Breastfeeding Help
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If you need help breastfeeding – or just have questions – find services in your community or get 24/7 support by phone.
Get advice by phone
Get breastfeeding advice and referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling Telehealth Ontario:
This is a free service – and you can call as many times as you need.
• 1-866-797-0000 (toll-free)
• OR 1-866-797-0007 (TTY)
A health care representative will connect you to a registered nurse, who can answer your questions about breastfeeding.
You can get advice and referrals from nurses who speak more than 300 languages.
Talk to a lactation consultant
Depending on your situation, the registered nurse may refer you to a lactation consultant – a nurse who specializes in breastfeeding. Lactation consultants are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Once the registered nurse makes the referral, the lactation consultant will call you within 30 minutes. You can also schedule a time for a lactation consultant to call you back later.
Search for services near you
You can join a group or class, get professional services or connect with other moms in your community.
Find breastfeeding services near you.
What to expect from breastfeeding
You don’t have to wait until you have your baby to get advice, a referral or services for breastfeeding.
It takes time for you – and your baby – to learn how to breastfeed and it can be challenging. Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months.
This means your baby gets breast milk only – no other food or drink. Breast milk provides all the nutrients needed to help your baby grow and develop.
If you’re just starting to breastfeed your baby, you can expect:
• your baby to feed at least 8 times a day
• your baby to have at least 6 wet diapers and 3 bowel movements in a 24-hour period after the first five days of breastfeeding
Your breast milk helps your baby’s brain, immune-system, bones, teeth and more develop.
Breastfeeding also helps your body control bleeding after delivery. It reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer as well.