For new mom Tiffany Stroup, her bundle of joy — Liam — also came with some difficulties and concerns.

Luckily for the stay-at-home mom, there was a helping hand waiting for her when she left the hospital and faced trying to breastfeed her son.

With the help of the Health Visitors, who are part of the Community Health Department and La Leche League (a charity offering information and support to pregnant women and new mothers who choose to breastfeed), Mrs. Stroup said she managed the first few weeks.

Mrs. Stroup said: "I had a real difficulty with breastfeeding so, even with La Leche League, I still had trouble with the latch and the Health Visitors were very encouraging to not give it up.

"At the time of the Health Visitors, I was past the point of giving up but just knowing that it was there and the support and encouragement was there when I need it ."

Health Visitors are often an unknown resource for new mothers but they offer free home visits to mothers with babies between the ages of zero and four months.

There are six on the Island and Lisa Blyden, acting coordinator of Community Health Nursing said the visitors, who each have their own patch, get a thorough picture of family life and can help by visiting the mothers at home.

She said: "We try to contact them (mothers) as soon as possible, as soon as they are discharged from the hospital.

"These can be the most trying times with issues like feeding and concerns of growth, and other concerns are addressed.

"For the mothers and babies we also do a physical examination — for the mother to make sure they are recovering.

"Mothers will also see physicians in the first week, the second week for the baby then one month, two months and then (the visits) get a little further apart.

"So, it can seem like a doubling up of information but, because we do go into the home, we can answer questions that the woman may forget to ask. We also get a broader picture of the issues."

One of the main topics they try to tackle and help moms like Tiffany or second-time mom Nikita Euler, is the decision to breastfeed.

This week marks the annual World Breastfeeding Week which is themed 'Mother Support: Going for the Gold'.

According to Jennifer Attride-Stirling, the Department of Health Promotion Coordinator, this is a key objective.

"Breastfeeding is a high priority for the Department of Health and is an objective in the Well Bermuda Strategy (under promoting healthy childhood development)," she said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has set guidelines that recommend breastfeeding until the child is six months old to get the most benefit.

Mrs. Euler, whose son Taurin is almost two and youngest Aidan is two months, said she decided to breastfeed Taurin until he was 15 months old.

"With the first son I had planned to breastfeed until he was six months but it went so well I kept up with it to 15 months," she said.

"My doula, Fiona Dill, was in the hospital when my first son was born so we were able to do it right away. The visiting nurses, I like them. When they come, they are very helpful.

"As a breastfeeding mother, we are wondering if they are eating enough.

"It's nice to know there's help available and you know have to drown if you don't know what's going on.

"Babysitting is one thing but your own is so different."