because your body is so efficient at producing milk. Be guided by your appetite, and eat when you're hungry. Your body may have laid down fat store...

Do I need extra calories when I am breastfeeding? ...

What should I eat when I'm breastfeeding? You don't need to eat any special or different foods while you're breastfeeding. However, you should try to follow a healthy, balanced diet, which includes: - Starchy foods, such as bread and rice. Choose w...

What should I eat when I'm breastfeeding? You don...

Yes. Your baby may just prefer to snack. He may breastfeed for a minute or two, take a break, and then go back for a bit more. Some babies do feed regularly and predictably, but most don't, especially in the early weeks and months. If your baby is h...

Yes. Your baby may just prefer to snack. He may br...

Stress won't reduce your milk supply. However, if you're feeling very stressed and it's interfering with how often you're feeding your baby, this may temporarily reduce your supply. Having a new baby and trying to learn how to breastfeed can be stre...

Stress won't reduce your milk supply. However, if ...

Should I carry on breastfeeding? Yes, carry on breastfeeding. Your breastmilk is the perfect food for your baby during her first six months and beyond. Breastmilk provides a balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates which are important in helping y...

Should I carry on breastfeeding? Yes, carry on br...

What are toxins? Toxins are poisonous chemicals in the environment. That may sound worrying, but in fact, the toxins we encounter in every-day life are at such low levels they are unlikely to affect our health in the long-term. Toxins exist in our f...

What are toxins? Toxins are poisonous chemicals i...

No. If your baby has only breastmilk, he doesn't need to drink water as well. If you replace nourishing milk with water, he'll miss out on essential nutrients. It may also upset his feeding habits. Breastmilk contains antibodies that help to protect...

No. If your baby has only breastmilk, he doesn't n...

It may be time-consuming for you, but it sounds as though you’re spending just as long breastfeeding as your baby needs. Babies can take as much as an hour to finish a feed or as little as five minutes, provided they’re latched on well. The length ...

It may be time-consuming for you, but it sounds as...