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New mothers may find that breastfeeding is a tiring experience.
They need to be reassured that it is all right to limit visitors
until the baby is two to three weeks of age.
If family members are coming to visit they should be encouraged to
provide help that the mother needs.
This may include caring for the
other children, cooking and keeping house.
Fathers need to be reassured that they have a role in the new family by
supporting the mother and the new baby.
Fathers can help with older children, with cooking, clean up,
or bringing home take-out food.
Once breastfeeding is well established (by 3 to 4 weeks of age)
the father, grandparents or older
siblings can give an occasional bottle to a breastfed baby.
This can be pumped breast milk or it can be formula.
All new breastfeeding mothers should have a breast pump available
or know how to do hand expression.
If they are planning to pump regularly,
an electric breast pump may be preferable.
Pumped milk can be saved in the refrigerator or in the freezer and fed
to the baby later.
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