This leaflet answers common questions about breast feeding your baby. If you would like further information, or have any worries, please do not hesitate to ask your midwife.

As a UNICEF Baby Friendly accredited Trust, we are committed to supporting all families—however they choose to feed their baby. The UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative works closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) and upholds the principles of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, aiming to protect breastfeeding while also promoting safe and responsive bottle-feeding practices.

Breastfeeding benefits

Feeding your baby can feel quite overwhelming at first — whether you are breastfeeding, bottle feeding or a combination of both. We are here to guide and support you.

There is a lot of evidence to show how beneficial it is to breastfeed your baby, especially in the early weeks. However, it can take time to get the hang of, and your midwife can support you with this and let you know details of infant feeding groups in your local community.

If you have any feeding worries or concerns, the best thing to do is speak to your midwife or health visitor.

Breastfeeding is good for your baby as:

  • Breast milk is the only natural food designed for your baby
  • It protects your baby from infections and diseases
  • It is the right temperature for your baby
  • It can build a strong physical and emotional bond between you and your baby

Breastfeeding is good for mums as:

  • It lowers your risk of breast and ovarian cancer
  • It naturally uses up to 500 calories a day
  • Breast milk is free and available whenever and wherever your baby needs a feed
  • It can help to build a strong physical and emotional bond between you and your baby
  • It can give you a great sense of achievement

Infant feeding team

All our midwives and healthcare assistants are trained in infant feeding and can offer you support and advice when you need it. We are also accredited by the World Health Organization and UNICEF as part of their Baby Friendly Initiative, which recognises hospitals that enable mothers to make an informed choice about infant feeding and to be supported in that choice.

We also have specialist midwives who can:

  • Plan with you during pregnancy if you have concerns about feeding your baby or health problems that may make feeding more challenging.
  • Help you in the hospital after the birth if you or your baby are having difficulties with feeding that the midwife team on the ward cannot help with.
  • Support you in establishing breastfeeding if your baby is in our neonatal unit, even if your baby was not born at one of our hospitals. This includes helping you to express your milk so you can maintain a good milk supply.
  • Offer you advice and support after you and your baby have been discharged from hospital either over the phone or in person.

Advice for mothers

To encourage successful breastfeeding, we recommend that you:

  • Take vitamin D supplements during pregnancy and while you are breastfeeding
  • Have skin to skin contact with your baby soon as possible after birth and throughout your stay with us
  • Keep your baby with you so you can get to know each other and so you can feed your baby when he/she wants
  • Feed your baby whenever he/she seems hungry.

This is known as responsive feeding. It is best to give healthy babies breast milk only for the first six months of life and avoid using bottles, dummies or nipple shields while your baby is learning to feed as they can confuse his/her sucking.

Breastfeeding information and support

UNICEF and the World Health Organization have created a range of helpful videos on breastfeeding as part of the Baby Friendly Initiative. You can also access information on breastfeeding and bottle feeding your baby in different languages on the UNICEF website.

The Breastfeeding network has a useful guide to expressing and storing breast milk and the Global Health Media Project has videos in different languages about how to attach your baby to your breast.

Other useful resources

Community support groups

Breastfeeding Friend digital tool

The Breastfeeding Friend, a digital tool from Start for Life, offers practical information and advice on breastfeeding. It can be enabled on Amazon Alexa, or you can chat via Facebook messenger.

Breastfeeding videos from the best beginnings website
www.bestbeginnings.org.uk/watch-from-bump-to-breastfeeding-online