The Breastfeeding Guide for Mothers

The Breastfeeding Guide for Mothers

A practical, evidence-informed guide to understanding breastfeeding, positioning, attachment and your baby's feeding mechanics.

Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn't mean it always comes naturally.

Understanding how your baby actually breastfeeds can change the way you approach positioning, attachment, milk transfer and common breastfeeding challenges.

The Breastfeeding Guide for Mothers was created to help you understand the mechanics behind breastfeeding and feel more confident navigating your feeding journey.

Inside the guide, you'll learn:

• How babies breastfeed, including the reflexes and innate behaviours that guide feeding
• Why positioning matters for attachment, comfort and effective milk transfer
• Seated breastfeeding, including practical positioning techniques to support a comfortable feed
• How small micro-movements and alignment adjustments can change the way your baby feeds
• Breastfeeding in bed, for comfortable night feeds
• How often babies breastfeed 
• Cue-based feeding, including how to recognise your baby's early hunger and fullness cues
• Colostrum, including expressing, storing and feeding colostrum in the early days
• The first few days of breastfeeding, including what to expect as you and your baby learn together
• The importance of skin-to-skin contact and how it supports early breastfeeding
• Breastfeeding a preterm baby and considerations for supporting feeding when your baby arrives early
• Breastfeeding and reflux, including practical strategies that may help with unsettled or uncomfortable feeds
• Lactose overload and breastfeeding oversupply, including how milk flow and supply can contribute to digestive discomfort
• Burping, including when your baby may or may not need to be burped
• Tongue ties and breastfeeding, including what to look at before considering a tongue-tie release
• How to bottle feed, including paced and responsive bottle feeding
• Breastfeeding: what to avoid, including common advice and practices that may not support a comfortable, responsive breastfeeding relationship
• Breastfeeding FAQs, answering some of the questions mothers commonly have in the early days and throughout their breastfeeding journey
• A postnatal pathology letter to take to your GP to support a more comprehensive assessment of your nutritional status and postpartum recovery

This guide is for mothers who are:

• Preparing to breastfeed and want to feel informed before their baby arrives
• Expecting their first baby and want to understand how breastfeeding actually works
• Had a challenging breastfeeding journey before and want to feel better prepared this time
• Navigating breastfeeding in the early days and looking for practical guidance
• Experiencing nipple pain, latch or positioning challenges
• Unsure whether their baby is transferring milk effectively
• Been told their baby has a tongue tie that may be affecting breastfeeding and want to better understand the mechanics before making decisions
• Wanting to understand breastfeeding biomechanics and what is happening during a feed
• Looking for practical positioning guidance that goes beyond simply "get a deeper latch"
• Trying to help a fussy or uncomfortable baby feed more comfortably and effectively
• Combination feeding or introducing bottles and wanting to maintain responsive feeding
• Wanting a deeper understanding of responsive breastfeeding and how to respond to their baby's cues

The Breastfeeding Guide for Mothers gives you the knowledge to better understand your baby's feeding, make informed decisions and approach breastfeeding with greater confidence.

Digital download | Read at your own pace

This guide is an educational resource and does not replace individual assessment or personalised breastfeeding support where required.