Breastfeeding and breast milk
Breastfeeding is the optimal way for a mother to feed her baby. Northern Health supports the following recommendations from Canadian health organizations:
- Exclusively breastfeed infants for the first six months of life (i.e., the infant only receives breast milk without any additional food or drink unless medically indicated);
- Introduce complementary, iron rich, solid foods and other fluids around the age of six months;
- Continue to breastfeed for up to two years and beyond; and
- Infants and toddlers who receive any amount of breast milk be given a daily liquid vitamin D supplement of 400 IU (10 mcg).
This webpage offers a variety of resources about breastfeeding and breast milk for mothers, families, and community partners.
It can be helpful to discuss information found online with health care providers.
We encourage mothers and families to bring copies of information to their appointments, to discuss, and get answers to questions.
Support for breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is a learned skill, one that mothers and babies can master with time, patience, and practice. A little support goes a long way! Women can benefit from support from their families, spouses, and peers. The HealthyFamilies BC blog article "Why it’s important for everyone to support breastfeeding" provides five examples of what you can do to help.
If additional support is needed, there are also professional and community-based supports available.
- Primary and community care interprofessional teams
- Basic breastfeeding support
- Find a health unit or medical clinic close to you
- Contact Northern Health to connect with a Lactation Consultant
- Specialized breastfeeding support
- In-person, telephone, and email support for clients throughout Northern Health
- Phone: 250-565-2327
- Email: NHBreastfeeding@northernhealth.ca
- Hours: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 2 pm
- HealthLink BC
- Basic breastfeeding support from registered nurses
- Call 8-1-1
- If 8-1-1 does not work in your area, call 1-604-215-8110 (this applies to Fort Nelson, Dease Lake, Telegraph Creek, and anywhere else served by NorthwesTel)
- La Leche League
- Peer support
- Located in various communities across Northern Health
- Call National phone line at 1-800-665-4324
- Facebook breastfeeding support group - La Leche League International (LLLI)
- Pregnancy outreach programs
- Basic breastfeeding support
- 24 hour crib side assistance - Dad Central
- How fathers help breastfeeding happen (PDF) - La Leche League Canada
- Support for single parents in the first year - HealthyFamilies BC
- Sustaining breastfeeding together: She can do it, you can help - NH Stories
Resources for breastfeeding
Interested in learning more about breastfeeding? This extensive list of resources is a great place to start!
Apps
- Breastfeeding Buddy - HealthyFamilies BC
Booklets
- Baby’s best chance: Parents’ handbook of pregnancy and baby care (PDF) - Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)
- Breastfeeding for the health and future of our Nation: A booklet for Indigenous families (PDF) - Best Start by Health Nexus
- Our sacred journey: Aboriginal pregnancy passport (PDF) - Perinatal Services BC, BC Ministry of Health, First Nations Health Authority (FNHA)
- Our special journey chart (PDF) - Perinatal Services BC, BC Ministry of Health
- Our special journey: Pregnancy passport (PDF) - Perinatal Services BC, BC Ministry of Health
- Toddler’s first steps: A best chance guide to parenting your 6- to 36-month old (PDF) - Government of BC
Videos
- Baby feeding cues and behaviours - HealthyFamilies BC
- Breastfeeding positions - HealthyFamilies BC
- Hand expressing breastmilk - HealthyFamilies BC
- Latching your baby - HealthyFamilies BC
- Skin-to-skin contact - HealthyFamilies BC
- The Creator’s gift to mothers - Shibogama First Nations Council
- The way of the past is the way of the future: Promoting breastfeeding among First Nations communities - Anishnawbe Mushkiki
Websites
- Breastfeeding - World Health Organization (WHO)
- Breastfeeding info for parents (interactive) - Durham Region Health Department
- Breastfeeding your baby - Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
- HealthLink BC - Government of BC
- Pregnancy and parenting - HealthyFamilies BC
Are you pregnant or know someone who’s expecting? Pregnancy is an important time to learn about what to expect with breastfeeding. Talk to your health care provider about any questions or concerns you may have. Check out the Mother’s Breastfeeding Checklist and the links below to help you get started.
Getting started
- Amazing milk: Made exclusively for babies (PDF) - La Leche League Canada
- Breastfeeding wellness teachings for mothers, families and communities (PDF) - First Nations Health Authority (FNHA)
- Preparing to breastfeed (PDF) - La Leche League Canada
- SmartMom prenatal education texting program (poster) - Northern Health
- Ten great reasons to breastfeed your baby - Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
- Ten valuable tips for successful breastfeeding - Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
Maternal diet and nutrition
- Facts on caffeine - Dietitians of Canada
- Healthy eating during breastfeeding (PDF) - Baby's Best Chance, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)
- Nutrition and breastfeeding: Are we sending the right message? - NH Stories
- Nutrition while breastfeeding - HealthLink BC
- Prenatal nutrition - Northern Health
Substance use and breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding: Tobacco, alcohol and drugs - HealthLink BC
- Feeding your baby: Caffeine, smoking, alcohol, drugs and breastfeeding (PDF) - Baby's Best Chance, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)
- Medicine use while breastfeeding - HealthLink BC
- Mixing alcohol and breastfeeding - Best Start by Health Nexus
- Risks of cannabis on fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and parenting (PDF) - Best Start by Health Nexus
- To quit tobacco/nicotine:
- Prevention of Gestational and Neonatal Exposure to Tobacco Smoke (PREGNETS) - Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
- QuitNow (call toll-free 1-877-455-2233 or text QUITNOW to 654321)
Whether this is your first child or another addition, learning the basics can help you to breastfeed your new baby and the HealthyFamilies BC article "Breastfeeding - Learning the basics" is a great place to start.
Skin-to-skin
In the early postpartum period, skin-to-skin contact with your newborn is important. This allows your baby to have unlimited access to your breast while you begin your breastfeeding journey together.
- Bonding with your newborn - HealthLink BC
- Breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact (video) - HealthyFamilies BC
- Importance of skin-to-skin contact - HealthyFamilies BC
- Why skin-to-skin care is important for your baby's well-being - NH Stories
Effective latching
- Latching your baby (video) - HealthyFamilies BC
- Learning to latch - HealthyFamilies BC
- Thrush and the breastfeeding family (PDF) - La Leche League Canada
Baby behaviour
- Baby care: Swaddling (PDF) - Baby's Best Chance, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)
- Baby feeding cues and behaviours (video) - HealthyFamilies BC
- Breastfeeding in the first three weeks (PDF) - Vancouver Coastal Health
- Breastfeeding My Baby Guide - (one-page chart) - Perinatal Services BC
- Fussy baby ideas (one-page list) - La Leche League International
- How often and how long to feed - HealthyFamilies BC
- Why does my baby cry? (PDF) - La Leche League Canada
Comfortable positions
- Breastfeeding positions - HealthyFamilies BC
- Breastfeeding positions (video) - HealthyFamilies BC
- Laid-back breastfeeding (PDF) - La Leche League International
Co-sleeping and safer infant sleep
- Safer sleep for my baby (PDF) - Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)
Expressing milk
- Breast engorgement - HealthLink BC
- Feeding your baby: Expressing your milk (PDF) - Baby's Best Chance, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)
- Get started on expressing breast milk - HealthyFamiles BC
- Hand expressing breast milk (video) - HealthyFamilies BC
- Hand expression (PDF) - La Leche League International
- Pumping breast milk - HealthyFamiles BC
- Storing breast milk - HealthLink BC
- Storing human milk (PDF) - La Leche League Canada
Milk supply
- Establishing your milk supply (PDF) - La Leche League Canada
- How to know your baby is getting enough milk (PDF) - La Leche League Canada
- Your milk supply - HealthyFamilies BC
Alternative feeding methods
There may be times when feeding directly at the breast is not possible. The following resources highlight alternative feeding methods as options for some families to meet their infant feeding goals. Even though a baby may not be fed directly at the breast, it’s important for a parent/guardian to hold them skin-to-skin during their feeding to promote bonding.
- Alternative feeding methods for newborns (video) - HealthyFamilies BC
- Breastfeeding: It can look different! - NH Stories
- The third option - Exclusive pumping (PDF) - La Leche League NZ
The optimal way for a mother to feed her baby is with her own breast milk. Sometimes, when a mother’s milk is unavailable, babies need donated human milk. Learn more below.
- BC Women’s Provincial Milk Bank - BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre
- Donating milk in BC (including UHNBC) - BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre
- Human milk banking: Getting breast milk to the babies that need it most - NH Stories
- Information for families: Informal (peer-to-peer) milk sharing (PDF) - Perinatal Services BC
Some babies need a little bit more help with breastfeeding. Here are some resources for families with babies who have unique needs.
Adoption and breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding an adopted baby - La Leche League International
Breastfeeding after Caesarean
- Breastfeeding after a C-section - HealthLink BC
- Breastfeeding your baby after a Caesarean birth (video) - Trillium Health Partners
Breastfeeding after surgery
- Breastfeeding after breast surgery - HealthLink BC
Cleft lip and palate
- Breastfeeding a baby with a cleft lip or palate - La Leche League Canada
Down syndrome
- Breastfeeding a baby with Down syndrome (PDF) - Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS)
Prematurity
- Breastfeeding your early preterm baby (PDF) - Best Start by Health Nexus
- Premature infant - HealthLink BC
- Tips for breastfeeding preterm babies - HealthyFamilies BC
Twins, triplets and more
- Breastfeeding multiple infants - HealthLink BC
- Breastfeeding multiples (PDF) - British Columbia Reproductive Care Program (BCRCP)
- Special issues with multiple births - HealthyFamilies BC
- Tips for breastfeeding twins (PDF) - La Leche League Canada
- Twins, triplets and more (PDF) - Baby's Best Chance, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)
While your baby may start to explore solid foods at about six months, continued breastfeeding is recommended for two years and beyond. Learn what other mothers have to say in the NH Stories article "Sustaining breastfeeding together". Many mothers continue breastfeeding their toddlers even during new pregnancies and in tandem with newborns. This section includes resources for you and your growing child!
Breastfeeding during painful experiences
- Breastfeed to minimize vaccination pain (video) - Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)
- It doesn’t have to hurt: The power of a parent’s touch (video) - Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH)
- Reduce your infant’s pain during newborn blood tests (video) - Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)
Breastfeeding during pregnancy and tandem breastfeeding
- A realistic look at tandem breastfeeding: One family’s experience - NH Stories
- Breastfeeding during pregnancy (PDF) - Government of Nova Scotia
- Breastfeeding during pregnancy and tandem nursing - La Leche League International
- Breastfeeding your newborn and an older child - HealthLink BC
- Tandem breastfeeding: Strengthening family connections - NH Stories
Breastfeeding a toddler
- Breastfeeding your toddler (PDF) - Government of BC
- Juggling the joys (and challenges) of breastfeeding my toddler - NH Stories
- With strings attached - HealthyFamilies BC
Nutrition
- Nutrition for toddlers and preschools - Northern Health
- Nutrition in the first year - Northern Health
Returning to work
Breastfeeding is a human right. Did you know that BC employers are required to accommodate your breastfeeding needs, such as providing adequate breaks and a comfortable space for you to pump and/or breastfeed your baby? Share these resources with your employer and discuss how they can support you to meet your breastfeeding goals.
- Breastfeeding and returning to work - HealthyFamilies BC
- Breastfeeding at work - HealthLink BC
- Work and breastfeeding (PDF) - Best Start by Health Nexus
Weaning
- Weaning - HealthLink BC
- Weaning your child from breastfeeding - Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS)
- When your toddler stops breastfeeding (PDF) - Government of BC
Does your community program work closely with women, young children, and families? This is a great place to learn more about how you can support breastfeeding mothers in your community. Check out the Mother’s Breastfeeding Checklist and the links below to help you get started.
Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI)
Pregnant women and families are vulnerable to advertising tactics that may not be in their best interests. The Baby-Friendly Initiative acknowledges that breastfeeding is the healthiest choice for mothers and infants, and those families need to be supported to make informed feeding decisions without the influence of formula marketing.
- Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) - World Health Organization (WHO)
- Our baby-friendly pledge for families (PDF) - Northern Health
- The Baby-Friendly Initiative: Strengthening Indigenous families and communities (video) - BFI Strategy Ontario
- Who benefits from Baby-Friendly? - Breastfeeding Committee for Canada (BCC)
- Who is the BCC? - Breastfeeding Committee for Canada (BCC)
Celebrate Breastfeeding Week
- Breastfeeding Week, October 1-7 - BC Baby-Friendly Network
- History of the Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge - Quintessence Foundation
- Invitation to join the Breastfeeding Challenge - Quintessence Foundation
Create breastfeeding-friendly spaces
- Breastfeeding Welcome (poster) - Perinatal Services BC
- Breastfeeding: A cultural approach can make all the difference - NH Stories
- Breastfeeding-friendly spaces (business decal) - Northern Health
- Breastfeeding-friendly spaces: Make breastfeeding your business - NH Stories
- Breastfeeding-friendly spaces: Shifting attitudes about breastfeeding - NH Stories
- Humans rights in British Columbia: Sex discrimination and sexual harassment (PDF) - Government of BC
Explore breastfeeding education
- Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) online training - Step 2 Education International
General resources for community programs
- British Columbia Lactation Consultants Association (BCLCA)
- Professional resources: Breastfeeding - Perinatal Services BC
- Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding: A practical workbook for community-based programs - Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
- Safe Infant Sleep Toolkit - Safe Sleep Cards and Guide - First Nations Health Authority (FNHA)