Helplines for advice on Breastfeeding

We know that support groups aren't for everyone! Sometimes a phone call can be all you need to still many of your worries & endless questions.  If you think a phone call with a well-trained Breastfeeding Counsellor would help, do make a call to one of the numbers below.


In the local Flintshire area, do call the Flintshire Peer Support Program number:

 01244 545021

As well as answering questions about breastfeeding, they can also tell you about the support groups in your area and put you in touch with a Peer Supporter or more highly qualified advice suited to your situation.  The phone also has an answerphone which is checked regularly, but this is an office so please don't expect instant help outside office hours.

If you are not in the Flintshire area, try typing this into Goggle -  "Breastfeeding Support", and the name of your county. Your local LLL group can be found here.

Also the website for the Scottish National Helpline is worth a look - www.feedgoodfactor.org.uk.

New National Helpline
A national helpline for Breastfeeding in the UK, with some funding from the Dept of Health. It was launched in February 2008, but doesn't seem to be very well advertised.
The calls you make are diverted to the home of an ABM or BfN counsellor (as near as possible to your local area). There is a (very small) charge - 0300 means that it costs the same as a normal local call, so it can even be free if you get free calltime.

The phone number is:   0300 100 0212

Also a news article about a DVD which will be given out to pregnant Mums.

You can also find phone helplines through the following pages (just a selection in the list below). Most of these helplines are staffed by volunteers who are in their own homes, so do follow the guidelines about when to call.

BUT FIRST - do look at their advice notes published elsewhere on the sites - it may be that the answer to your Q's are already there!
These lines are staffed by volunteers, often mothers of small children, so it’s not always possible for them to have a long conversation with you at the time you ring. But rest assured, they are very keen to help you (after all, they’ve spent a long time training to be breastfeeding counsellors) and if you leave a message, somebody will ring you back. You are not putting them out, you are not being a nuisance and they DO want to help you, so, please, if you need help, ring them. (But follow the guidance over times suitable for calls.)

• La Leche League GB www.laleche.org.uk  - it's pronounced La Lay-chay. LLL-GB have a helpform service, too - you can ask away there and be answered by email.
• Association of Breastfeeding Mothers www.abm.me.uk  - 08444 122 949 till ~9.30pm
• Breastfeeding Network www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk - 0300 100 0210 from 9.30am to 9.30pm every day
• A specific helpline for advice on safe use of medications - Breastfeeding Network (BfN) Drugline: 0844 412 4665 or online advice sheets
• BfN also offer support in Bengali & Sylheti (0300 456 2421)
• NCT www.nct.org.uk  The NCT has breastfeeding line - you either get straight through to someone or you are invited to leave a message and someone gets back to you. The number is 0300 330 0771  open from 8am–10pm, seven days a week (0300 means that it costs the same as a normal local call, so it can even be free if you get free calltime.)

Middle of the night?

One caveat here - most helplines have a cut-off point in the evening when calls are not welcomed.  You are not dialling up a call centre, but rather someone's home.   If a question needs to be answered in the middle of the night, then try asking the question on a forum from a different timezone.  (e.g. LLL forum largely based in USA...   or the Leaky B@@b forum and also on Facebook)