The 5 Friends Every Breastfeeding Mom Needs

Just because you have a baby—who seems to be attached to you at all times—doesn’t mean you should cut yourself off socially. In fact, the more friends new moms have, the better. Research suggests that strong friendships can boost moms’ overall well-being and happiness.

These friendships can be especially helpful when you’re breastfeeding. Here are the five friends that can help new moms make the transition to motherhood with more confidence, support, and joy.

1. The expert friend

Every new breastfeeding mom needs a friend who’s an experienced nursing mom. A no-nonsense friend who’s been there, done that, and has the names and numbers of lactation consultants to prove it. The friend who tells you which breast pump to get and drops off boxes of gently-used nursing tanks the moment you need them. When you’ve got a question, this is the first friend to call.

2. The old friend

When you’ve been up all hours of the night breastfeeding or are struggling to juggle your new mom-life, you need a friend who’s known you for a long time. A friend you can pick up where you left off without any preamble or small talk. Who will listen to you talk baby poop, nipple confusion, and postpartum blues without judgment, any time of the day or night. This is the friend you call when you need a grounding presence and a larger perspective. Maybe this friend knew you when you had braces. If so, having a baby is no big thing. Just messier and with less metal.

3. The auntie friend

Sometimes you need to spend time with a friend who doesn’t have kids of her own. This friend will come over on a random Tuesday evening to hold your babe so you can take a shower. Or a nap. This friend will bring your favorite meal from your favorite take-out joint and binge-watch Netflix shows with you while you nurse. This friend will burp the baby for you while dishing on the drama in her life that’s far removed from diapers and sleep schedules. This friend doesn’t care if you’re still in your pjs and have spit-up on your shoulder.

4. The fun friend

Every new breastfeeding moms needs a friend who inspires and delights her. This is the friend who encourages you to take some “me-time” without your babe. Whether that’s for a mani-pedi or a mountain hike, this is the friend who reminds you that even though you’re a new mom, you’re still you with all your many diverse and unique quirks. This is the friend who makes you laugh until you pee your pants a little bit. Which, let’s face it, is a lot easier these days.

5. The work friend

Going back to work at the end of your maternity leave when you’re breastfeeding is hard. Between missing your baby and managing the complex logistics of pumping, every mom needs at least one work friend who understand what it takes to balance the demands of your job with pumping. This friend is your advocate, your ally, and helps you navigate the workplace to make sure you get the support you need. They can also be the one to join you in advocating for better lactation spaces!

Mamava designs solutions to empower breastfeeding and pumping parents on the go, like our freestanding lactation pods, Mamava’s lactation space locator app, and other helpful resources.