Your main job as a new mom is to look after both yourself and your new baby, its important as a breast feeding mom you eat correctly and ensure you pass on the correct nutrients to you baby through your breast milk. Drinking plenty of fluids is also important as it prevents you from becoming dehydrated.

Don't try to do everything for yourself. it isn't an admission of failure if you let your family and friends come in and help you with all those tasks such as housework and cooking, and at the end of the day, does it matter if you have a bit of dust or you haven't vacuumed for a couple of days?

If you are concerned about your baby because they have become lethargic or they don't seem to be developing as they should be doing such as gaining weight, it may be time to get some advice from your health visitor midwife or doctor. There is probably a simple explanation for these problems.

The main reason is probably that your baby isn't latched on to your breast as they should be, this problem should be easily remedied by your health visitor or even a breast feeding support group if you have one in your area.

If your baby isn't latching on correctly it can lead to you having sore nipples or mastitis. Some new moms also suffer clogged milk ducts or even breast abscesses if their breasts become engorged with milk. Unfortunately if you get to this stage, you will probably find you have to discontinue breast feeding your baby and commence them on formula milk.


If you do have to discontinue breast feeding your baby and switch them onto formula milk you need to ensure you take adequate precautions to ensure your baby is kept safe.

When buying formula milk, it's important you check the expiration date on the can to ensure the contents are safe to use. You should never feed your baby formula from a can with an expired date. Once opened, it's also a good idea to use the contents within a certain time frame, (this is usually printed on the can). Before opening the can of formula ensure the can isn't dented and check for signs of tampering. (There are some weird people out there)!

Make sure you follow the instructions on the can exactly when mixing the formula, and never be tempted to add a bit more than it says, (You can give your baby colic or constipation).

Watch for signs that your baby is allergic to formula milk, symptoms could include a rash, vomiting, tummy pain and blood in the baby's stool.

Your baby may also suffer from lactose intolerance, this means your baby can't digest sugar and symptoms of this include excessive wind, swelling of the baby's tummy and/or diarrhoea.