Breastfeeding Support

There are several techniques that can help you achieve a more comfortable and effective latch. Here are two videos that can teach you these techniques:

Attaching Your Baby at the Breast
by Global Health Media Project

Sandwich Hold/Asymmetric Latch
by the Institute for the Advancement of Breastfeeding and Lactation Education (IABLE)

In the first few days, it is not unusual for breasts to become engorged: painfully overfull of milk. You can help relieve this through frequent nursing, applying a cold compress after nursing and taking an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen. Gentle breast massage can be helpful (we do not recommend massaging the breasts too deeply). To learn about breast massage, watch the video: The Basics of Breast Massage and Hand Expression.

If your baby doesn’t latch to the breast or needs to be supplemented, hand expression can be helpful. Hand expressing before nursing can make it easier for your baby to latch to the breast. Frequent hand expression can also increase your milk supply. This video from Stanford Medicine teaches how to hand express milk.

It is normal and expected for your milk volume to start small after delivery and increase over the first few days. The small amount of thick yellow milk you produce in your baby’s first few days is called colostrum. It contains sugar to feed your baby’s brain and antibodies to protect them from disease. Colostrum is all your baby needs for the first few days after birth.

It is also normal for babies to lose some weight in the first few days— they are born with extra fat to give them energy while they are learning to breastfeed and while your milk is “coming in”.

Our Breastfeeding Basics guide has details on how your baby can let you know it is getting enough milk at the breast by:

• Weight gain
• Number of wet and soiled diapers
• Your baby’s own cues for hunger and fullness.

When breastfeeding, we recommend not giving your baby formula unless indicated by a medical provider or lactation specialist. When your baby latches to the breast, your body produces exactly the amount of milk your baby needs to grow. When your baby receives a bottle of formula, your body doesn’t receive the message to make milk, and your supply could decrease.

Nursing in the first hour after birth and when your baby shows feeding cues will help ensure a good milk supply. If your baby is unable to latch at the breast or is premature, you will need to remove milk 8 times a day with a pump until your baby is ready to breastfeed. If you are concerned that you are not producing enough milk, ask to speak with a lactation specialist or your medical provider.

Breast compressions can also help increase milk flow to a sleepy or premature nursing baby.

If your baby needs to be supplemented with expressed breast milk, donor milk or formula, it is best to spoon-feed, cup-feed or give a bottle slowly.

“Hands on pumping” will increase the amount of milk you pump and help to increase your milk supply.

Most medications are safe to take while breastfeeding. To be sure, you can talk to your healthcare provider, call the Infant Risk Hotline at 806-352-2519 or consult the LactMed database.

New York State WIC has developed a Making it Work Toolkit that contains a wealth of information to help breastfeeding mothers return to work.

Learn about the Proper Storage and Preparation of Breastmilk from the CDC.

Ask your provider for a breast pump prescription. Here are just a few locations that supply breast pumps.

A-Med Supplies
Phone: 845-783-6678
Fax: 888-877-7765
Email: info@amedsupplies.com
Breast Pump Prescription Form

Benjamin Pharmacy
Phone: 718-405-9111
Fax: 718-405-9112
Email: benjamin@benjaminspharmacy.com

Landauer-Medstar
Phone: 800-631-3031

Hospital Grade Pumps

Worldwide Surgical
877-605-6005

If you have questions about breastfeeding and COVID-19, visit the CDC website for the most up-to-date information.

If you have questions about breastfeeding and the COVID-19 vaccine, Infantrisk.com has detailed information on COVID-19 Vaccine & Breastfeeding.