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Having a new baby can be very daunting when there is so much information to learn and take in. We can support you through the early days and months after birth, however you choose to feed your baby.
Whether you choose to breastfeed or bottle feed, you can find support and advice below.
As your baby approaches six months, it is time to start thinking about introducing solid foods alongside breast milk or infant formula. From 6 months old we can offer guidance about introducing complementary foods (also known as solids) and support you to provide a balanced diet for your baby. Please see the introducing solids page for more information.
Keeping mum and baby together
Wherever possible it’s important for you and baby to be kept together after birth as this allows mothers to recognise feeding cues, get to know your baby and your baby’s needs, as well as for baby to recognise you. It is not good for babies to be left to cry and it’s important to remember that it’s not possible to spoil a baby by picking them up. A close and loving relationship can help baby to feel safe and secure within the first few weeks and months of life. This will also help babies brain development.
Skin to skin contact while feeding
There is a growing body of evidence that skin-to-skin contact after birth is a great opportunity for parents/carers to begin and develop close and loving relationships with their baby.
Responsive feeding
This was previously referred to as ‘demand’ or ‘baby-led’ feeding and applies to both breastfeeding and formula feeding parents/carers and babies.
Responsive feeding involves a parent/carer responding to their baby’s feeding cues and her own needs and desires for feeding baby. Parent/carers may choose to feed their baby because they can feel their breasts are feeling full. Feeding responsively recognises that feeds are not just for nutrition, but they can be for love, comfort and reassurance between parent/carer and baby.
Breastfeeding gives your baby the best start in life. Breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months and then alongside other foods for at least the first two years of life is the World Health Organisation’s recommendation.
Your health visitor will observe you feed when she visits you at the new birth visit and use the breastfeeding assessment tool to identify any concerns. This is a good opportunity for you to discuss with your health visitor any issues or difficulties you are facing with feeding. Your health visitor will work out a plan of care with you which may involve referrals to other specialists in infant feeding, ongoing monitoring or signposting to where you can get further information and help.
Many breastfeeding challenges can be linked to the position you are using to feed your baby. Adapting your position for feeding so that baby can attach to your breast more effectively can overcome some of the difficulties you may be facing with breastfeeding. Correcting your position ensures no damage to the nipples, the stimulation of an effective milk supply, and the effective transfer of milk to baby.
Positioning and attachment video from UNICEF
You may come across some challenges during your breastfeeding journey.
Some mothers experience sore nipples, mastitis, engorgement, oral thrush and low milk supply. Baby can also have a tongue tie. This list of complications is not exhaustive, and there may be other issues that you are experiencing.
Our Health Visiting team can support you to overcome these challenges so that you can continue to breastfeed for as long as you want to. Support could be face to face, telephone contact, or signposting you to useful online resources.
Questioning whether your baby is getting enough milk when breastfeeding is a real concern for many mothers.
Our team will carry out a breastfeeding assessment to help assess how the breastfeeding is going, and you will be able access this yourself in the ‘red book’ (parent held records). This assessment will tell us and you if your baby is producing enough wet and dirty nappies as well as taking an adequate milk supply. If there are any concerns about your baby’s weight gain, these will be discussed with you by your health visitor.
The technique of expressing breast milk is a valuable skill for all breastfeeding mothers. Sometimes it is necessary to maximise your milk supply or you may be separated from your baby and need to store some milk in your fridge. There are a variety of ways to express and your health visiting team can advise you on all them.
Hand expressing is a skill that your health visitor will show you at your antenatal or new birth contact. Hand expressing can reduce engorgement and help you manage much of the discomfort related to mastitis or sore nipples.
Going back to study or work may be the first time you have been separated from your baby for long periods. Continuing to breastfeed helps to keep the close relationship you’ve built up, providing your baby with extra comfort and security for as long as you both want.
You don’t need to stop breastfeeding just because you’re returning to study or work. Many women find ways to continue breastfeeding their baby – and employers have certain obligations towards breastfeeding women.
Groups in Slough
Click here for local groups that provide breastfeeding information and support
National help lines
Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
0844 4122949
La Leche League
0845 1202918
National Breastfeeding Helpline
0300 1000212
National Childbirth Trust
0300 3300771
It may not be appropriate to offer formula feeds as much as breastfeeds because this could lead to over feeding. However, parent/carers who are bottle feeding their babies can be still feed in a responsive way. Looking out for feeding cues rather than having a strict 3-4 hourly routine will enable babies to have control over their feeding pattern.
During the feed:
First infant formula is suitable for your newborn baby through to 1 year of age. ‘hungry baby milks’ or ‘follow on milks’ contain more of the protein casein than first infant formula and this is thought to make your baby feel more full. However, there is no evidence that babies settle better or sleep longer when fed this formula. At 1 year old you can now introduce pasteurised full fat cows milk.
Good hygiene is essential when making up a feed as a baby’s immune system is not as strong as an adult’s. All equipment used to feed your baby must be sterilised before each feed to reduce the chances of your baby becoming unwell.
Your health visitor will also advise you how you can feed your baby responsively with bottles using a paced-feeding approach that enables baby to enjoy feeding and be close to you.
Prep machines for formula feeding are not recommended as they do not meet the safety requirements. Water must be boiled to 70 degrees before the formula powder is added to minimise bacteria living in the milk.
