About breastfeeding
Western Sydney Local Health District recommends exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age. At around six months start nutritious family foods, together with continuing breastfeeding until two years and beyond.
You will receive breastfeeding information when you book into the hospital. We recommend that all women and families attend breastfeeding education during pregnancy. For concerns about feeding your baby, speak with your midwife or doctor. If needed, they can refer you to the breastfeeding team during your pregnancy at Auburn, Blacktown or Westmead Hospitals.
Breastfeeding information
Breastfeeding takes time to learn for both you and your baby. These resources will help you feel more confident. In this section, you’ll find easy-to-read factsheets on:
- Getting started with breastfeeding
- Expressing and storing breastmilk
- Common breastfeeding challenges
- Breastfeeding in the special care nursery
The early days of breastfeeding are about:
- You and your baby getting to know each other
- Finding your rhythm together
- Recovering from the birth
With guidance and reassurance, you can approach this time with confidence.
In Western Sydney, we:
- Recommend placing baby in skin to skin contact immediately after birth. This allows time for bonding and preventing unnecessary separation (no matter how you choose to feed baby). Make sure your baby’s nose is free to breathe.
- Recommend you keep baby close whenever you can, so you learn to recognise and respond to baby’s feeding cues
- Support you to feed your baby whenever needed
- Provide information on signs that your baby is getting enough milk
- Support you to work through any breastfeeding problem
- Recommend that you avoid giving your baby anything other than breastmilk, unless there is a medical reason.
- Recommend that you do not feed your baby with teats or use a dummy (pacifiers). They can make learning to breastfeed more difficult for baby
- Link you and your family to support services after discharge. Such as child and family health nursing services and organisations such as the Australian Breastfeeding Association
- Provide a culturally safe place for all families
- If you and your baby are separated, we will help you to build your milk supply by expressing breast milk until you can be reunited with your baby
Factsheets
How your breasts make milk factsheet
Breastfeeding and contraception - Progesterone Only Pill [POP]
Multicultural information
Breastfeeding your baby (NSW Health)
'How breastfeeding works’ booklets in languages
Useful links
Australian Breastfeeding Association
Breastfeeding your baby (NSW Health)
Breastfeeding: getting a good attachment
Videos
Expressing and storing breastmilk can support your breastfeeding journey and is very important if you are separated from your baby. Learning safe and effective ways to express, store, and handle breastmilk can help you feel confident that your baby continues to receive the benefits of breastmilk whenever direct breastfeeding isn’t possible.
Factsheets
Expressing breast milk for your baby in the nursery
Hand expressing of colostrum (the first milk) during pregnancy factsheet
Useful links
Expressing and storing breastmilk
Videos
Breastfeeding is the ideal way to feed your baby, but it can come with challenges. This section provides evidence-based information to help you understand some breastfeeding challenges and how to access the right support when you need it.
Factsheets
Breastfeeding after an MRI, CT or VQ scan
Breastfeeding and having surgery
Breastfeeding with Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C
Breast hypoplasia (reduced breast tissue) factsheet
Medication to dry up breastmilk (Lactation Suppression)
Stopping Breastfeeding (Lactation Suppression)
Tongue Tie – Information for families
Using Domperidone to increase breastmilk production
When baby is not breastfeeding well
Useful links
Videos
Breastfeeding is very important if your baby is in special care or neonatal intensive care nursery. Because your baby cannot be with you straight away, a midwife will help you express colostrum (the first milk) for your baby within the first hours after birth.
Factsheets
Breastfeeding in the neonatal nursery
Expressing breast milk for your baby in the nursery (PDF 439.83KB)
Kangaroo care for premature babies in NICU (PDF 623.32KB)
Useful links
Breastfeeding premature babies in the NICU
Breastfeeding your premature baby
Breastfeeding support
We recommend that all women and families attend breastfeeding education during pregnancy. For concerns about feeding your baby, speak with your midwife or doctor. If needed, they can refer you to the breastfeeding team during your pregnancy at Auburn, Blacktown or Westmead Hospitals.
We offer supportive, evidence-based breastfeeding education for parents-to-be. Our programs have a strong focus on positive preparation and building confidence before your baby arrives.
Our sessions gently guide you through what to expect, how breastfeeding works, and how to get off to the best possible start, so you feel informed, supported, and ready. To find out more or book online - click the buttons below.
Blacktown breastfeeding workshops
Westmead breastfeeding workshops
Learn more about childbirth and parenting education in western Sydney.
After you leave hospital, ongoing breastfeeding support is available across Western Sydney to help you feel confident and supported at home. Families can access free support from local Child and Family Health nurses. You can also contact trusted services such as the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) and Lactation Consultants Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ), who provide evidence-based breastfeeding advice and care in the community.
To find out more about free breastfeeding support and information and the services our Child and Family Health nurses offer, contact:
Doonside Community Health Centre: (02) 8670 3300
Merrylands Community Health Centre: (02) 9860 9800
The Hills Community Health Centre: (02) 8853 4500
Factsheets
Useful links
Australian Breastfeeding Association – speak to a breastfeeding counsellor for free
Lactation Consultants Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) – for a lactation consultant near you
Local Child and Family Health Centres
MotherSafe Phone 1800 647 848 - A free service providing counselling on medications and exposures while breastfeeding.
Australian Breastfeeding Association Information
Speak to qualified breastfeeding counsellors anytime, day or night: Call 1800 686 268 If you need an interpreter, call 131 450. State the language you need and ask them to dial 1800 686 268 To connect with local mums or use the Live Chat function visit the website. |
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