Breastfeeding: Introduction
NB: See learning outcomes for this tutorial mapped to competencies, a PDF of the whole text, and a one-page summary.
☞ Why this subject matters...
It is important that pharmacists can support women to make informed decisions about the use of medicines in breastfeeding. You may not be asked about this subject often, but it is necessary to know the basics so that you can advise and support your patients appropriately.Breastfeeding benefits
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Courtesy of Produnis, Wikimedia Commons |
Some of the benefits of breastfeeding, and misconceptions about it, are reviewed by the NHS website, and the La Leche League provides a wealth of information to support breastfeeding mothers. You can watch this short video where specialist midwife Bella Dale explains the practicalities of breastfeeding and what women need to think about when they start to breastfeed for the first time.
However, women need to be careful about taking medicines when they breastfeed, and the rest of the learning materials on this site are concerned with this issue.