Breastfeeding Resources for New Moms: Trusted Support, Tips & Tools
- Aug 28
- 7 min read
Breastfeeding can come with a lot of questions.
Is my baby getting enough milk? How long can pumped breast milk stay in the refrigerator? Is a medication safe while breastfeeding? How should I prepare to pump when I return to work? And when is it time to reach out to a lactation professional?
While your pediatrician, OB/GYN, midwife, or lactation consultant should be your first resource for concerns specific to you or your baby, there are also several trusted organizations that provide reliable breastfeeding education and support.
We’ve gathered some of our favorite breastfeeding resources in one place so you can bookmark this page and come back whenever you need it.
La Leche League: Breastfeeding Education and Peer Support
La Leche League International has supported breastfeeding families for decades and offers breastfeeding and human milk feeding information as well as access to local support.
Their resources cover topics including:
Getting breastfeeding started
Milk supply
Latching and positioning
Pumping and expressing milk
Breastfeeding challenges
Weaning
Returning to work
Finding local breastfeeding support
La Leche League Leaders are trained volunteer peer counselors who have personal breastfeeding experience and provide support to families.
National Women's Health and Breastfeeding Helpline
Sometimes you simply need someone to help point you toward the right information.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health operates the National Women's Health and Breastfeeding Helpline.
Phone: 1-800-994-9662
Hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Eastern Time
The helpline can provide breastfeeding information and resources, although it does not diagnose medical conditions or provide medical treatment.
The Office on Women's Health also has an extensive online breastfeeding resource center covering common breastfeeding challenges, pumping, milk storage, breastfeeding at work, and more.
InfantRisk Center: Medication Safety During Breastfeeding
One of the most common questions breastfeeding parents have is:
“Can I take this medication while breastfeeding?”
The InfantRisk Center at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center specializes in medication safety during pregnancy and lactation.
Parents and healthcare providers can contact the InfantRisk Center with questions about prescription medications, over-the-counter medications and other exposures during breastfeeding.
InfantRisk Center Helpline: 1-806-352-2519
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Central Time
Because medication decisions depend on factors such as the medication, dosage, age and health of the infant, parents should also discuss medication decisions with their own healthcare provider and their baby's pediatrician.
Visit: InfantRisk Center
MommyMeds: Medication Information on Your Phone
The InfantRisk Center also offers MommyMeds, an app designed for pregnant and breastfeeding parents.
The app allows parents to search thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications and review information about medication use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. One especially convenient feature allows users to scan the barcode of many over-the-counter medications while shopping.
It can be a helpful resource when you are standing in the pharmacy aisle wondering whether a particular cold, allergy, pain, or other medication is compatible with breastfeeding.
Learn more: InfantRisk Center Resources & MommyMeds
Medication information from an app should complement—not replace—a conversation with your healthcare provider when you have questions about your individual situation.
CDC Breastfeeding Resources
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains extensive breastfeeding guidance for families.
The CDC is particularly useful when you need clear information about:
Pumping breast milk
Cleaning breast pump equipment
Storing expressed milk
Traveling with breast milk
Returning to work
Infant feeding recommendations
For parents who pump, one CDC resource is especially worth bookmarking:
Breast Milk Storage: The 4-4-6 Guideline
There is a lot of conflicting breast milk storage information online. The CDC's current recommendations are a reliable resource to keep handy.
For freshly expressed breast milk from a healthy, full-term infant, remember:
4 hours — Room temperatureFreshly expressed milk can generally remain at room temperature (77°F or colder) for up to 4 hours.
4 days — RefrigeratorFresh breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator at 40°F or colder for up to 4 days.
6 months — Freezer is bestFrozen breast milk is best used within approximately 6 months, although storage for up to 12 months is considered acceptable when kept at 0°F or colder.
A few other helpful storage reminders:
Label milk with the date it was expressed.
Store milk toward the back of the refrigerator or freezer rather than in the door.
Freeze milk in smaller portions to help prevent waste.
Thaw the oldest milk first.
Never microwave breast milk.
Once frozen milk has completely thawed in the refrigerator, use it within 24 hours.
Once breast milk has been warmed or brought to room temperature, use it within 2 hours.
Do not refreeze breast milk after it has completely thawed.
If your baby does not finish a bottle, leftover breast milk should generally be used within 2 hours after the feeding ends.
You can review the complete, updated recommendations directly from the CDC Breast Milk Storage and Preparation Guidelines.
WIC Breastfeeding Support
The USDA's WIC Breastfeeding Support website is another excellent—and often overlooked—resource.
You do not have to wait until you are struggling to learn about breastfeeding. Their website provides practical information about:
Breastfeeding basics
Building and maintaining milk supply
Pumping
Common breastfeeding challenges
Breastfeeding in public
Returning to work or school
Finding breastfeeding support
Their returning-to-work resources are especially helpful for parents trying to figure out how breastfeeding will fit into a workday.
Visit: WIC Breastfeeding Support
Breastfeeding and Going Back to Work
Returning to work can be one of the biggest transitions for a breastfeeding parent.
Ideally, start planning before your first day back.
The CDC and Office on Women's Health recommend thinking ahead about where and when you will pump, how breast milk will be stored, how much milk your baby may need while you are separated, and how your baby's caregiver will handle expressed milk.
Before returning to work, consider:
Becoming comfortable with your pump before your first day back
Allowing your baby time to practice taking expressed milk from another caregiver
Talking with your employer about pumping breaks
Identifying a private space to pump
Determining where milk can be refrigerated or safely stored
Creating a plan for cleaning and storing pump parts
Talking with your childcare provider about feeding and breast milk storage
WIC has an entire guide dedicated to this transition:
The Office on Women's Health also provides a detailed guide:
Know Your Pumping Rights at Work
Breastfeeding parents should also know that federal law provides workplace protections for many nursing employees.
Under the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, most nursing employees are entitled to reasonable break time to express breast milk and access to a private space that is shielded from view, free from intrusion, and not a bathroom.
Federal protections generally apply for up to one year after the child's birth.
Because individual employment situations can differ, the U.S. Department of Labor is the best resource for current information about these protections.
Find an IBCLC Lactation Consultant
Online resources are helpful, but sometimes breastfeeding concerns require someone to actually observe a feeding.
An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) can provide individualized assessment and support for concerns such as:
Painful breastfeeding
Difficulty latching
Concerns about milk transfer
Low milk supply
Oversupply
Recurrent plugged ducts or mastitis concerns
Pumping difficulties
Bottle refusal
Feeding premature or medically complex infants
Returning to work while breastfeeding
The United States Lactation Consultant Association offers a directory to help families locate an IBCLC.
Find an IBCLC: United States Lactation Consultant Association Directory
You can also ask your pediatrician, OB/GYN, midwife, hospital, or birthing center for local lactation recommendations.
Breastfeeding USA: Peer-to-Peer Support
Sometimes the support you need isn't necessarily a medical appointment. You may simply want to talk with another experienced breastfeeding parent.
Breastfeeding USA provides evidence-based, peer-to-peer breastfeeding support through trained volunteer Breastfeeding Counselors.
Families may be able to connect with counselors through local chapters, phone, email, online meetings, or other community resources.
Find support: Find a Breastfeeding USA Counselor
When to Reach Out for Professional Help
Breastfeeding shouldn't feel like something you have to figure out entirely on your own.
Contact your baby's pediatrician, your healthcare provider, or a qualified lactation professional if you are concerned about your baby's feeding, hydration, weight gain, your milk supply, significant nipple or breast pain, signs of infection, or anything else that doesn't feel right.
Seek prompt medical evaluation for concerning symptoms in either you or your baby rather than relying on online breastfeeding resources.
Breastfeeding Resources for New Moms to Keep Handy
The early postpartum weeks can feel like a constant cycle of feeding, burping, changing, pumping, washing bottles and trying to sleep somewhere in between.
You don't need to memorize every breastfeeding recommendation.
Save the resources you trust.
Quick Breastfeeding Resource List
Breastfeeding education & peer support:
National breastfeeding helpline:
1-800-994-9662
Medication and breastfeeding questions:
InfantRisk Center: 1-806-352-2519
Medication reference app:
Breast milk storage:
Returning to work:
Workplace pumping rights:
Find a lactation consultant:
Peer breastfeeding support:
Support Beyond Feeding
Feeding your baby is only one part of the postpartum experience.
Rest, recovery, confidence and having knowledgeable support during the newborn period matter too. Postpartum Network provides RN-led overnight newborn care to help families navigate those early weeks with experienced support in the home.
Whether you are exclusively breastfeeding, pumping, combination feeding, or using formula, our goal is to support your family's feeding plan while helping you get the rest you need.
Need more support during the newborn stage? Learn more about Postpartum Network's Overnight Newborn Care services or contact our team to discuss availability.
This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace individualized medical advice from your healthcare provider or your baby's pediatrician.
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