For blokes, it might seem that a mother feeding her baby is the most natural thing in the world and really not something you should be involved in, but getting involved doesn't have to mean that three's a crowd. You'll have heard that 'breast is best' for a whole raft of reason (it contains the ideal blend of nutrients, breastfed babies are less likely to develop food allergies or gastrointestinal illnesses, plus it needs no preparation and it's free!). But the fact is that it's not just best, it's normal.

However, like childbirth itself, being normal doesn't necessarily mean that it's always easy. Many women like the idea of breastfeeding, but find that the reality can be uncomfortable or plain awkward. Some mums can have painful problems with engorged breasts or cracked nipples or find that they don't settle down easily into a routine with baby, so feeding becomes very demanding on time and patience. While 69% of mothers in the UK breastfeed from birth, that figure drops to 42% after six weeks, whereas most paediatricians recommend breastfeeding for about a year.

But here's where you come in. With a little more support from those around them, including you, more mothers can give their babies 'the best', for longer. Taking an interest can help you out too. Rather than feeling left out of the mother-baby bonding of breastfeeding, supportive share in the bonding process. Being involved doesn't mean lecturing mum on the benefits of breastfeeding, when she's finding it tough going, it means recognising what will make her life more difficult at the moment and doing what you can to avoid those conditions, as well as offering plenty of moral support.

Like virtually everything else to do with baby care, an offer of support is never wasted, just showing your awareness of the demands on your other half will help her feel more supported. But there are also concrete steps you can take to back up breastfeeding.

Moral support
If your partner is finding breastfeeding hard going then make an effort to understand what she's going through and be sympathetic. Be prepared to take this further if she's experiencing sore and cracked nipples or other pain, suggest or initiate a chat with your health visitor about what you can do about the problems before reaching for the bottle. Remember that your partner may feel a little embarrassed as well as frustrated if feeding doesn't come as naturally as she thinks it should.

An active role for dad The nursing stage is one of the most tiring for both of you, and when baby isn't sleeping through the night, it's everybody's problem. If mum is breastfeeding, it can be easy to palm the night feeds off as one of 'her' jobs - you'd love to help, but physically it's just not possible, yadda yadda… Well, actually it is possible, as she can express milk, either manually or using a pump, for baby to have later from a bottle given by yours truly. Just knowing that you're available to help with night feeds occasionally (or regularly) can be a great boon. And of course you can also feed in this way during the day, which will be a huge support if you hope to share the child-care burden but still breastfeed: Mum can go to work and baby can still have her milk.

If your partner hasn't suggested expressing milk yet, why don't you? Leave it a few weeks at the start though, give your baby a chance to get used to breasts first before embarking on the great bottle adventure.

Keeping her strength up Breastfeeding requires a lot of nutrition, and mum's got her hands full in more ways than one. Make sure that she's eating well - plenty of nutritious snacks as well as regular, well-balanced meals will be needed to keep that milk (and mum!) in prime condition. Plenty of rest is useful at this stage as well, so don't be afraid to get stuck into some household chores, even ones that you don't usually do - it can make all the difference.

Public support Some mums find it uncomfortable to breastfeed in public, and amazingly, there are still occasional incidents where breastfeeding mothers are asked to leave restaurants or other public places. Having someone there who is prepared to ward off any disapproving stares can be a great help. Of course, if she does feel uncomfortable about breastfeeding in public, and wants to use the mother and baby room in an airport or railway station, you could offer to go with her. While they're practical, these rooms tend to be utilitarian at best- the fact that you're there can help her feel less ostracised.

One last thing, if baby's hungry and crying, there's an obvious imperative to feed him or her as quickly as possible. But make sure she's seated comfortably, rather than just expecting her to whip 'em out anywhere - they're going to be in the same position for around 20 minutes, so it pays to be prepared. And as ever, if you're not sure… just ask.