Breastfeeding and cuddles with mum and partner are a big comfort to little people out in the big world.
Responding to your baby keeps their stress levels low and raises levels of the love hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin helps calm your baby and makes them feel secure and loved. It's also a fertiliser for the brain, helping your baby's brain to grow.
Breastfed babies cannot be overfed so you can use breastfeeding to soothe your baby and as a way of spending time together, or having a rest whenever you both want.
Keep me calm, grow my brain
Before baby arrives
- How do I prepare to breastfeed?
- What can I do to get breastfeeding off to the best start?
- How to keep baby calm and help grow their brain
- What do I need to breastfeed?
- Why breastfeed?
- Common myths
- Should I harvest colostrum before my baby is born?
- How can I tell breastfeeding is going well?
- For younger parents thinking about breastfeeding
Early days
Challenges
What's next?
Tara and baby Casey, from Canterbury
"Breastfeeding is the hardest but most rewarding thing I have ever done. I’m so pleased that I found support when I needed it to help me give my baby the best start."