Infant Feeding

• Many pregnant women are encouraged to express their colostrum milk late in pregnancy before baby is born. Reasons for this could be:
• Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) or pre-existing diabetes
• Twin/triplet pregnancy
• Planned C-section births
• Induction of labour
• Thyroid disease
• Cleft lip or palate
• Downs syndrome or congenital disease
• Mothers with breast abnormalities/surgery
• Expected period of time when you may be separated from your baby
• Because you want to!
• Having a small amount of milk available will help you feel confident in getting breastfeeding off to a good start. But don’t worry if this is not right for you or if you try and don’t have much success – this does not mean breastfeeding won’t work for you!
• Speak to your midwifery team about this and ask for a collecting kit to get you started

• Skin-to-skin contact after the birth is a great way to say hello to your baby and start your breastfeeding journey. It will:
• Soothe and calm both you and your baby after the birth
• Keep baby warm and regulate heart rate and breathing, so easing the transition to life outside the womb
• Stimulate digestion and an interest in feeding, allowing baby to use all its natural instincts to crawl and seek out the breast
• Enable colonisation of the baby’s skin with the mother’s friendly bacteria, thus providing protection against infection
• Stimulate the release of hormones to support breastfeeding and mothering.
• Take a look at some of the information below:
• Skin-to-skin contact – Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)
• Keeping baby close to you day and night will help you to recognise baby’s early feeding cues as you will hear and see them. They will also hear you and gain comfort from that. Being close to your baby also promotes higher levels of hormones that promote milk production and so aids breastfeeding.

Milk feeding

For around the first 6 months, babies only need:

• Breast milk, or
• First infant formula

No other foods or drinks are needed unless advised by a health professional.

Why this matters:

• Breast milk and infant formula provide all the nutrients babies need for healthy growth and brain development.
• Introducing foods too early can increase the risk of choking and tummy upsets.
• Breastfeeding is recommended where possible, but support is available for all feeding choices.

• Learning your baby’s feeding cues can take a little while but will help you know when your baby is hungry or needs some comfort. These are some of the common signs:
• Beginning to wake up or move about in their sleeping place
• Sucking fists or fingers
• Making smacking noises with lips
• Making small murmuring noises
• Turning head and opening mouth – referred to as rooting.
• You may think that baby will cry to let you know they are hungry, but this is a late feeding cue and recognising earlier cues can be much easier than waiting until they are upset. It also means baby will feed a little more frequently and so get all the milk they need.

Please note: Babies feed on average 8-12times including overnight, lasting between 5-40 minutes at each time. Feeds won’t be equally paced and sometimes your baby might want to feed from both breasts and other times just one breast is enough.

Your baby may want to feed more frequently at certain times of the day – this is called cluster feeding. Cluster feeding typically happens in the early evening, but can be any time of the day.

• When you first start breastfeeding, you may wonder if your baby is getting enough milk.
• It may take a little while before you feel confident your baby is getting what they need.
• Exclusive breastfeeding (breast milk only) is recommended for around the first 6 months of your baby’s life. Introducing bottle feeds will reduce the amount of breast milk you produce.
• Read Unicef’s checklist How can I tell if breastfeeding is going well?for more guidance.
• Signs your baby is getting enough milk
• Your baby starts feeds with a few rapid sucks followed by long, rhythmic sucks and swallows with occasional pauses.
• You can hear and see your baby swallowing.
• Your baby’s cheeks stay rounded, not hollow, during sucking.
• They seem calm and relaxed during feeds.
• Your baby comes off the breast on their own at the end of feeds.
• Their mouth looks moist after feeds.
• Your baby appears content and satisfied after most feeds.
• Your breasts feel softer after feeds.
• Your nipple looks more or less the same after feeds – not flattened, pinched or white.
• You may feel sleepy and relaxed after feeds.

• Your baby gains weight steadilyafter the first 2 weeks – it’s normal for babies to lose some of their birth weight in the first 2 weeks.
• They appear healthy and alert when they’re awake.
• From the fourth day, they should do at least 2 soft, yellow poos the size of a £2 coin every day for the first few weeks.
• From day 5 onwards, wet nappies should start to become more frequent, with at least 6 heavy, wet nappies every 24 hours. In the first 48 hours, your baby is likely to have only 2 or 3 wet nappies.
• It can be hard to tell if disposable nappies are wet. To get an idea, take an unused nappy and add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water. This will give you an idea of what to look and feel for.

How to latch your baby on to your breast

Follow these steps to help your baby latch:

• Hold your baby close to you with their nose level with the nipple.
• Let your baby’s head tip back a little so that their top lip can brush against your nipple. This should help your baby to make a wide, open mouth.
• When your baby’s mouth is open wide enough their chin should be able to touch your breast first, with their head tipped back so that their tongue can reach as much of your breast as possible.
• With your baby’s chin firmly touching your breast and their nose clear, their mouth should be wide open. When they attach you should see much more of the darker nipple skin above your baby’s top lip than below their bottom lip. Your baby’s cheeks will look full and rounded as they feed.

When is my baby ready?

Most babies are ready for solid foods at around 6 months when they can:

• Sit upright with good head and neck control
• Pick up food and bring it to their mouth
• Swallow food rather than push it out with their tongue

First foods to offer

Start with single foods, offering a variety over time:

• Vegetables: carrot, broccoli, courgette, parsnip
• Fruit: pear, apple (cooked), banana
• Starchy foods: potato, rice, pasta, bread
• Protein foods: lentils, beans, eggs, fish, meat

Foods should be soft, mashed, or cut into appropriate pieces.

Important points

• Introduce foods gradually, alongside milk feeds
• Offer a wide range of flavours and textures
• Do not add salt or sugar
• Offer water in an open or free-flow cup

Iron-rich foods are especially important from 6 months.

Responsive feeding means:

• Watching for hunger and fullness cues
• Letting your child decide how much to eat
• Eating together when possible
• Keeping mealtimes calm and pressure-free

Why responsive feeding matters

• Supports healthy growth
• Helps children learn to trust their appetite
• Reduces mealtime stress
• Encourages a positive relationship with food