A mother’s choice to breastfeed her baby is a gift to her child that lasts a lifetime.  Support for the new breastfeeding mother by her partner, family, and friends is one of the keys to success, especially during the often challenging first 6 weeks.  Support can be offered in many ways.

Praise the mother for breastfeeding her baby. She is giving her baby the perfect food.
Remind the mother to trust her baby to eat when he/she is hungry and to trust her body to make all the milk her baby will need.

Help the mother to remember that breastfeeding becomes infinitely easier after the first 6 weeks.

• Know a baby’s early feeding cues so that you can bring the baby to the mother early in the feeding cycle when latch-on is easiest.
• Remind the mother that she should sleep when her baby sleeps.  Housework and chores are not as important as a rested mother.
• Set up a nursing station next to the mother’s favorite nursing chair.  Water is a must, but you may also include reading material, clean cloth diapers (for burps), TV remote, ipod and/or telephone.
• Attend a breastfeeding class with the mother.
• Encourage her to attend a breastfeeding support group before and after her baby is born.  You can offer to give her a ride to the meeting.
• Provide the mother with healthy snack options. 

If the mother is experiencing pain or having difficulty nursing her new baby, encourage her to seek help.  Nursing should not be painful and most nursing problems have solutions. 

Providing support to the new breastfeeding mother is one of the best ways to ensure that she and her baby will continue to nurse for 12 months and beyond, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.