Advice & Tips
Parenting can be hard work, and pregnant mums and new mothers sometimes need a little bit of extra help from other mums who know what they’re going through. Breastmates has created a special resource section filled with tried and tested parenting tips, common-sense advice on pregnancy and motherhood, unbiased help with infant feeding, and expert answers to your most important questions. Being a mum is the most important job you’ll ever do, and Breastmates cares about helping you to enjoy being a mum without the stress.
Whether you’re planning a home birth or hospital birth, a natural labour or C-section, a hypnobirth or water birth, or you want to know more about assisted labour, birth interventions, or just need to know what your birth options are, we’ve got a story to tell you! Wonderful mums have shared their birth stories for you to read and learn from. In their own words, these birth stories from real mums will touch your heart.
The most natural way to feed your new baby is breastfeeding, but where do you begin? Learning to breastfeed comes naturally to some mums, but others need a bit of help – and that’s why we’re here. We’ve compiled the most practical, useful information about breastfeeding, including help increasing milk supply, what to do about mastitis, nipple care and engorgement, and general help with establishing breastfeeding.
Many mums bottle-feed their babies, and we know how hard it is to find unbiased information about giving your baby a bottle. We’ve put together a comprehensive resource on bottle-feeding, including tips on establishing bottle-feeding, what equipment you’ll need to bottle-feed, how to mix formula, how to sterilise and clean your bottles, and advice from bottle-feeding mums to give you confidence and reassurance.
Pregnancy is such a special time! Whether you’re a first-time expectant mum or you’ve been there, done that, our special pregnancy section has information on conception and pregnancy, help finding a midwife, advice on maternity bras, and even a gallery of pregnant belly photos to show you what to expect from your growing bump! If you’re pregnant or planning to be, we’ve got lots of advice and help for you.
Bringing home a newborn can be a bit daunting. We’re here to help you prepare for parenthood and tell you what to expect from your newborn. What’s normal newborn behaviour, and when should you worry? What baby products do you really need? What do you need to know about newborn sleep and crying? And what’s the deal with those newborn poos? From newborn nappies to how to bathe your new baby, we’ve got you covered.
Reading another mum’s honest, heartfelt story of motherhood is inspiring and comforting. It’s so helpful to know other mothers have been through what we’re facing! Our special collection of stories from real mums covers breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, postnatal depression, baby loss and miscarriage, feeding tips for plus-size mums, and beautiful photos of mums breastfeeding their babies. Say it with us: “Awwww!”
Breastfeeding and expressing breast milk are two totally different actions, and many mums struggle with expressing breast milk. We’ve got comprehensive advice on how to choose a breast pump, everything you need to know about expressing breast milk, what equipment you need to successfully pump milk, how to overcome common problems with expressing, and how to safely store your expressed breast milk.
When should you start your baby on solids? What’s the ideal first food for baby, and how can you get them to try new foods? How do you know if your baby is ready to start solids, and how does breastfeeding fit into the picture? If your baby is four to six months old and you think it’s time to introduce solids to their diet, or you’re thinking of weaning your baby from breastfeeding or dropping a feed, we’re here to help.
You become a parent the moment you find out you’re pregnant, but parenting is a journey you learn about and practise along the way! Check out our practical advice on budget-friendly meals your family will love, everything you ever wanted to know about toddlers, and what being a dad is all about. Dads, you’ll love our “sealed section” containing a men-only guide to lingerie, and find out how having a baby will change your sex life!