FAQ

1. Will I be able to breastfeed?
2. Are my breasts too small?
3. Are my nipples the right shape?
4. Will breastfeeding make my breasts sag?
5. Does breastfeeding take a lot of time?
6. Do I need to follow a special diet?
7. How can I breastfeed comfortably in public?
8. Will my partner be left out?
9. What about my other children?
10. Will I have to show a lot of breast while I am feeding?
11. Will my family members feel comfortable with my breastfeeding?
12. What about going back to work or school?

Top Will I be able to breastfeed?
The most important factor is feeling confident in your ability to breastfeed your baby. Most women are able to breastfeed. When your baby is born, both of you will need to learn how to breastfeed. Give yourself and your baby time. There is no one “right way” to breastfeed. Trust your body. You grew your baby well during pregnancy and now you will continue to do well as you nourish your baby with breastmilk.

Top Are my breasts too small?
The size of a mother’s breasts is not an issue. Big or small, they can produce all the milk your baby needs. Bigger breasts just have more fat tissue. What counts is starting to breastfeed your baby very soon after birth. Remember—the more often you breastfeed well and your baby removes milk from your breasts, the more milk there will be.

Top Are my nipples the right shape?
There is no “right shape.” Some types of nipples may be more difficult for the baby to latch onto, especially in the early feedings. But babies don’t nipple feed: they breastfeed!
Your baby’s suckling will soften and shape the nipple and areola. Babies do most of the work in reshaping the nipple if it is needed. If you have questions, talk to your public health nurse or lactation consultant.

Top Will breastfeeding make my breasts sag?
No. It is the hormones of pregnancy, not breastfeeding, that affect the breasts and may cause them to sag. A good supportive bra helps. Your breasts will return to their normal or near normal size after you stop breastfeeding.

Top Does breastfeeding take a lot of time?
All new mothers’ lives are changed for a time by the demands of a baby, and by being tired. But keep in mind that the first few weeks after childbirth are a time of change, adjustment, and joy. This is true for all new mothers! While you may have heard that breastfeeding “ties you down,” many women actually like it’s flexibility. Unfortunately, some mothers give up breastfeeding in the early weeks before they really “get the hang of it.”. Give it time. This is a very short time in your life. The commitment you make to breastfeeding is important to you and your baby. Try to sleep when your baby sleeps. Accept and/or ask for help with housework and meals from your partner, family and friends.

Top Do I need to follow a special diet?
You don’t need to eat special foods while you’re breastfeeding. Make healthy eating your goal. Healthy eating refers to your eating habits over time, not what you eat every now and then. Use Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating as your guide. If there is a strong history of food allergies in your family, you may want to discuss your eating habits in more detail with your health care provider—for example, a dietitian or nutritionist.

Top How can I breastfeed comfortably in public?
Many women feel uncomfortable with the idea of breastfeeding in front of others or out in public. Be assured that you will learn very easily how to breastfeed in a discreet way. People who are not used to seeing a woman breastfeed may feel uncomfortable at first. But the more exposure they have to breastfeeding will help them to realize that this is a normal way to feed a baby. You have a right to breastfeed anytime and anywhere! You will also gain more confidence with breastfeeding as you become more experienced. Try wearing loose-fitting shirts that can lift up from the waist to make breastfeeding your baby in public easier.
You will be a good role model for other mothers and young people in your community. Breastfeeding in front of family and friends will help educate people about the importance of breastfeeding. You will also help influence the younger generation.

Top Will my partner be left out?
Absolutely not. There are many ways that fathers can be very involved in caring for your baby. They can cuddle, change, burp, rock, provide skin-to-skin contact, massage, read, play and sing to them. These are just a few ways that fathers develop a close relationship with their baby. Early on, while you and your baby are building your milk supply, it’s true that your partner cannot help with feeding. But he still provides much needed support for you and your baby.

Top What about my other children?
Older children will be curious about breastfeeding. They may want your attention and be close by while you are breastfeeding. Make a snack for them before you begin to feed the baby and have them sit next to you to eat it. Encourage them to bring you a book to read or to do some quiet activity. Save special toys for this time. Talk to them about what’s happening while you feed. Assure them that they are loved and important to you. Sometimes older children feel left out or jealous of a new baby. This is normal.
Encourage them to take part in caring for the new baby. Teach them to hold or burp the baby. Ask your child to sing while you change the baby’s diaper and to pass you things you need. Perhaps they could answer the telephone while you are breastfeeding. A positive experience for your children may foster their future decision to breastfeed your grandchildren!

Top Will I have to show a lot of breast while I am feeding?
Many women worry about breastfeeding in public. Think about places you can go to breastfeed in private, if you need to, such as dressing rooms in stores or family areas of malls. You will learn very quickly how to breastfeed comfortably in public. In fact, most women show very little, if any, breast while feeding. Once you get more established with breastfeeding, you will become more confident and at ease. Talk to other mothers about how they’ve coped in public situations.

Top Will my family members feel comfortable with my breastfeeding?
A few women also feel too uncomfortable or embarrassed to breastfeed in front of family and close friends. Your family and close friends may not accept or understand breastfeeding. Remember that many of today’s grandmothers did not breastfeed themselves and they are not familiar with it. The good news is that as more and more women breastfeed, others will see the amazing benefits. Give them time. They will become more at ease with the idea of breastfeeding. Talk to other mothers who have breastfed successfully about this.

Top What about going back to work or school?
Today, many families have parental leave options from six months to one.