Having a newborn baby is hard work. Bending down to pick up things, carrying supplies, changing nappies and breastfeeding all strain your back.

Follow these helpful tips to ensure breastfeeding in the early months are comfortable:

  • Bring the baby to your breast – when you’re feeding you’ll be sitting for extended periods. Put a pillow behind your back to keep it straight and bring your baby to your breast or chest. If you need extra support use pillows on your lap to ease the tension.
  • Switch up your feeding position – Use different positions to give certain muscles a rest. If you think your feeding position might be leading to back pain, try feeding in front of a mirror; seeing your position can help you adjust to ease the pain.
  • Try breastfeeding standing up with a baby carrier – moving around while breastfeeding can ease the pressure on your back.
  • Make sure you find the right baby carrier for you – look for wide, padded shoulder straps, a belt going around your hips to distribute the weight and a carrier where the baby is positioned facing inward and fairly high on your body.
  • If you feel ready try some gentle exercises to restore muscle tone to the abdominal and back muscles, as this will help your body to balance the weight of carrying a new baby.