Breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby, with important benefits for both mother and baby. We therefore encourage and support you to breastfeed your baby. We also support the right of parents to make informed choices about infant feeding and our staff will support you in your decisions.
This Call to Action video below from Unicef explains why we are passionate about supporting new families giving babies the best start.
Building Close and loving relationships
Breastfeeding
The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding alongside other foods for at the first two years and beyond.
The first few weeks can be the most difficult when you are establishing breastfeeding. Please use the tabs below for further help, tips and support. You might find it helpful to sign up to the fast, friendly, anytime, trusted NHS advice on breastfeeding. Click Breastfeeding Friend Chatbox to sign up.
Breastfeeding will give your baby the best start in life. However, any amount of your breastmilk will always be good for your baby's health and wellbeing.
Some of the health outcomes of human milk
Essential guide to feeding & caring for your baby
We recommend you are as comfortable as possible so you can feed for as long as the baby needs. Many women find lying back slightly helps them encourage baby onto the breast and they are able to use their body for the baby to lean against. This does not have to be straight across the body but could be in a 45 degree angle or straight down.
See pages 12-15 for information on positions and pages 16 & 17 for achieving good-attachment:
See page 18 of this guide:
Essential guide to feeding & caring for your baby
This is one of the most common questions new parents have. There are a few ways that you can tell if your baby is feeding well and getting enough breastmilk, look for these tell tail signs:
- Your baby's sucking pattern will change throughout their feed. Your baby will suck more quickly at the beginning of the feed to get your milk to flow. Your baby will then give big deep sucks and you will hear your baby swallow. This is easier to hear from day three. At the end of the feed your baby will have short shallow sucks. It's important not to take them off the breast at this time as your baby is getting the fat right milk full of the calories your baby needs. (Watch the you tube clip: Breastfeeding - Really Good Drinking)
- Generally your baby will come off the breast when he or she has had enough. Babies can also fall asleep with the breast in their mouth . Your baby can then easily be eased off the breast if you need to get up and move.
- The number and colour of wet and dirty nappies will be right for your baby's age - see 'What's in a Nappy'.
- Your breasts will start to feel heavier before a feed and emptier after.
- Your baby will gain weight (usually after the first weight on day 3 or day 5)
- See page 4 in your maternity notes; How can you and your midwife recognise your baby is feeding well and what's in wet and dirty nappies as your baby get older day by day.
Baby Friendly awards are based on a set of interlinking evidence-based standards for maternity, health visiting, neonatal and children's centres services. These are designed to provide parents with the best possible care to build close and loving relationships with their baby and to feed their baby in ways which will support optimum health and development.
Facilities implement the standards in stages over a number of years. At each stage they are externally assessed by Unicef UK. When all the stages are passed they are accredited as Baby Friendly. Award tables are kept to let the public know how facilities are progressing.
National Groups:
Local Support Groups
Breastfeeding support groups welcome all expectant mums and any mum who is doing any breastfeeding or giving her baby any breastmilk.
All the support groups are friendly and welcoming and many are run in conjunction with local health professionals, family services and local mums.
Peer support is usually available from mums who have successfully breastfed and who have had training to provide mother to mother support for breastfeeding.
All groups and clinics are very welcoming to new mums, you don't have to have a problem to attend.
Groups can be great for moral support, company from like-minded mums and to borrow resources and get information. Older children are also welcome, with toys and books often being available to keep them entertained.
Click here for support information
The effects Of Giving Formula Milk To A Breastfed Baby
When breast feeding gets off to a slow start
When breast feeding babies lose more weight than average
Building a Happy Baby Leaflet - BFI
National breastfeeding
Helpline open from 9:30am to 9:30pm every day
Call: 0300 100 0212
National Childbirth Trust (NCT)
Call: 0300 330 0700
Association of breastfeeding mothers
Call: 0300 100 0212
The Breastfeeding Network (BFN)
Call: 0300 100 0212
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk
Drugs in breastmilk helpline
Call: 0844 412 4665
La Leche League (UK)
Call: 0845 120 2918
Healthy Babies UK
Call: 01884 798069
Start4Life
info@babymilkaction.org
'Real Baby Milk' Guide to feeding and caring for your baby
Information on safe sleep
https://www.basisonline.org.uk
Lactation Consultants of Great Britain (private services)
Hand expressing
Antenatal hand expression for pregnant women
Baby Friendly Initiative | Hand expression
Bottle feeding
This simple formula guide goes through how to choose an infant formula as well as what is meant by responsive bottle feeding.
First Steps Nutrition Trust is an independent public health nutrition charity that provides information and resources to support eating well from pre-conception to five years. View their useful, downloadable leaflets on infant formula.
You may also find the below Unicef baby friendly video clip on building close and loving relationships with your baby helpful.
Also look at the information below on how to bottle feed in a way that is gentle, responds to your baby's cues; encourages certain oral skills; and helps the development of a close relationship between you and your baby.
Bottle feeding advice
NHS Bottle feeding advice
Expressing and bottle feeding
Guide to bottle feeding
Responsive Bottle Feeding & What infant formula to choose
Paced bottle feeding
Bottle feeding assessment tool
Skin to skin
Skin to skin contact is when the baby is wearing nothing or just a nappy and is laid against your skin in the chest area, a blanket or towel is laid over you both or baby can be tucked in under your top. It is important for all babies because it:
- Keeps baby warm
- Calms baby's heartbeat
- Reduces mum and baby's stress levels
- Regulates baby's breathing
- Helps with baby's first feed
We'll encourage you to have skin contact for as long as you want after birth and often in the early days as it has so many benefits.
We'll help you hold your baby in skin contact safely with your baby's neck straight and head upright so your baby can breathe easily. You also need to make sure you can see your baby's face so you can check s/he's OK.
Baby wearing (slings)
Wearing a sling to carry your baby or infant has many positive effects for the carer and the baby.
All babies have needs for comfort, closeness and food, and responding to these needs makes babies feel safe, loved and secure. Keep your baby close and enjoy spending time with her.
Talk and sing to her, and take time to pause and listen for her to copy you and respond to you. Hold her in skin contact, try carrying her in a sling and don't leave her to cry.
Responding to her needs in this way will help her grow into a secure, confident toddler and child, ready to cope with temporary separation from you (e.g. when she goes to nursery or when you go to work) and ready to keep learning and growing!
Our local leaflets provide you with more information about the benefits of wearing a sling whilst in hospital.
Useful links
First Steps Nutrition Trust - is an independent public health nutrition charity that provides information and resources to support eating well from pre-conception to five years.
Unicef
Skin to skin contact
Unicef
Baby friendly