Understanding breast-feeding: how to offer practical help

Abstract Breast-feeding is a learned skill and the establishment of successful breastfeeding cannot be assumed to occur easily for all women. Ideally, breast-feeding education should start in the antenatal period. Practical assistance is essential following birth in order to ensure that a baby is breast-feeding well prior to discharge. Unfortunately, it is common for mothers to be discharged before breast-feeding difficulties have been diagnosed leaving healthcare professionals with the task of rectifying feeding problems. Inadequate intake of breast milk may be caused by a number of factors that may centre on the baby, the mother or breast-feeding management. A systematic history should be taken to identify any underlying problems, and resources must be available to provide skilled breast-feeding support. What a mother learns in hospital about breast-feeding and the quality of that experience will affect her breast-feeding skills for a long time and will strongly influence how she feeds her future children.