Breastfeeding and infant feeding support in Nepean Blue Mountains

The information and advice on this page is specifically designed for families wishing to breastfeed and or express breast milk for their baby.

Newborn baby on mother's chest
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Breastfeeding support at Nepean Blue Mountains LHD

At Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, you are supported through your breastfeeding journey from antenatal to postnatal.

After your baby arrives you can access support through:

  • your midwife
  • your child and family health nurse and feeding clinics
  • a clinical midwifery consultant in infant feeding
  • Nepean hospital postnatal
  • Blue Mountains hospital maternity
  • Lithgow hospital maternity

Contact your midwife or local hospital to arrange an appointment with a clinic or consultant. Use the Service Directory search below for contact information.

It is important to book into a breastfeeding or antenatal class early in pregnancy as they are very popular and fill fast. Your support person is also welcome to attend.

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Use our Service Directory to find a health service near you.

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About breastfeeding

Breastmilk is the natural food for your baby and gives your baby the best start in life!

Breastmilk is easy to digest and contains all the necessary nutrients to help your baby grow. Your breastmilk is the complete food for your baby and your baby won’t need any other food or drink for the first six months of life.

From the age of six months, your infant should begin eating safe and adequate complementary foods, while continuing to breastfeed for up to two years and beyond.

Breastfeeding health benefits for you and your baby

Breast milk helps your baby’s brain development. It also helps protect your baby against a range of infections and illnesses such as:

  • asthma
  • obesity
  • diabetes
  • ear and respiratory infections
  • gastrointestinal infections 
  • some childhood cancers 
  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Breastfeeding will help you bond with your baby and will help reduce your risk of:

  • ovarian cancer 
  • breast cancer 
  • osteoporosis.
What do I need to know about breastfeeding?

Learning about breastfeeding can help your confidence. The antenatal period is the best time to learn about breastfeeding. Your midwife or doctor can discuss any questions you may have.

Before your baby arrives you can access support through:

  • your midwife
  • Nepean hospital antenatal clinic
  • Blue Mountains hospital maternity
  • Lithgow hospital maternity
  • a clinical midwifery consultant in infant feeding

Free antenatal breastfeeding sessions are held regularly at Nepean hospital. We recommend you book in by around 28 weeks of pregnancy. Your support person is welcome to attend. 

Make a booking through the Antenatal clinic in person or by phone on 02 4734 2373. 

Breastfeeding information sessions cover:

  • how to breastfeed 
  • your first breastfeed
  • responding to your baby’s feeding cues 
  • how do I know my baby is getting enough milk 
  • antenatal expressing
  •  where to get help if you need it.

For detailed information download the information sheet.

 

File

Download NBMLHD Antenatal breastfeeding information sessions (PDF 175.01KB)

 

Recommended videos

Information sheets

The first hour, the first feed

After the birth, it is important that your baby is placed skin to skin contact with you for at least one hour or until after the first feed.  

Skin to skin contact means that your baby is placed naked on your skin between your breasts with a towel or blanket placed over both of you. This keeps baby warm and if left undisturbed, most babies will make their way to the breast and start feeding.  

Your midwife will support you with positioning your baby for skin to skin contact. Your baby’s head should be free to move, and their nose should not be covered.  

Skin to skin contact is important for both you and your baby and will help get breastfeeding off to a great start.

Skin to skin contact benefits for your baby include:  

  • regulates your baby’s heart rate, temperature, and blood sugar
  • helps trigger feeding instincts in your baby  
  • helps calm your baby  
  • assists with breastfeeding.

Skin to skin benefits for you include:

  • release of hormones that are important for breastfeeding  
  • helping you learn your baby’s feeding cues  
  • helping you bond with your baby  
  • reducing the risk of bleeding too much.  

Recommended videos

Information sheet

Early breastfeeds 

The first hours and days after your baby’s birth are the beginning of new relationship between you and your baby. Like any new relationship, it takes time and practice to feel comfortable with each other and for you to feel comfortable feeding your baby.  

If your baby has breastfed well after birth, your baby may not want to feed again for several hours. It is still important to have as much skin to skin contact with your baby in the first 48 hours until they are attaching and feeding well. This provides your baby with easy access to your breasts and lots of opportunity to breastfeed.  

In the first few days after birth, your body is producing the first milk, called colostrum. Colostrum is thick, sticky, highly nutritious and helps build a strong immune system.

You may notice your breasts become fuller around days two to four. This is often referred to as your ‘milk coming in’. It’s a sign your milk is transitioning and increasing in amounts. Regular and frequent feeding will help to establish your milk supply.  

Learning to recognise your baby’s feeding cues helps you know when your baby is ready to feed. The number of feeds your baby has over the first few days may increase. Your baby may feed 8-12 times in a 24-hour period.  

Recommended videos

Information sheets

Breastfeeding your baby in the nursery

Breastfeeding is best for all babies, especially those born prematurely or sick. 

If your baby is sick or has been born early, your breast milk helps your baby to fight infections and grow. Breast milk also reduces the risk of gut problems such as necrotising enterocolitis. 

Recommended video 

Information sheet

Breastfeeding support

Your midwife or doctor can answer any questions in the antenatal period. If you’ve had previous breastfeeding issues or have any concerns, we recommend talking to your midwife at your antenatal appointment.

They may suggest our antenatal breastfeeding class or refer you the clinical midwifery consultant in infant feeding for further support.  

After you've had your baby, the midwives and nurses on the maternity ward will help you and provide further information about feeding your baby.

Where can I get help after discharge from hospital? 

Hospital midwives

Midwives are available to answer questions via phone for up to two weeks after the birth of your baby. 

Call the relevant maternity ward on:

Midwifery@Home service

Midwifery@Home is a follow up support service provided by Nepean Hospital for you and your baby for the first two weeks after birth.

For detailed information download the information sheet.

 

File

Download NBMP 054 - Midwifery at Home Service (PDF 171.82KB)
Child and Family Health nurses

Child and Family Health nurses provide community-based health services to families with children aged 0-5years. They offer:

  • health and development checks
  • infant feeding support
  • sleeping support
  • parent/ carer support
  • links to other services.  

Child and Family Health nurses offer services at: 

For detailed information download the information sheet.

 

File

Download NBMP-111 Child and family health nurses (PDF 806.19KB)

 Other support services

Recommended videos

Additional resources

Below are additional resources that may be helpful. 

Websites

Information sheets

Recommended videos

Expressing

Challenges

Top tips

Introducing family foods

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