Infant Feeding
Deciding how to feed your baby is an important and personal decision that parents make for their child. However you decide to feed your baby, NHS Lanarkshire will support your choice and will provide you with as much information as you need to make your decision easier. You can also ask your midwife for information on how to book onto an infant feeding workshop where you can explore your feeding options.
For help and advice, contact the Infant Feeding Team on 01698 366710.
Follow the NHS Lanarkshire Mums Babies Facebook page for more tips and advice.
Additional information
- Feed Good
- Formula Feeding – How to feed your baby safely
- Feed Good – Common Questions
- Feed Good – Common Challenges
- Unicef – Infant formula and responsive bottle feeding
- How to make up formula – Parent Club Youtube video
- First Steps Nutrition – Infant milks
- Unicef – Baby Friendly Initiative
- Human Milk
- Breastfeeding and your business
The Benefits of Breastfeeding
Research shows that the effects of breastfeeding your baby last well into childhood and beyond. Many mums breastfeed to help improve their baby’s health, not realising that it actually improves their own health too.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy can be a stressful time with lots of changes to your body and your lifestyle. Did you know even before they are born, your baby can tell when you are stressed and busy? Taking some time out of your day to relax, even if it’s when you are in the bath or shower. You can take time to talk to your bump, play some music and see how they respond. Encourage your partner and other children to do the same. Connecting with your baby before birth and taking some time to notice their movements and how they respond can help your baby’s brain to grow and develop.
During your pregnancy, your midwife will give you the opportunity to talk about your options for feeding after birth and how you can get this off to a good start. We know that breastfeeding helps to protect both you and your baby. The evidence shows that breastmilk is far better at stopping babies from getting ill and developing certain health conditions. We also know that breastfeeding for as long as you can is best not just for babies, but for mums too. There are physical and emotional benefits for you from birth and beyond, and it’s also much cheaper and better for the environment.
Why is breastmilk so good for babies?
- Breastmilk changes to meet your babies needs as they grow and develop and can respond to their surroundings, making antibodies to protect them from germs and infections
- Beyond the early years, breastmilk also improves brain development and improves health by reducing your child’s chances of conditions such as asthma, diabetes and obesity
What are the advantages for you?
There’s a lot of evidence that breastfeeding limits your chances of breast and ovarian cancer later on in life, as well as lowering your risk of weak bones.
- It can help you lose your baby weight by burning up to 500 calories a day. While you’re pregnant, your body stores fat for feeding. Using this up will also protect against the long term risks of being overweight e.g. diabetes and heart disease.
- Mums say that breastfeeding helps them feel really close to their baby and is a lovely thing to do.
- Your breast milk is safely available at the right temperature whenever and wherever your baby is ready for a feed, making it really convenient.
- Breast milk is, of course, absolutely free and will save you a fortune because it never runs out. As your baby feeds, your body is busy making more milk.
Common Concerns And Challenges
Breastfeeding may be natural, but for most of us it takes a bit of practice. Even if you’ve breastfed before, remember that your new baby hasn’t, so try not to worry if getting the hang of it is taking a little longer than you expected.
It’s always okay to ask for help, whether it’s talking to another mum at a breastfeeding support group, or speaking to your midwife, health visitor or calling the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 1212. They might give you some practical tips or refer you to a specialist infant feeding advisor for some one-to-one guidance. You can also read on to find out more about the most common issues faced by mums.
Getting Help
It’s always OK to ask for help, whether it’s talking to another mum at a breastfeeding group, or speaking to your midwife, health visitor or infant feeding team. They might give you some practical tips or refer you to a specialist Infant Feeding Advisor for some one-to-one guidance. You can also read on to find out more about the most common issues faced by mums.
Pre-term Babies
Breastmilk is very important to the health of a sick, small or preterm babies. For very early babies it is even more important that they get the first milk or colostrum to help protect against infection and also encourages better eyesight and brain development especially in premature babies. If your baby is born early or is sick and needs admitted to the neonatal unit after birth your midwife and your baby’s doctors will encourage you and support you to express your milk during this vulnerable period, this doesn’t mean that you have to breastfeed unless you want to though. Expressing your milk is the one thing that only you as a mum can do to give them protection and help them recover.
Isn’t formula just as good?
Formula milk is safe but it doesn’t have the extra active ingredients from breastmilk that help protect you and your baby form illness. Formula milk is made from either cows or goats milk that has been processed so that it can be digested by babies, it is really important that you make up formula milk as safely and as accurately as you can to stop your baby getting ill.
We would encourage you not to make your feeding decision before birth, but wait until your baby is in your arms and in skin to skin contact. You might want to try it for even just one or two feeds, this is absolutely fine and your baby will benefit from getting the colostrum. However you decide to feed your baby, NHS Lanarkshire will support your choice and will provide you with as much information as you need to make your decision easier.
You can also ask your midwife for information on how to book onto an infant feeding workshop where you can explore your feeding options.
Meeting your baby for the first time- the magical “Golden Hour”
When your baby is born the first hour or so after birth is an important time for you both to adjust and get to know each other skin to skin contact at this time will really help you and baby calm, bond and recover from the birth. For your baby coming from the warmth and security of the womb the world can be a scary place, so holding your baby next to your skin where they can hear your heartbeat and feel safe warm calm and comforted. Keeping your baby there until after their first feed- no matter how you are feeding gives you the best start to parenting. Protecting this time is really important so ask visitors to wait until after your baby has fed before disturbing them. If for whatever reason skin to skin can’t happen after birth don’t worry as soon as you and your baby are well enough you can have skin to skin at any time.
Skin-to-skin after birth contact has several benefits for both mum and baby:
- Baby is warmer and calmer.
- Baby can hear your heartbeat.
- Baby’s heart and breathing rates normalise more quickly.
- Your baby is less likely to have low blood sugars
- Your baby is less likely to be admitted to the NNU
- It’s a great start to feeding.
Skin to skin can be used anytime to settle and comfort both you and your baby- you can never cuddle your baby too much, the more you cuddle and respond to your babies needs the more secure they will feel, cuddles and comfort actually help your babies growth and development. It’s a great way to settle your baby at any age and it’s always good for you to sit down and enjoy cuddles with your baby.
Starting to Breastfeed
When babies are born at or near their due date, they have enough stores and extra fluids to sustain them for the first couple of days while they learn how to breastfeed. Keeping them close to you, so you can watch for “feeding cues” and offering the chance to breastfeed often will help to tell your body to start making milk for your baby, the first milk- colostrum is super concentrated milk, designed to meet all your baby’s needs for the first few days after birth. It’s rich in protective antibodies and sometimes yellow in colour. If your baby is sleepy in the first few days as you recover from delivery we don’t worry too much as long as they are well and maintaining their temperature, small amounts of colostrum given really often are usually enough, your midwife will support you to begin expressing if your baby isn’t feeding well in the beginning.. Breastfeeding or expressing often in the first hours and days also helps establish a good milk supply.
Like any new skill, some babies take to it right away and others can take a few days to learn, there’s always help on hand- just ask
Breastfeeding may be natural, but for most of us, it takes a bit of practice. Even if you’ve breastfed before remember that your new baby hasn’t, so try not to worry if getting the hang of it is taking a little longer than you expected. Newborn babies have tiny tummies, and breastmilk is easily digested, which is why they need to feed frequently – usually 8 or more times in 24 hours, around the clock, day and night. Keeping your baby close to you- in the same room day and night will mean you can see when they show “feeding cues” these are subtle signs that babies are ready to feed, You’ll learn to pick up the cues from your little one when the time is right for each feed – to begin with, your baby may stir, turn their head or open their mouth. Other cues include stretching or putting a hand to their mouth. To help you spot these little signals from your baby, see this link for more information.
Breastfeeding shouldn’t be painful, although when babies are learning how to feed you can experience some tenderness, this can be a sign you need a little bit more help from our team. Please call the infant feeding team on 01698 366710 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm who can give you help and advice and organise a home visit if you need it.
Expressing Breastmilk
Hand Expressing
Hand expressing is an important skill for all breastfeeding mothers to have, the most common reason you will need it is if the baby sleeps a little too long and your breasts are very full or if there is an issue like a blocked duct then it can easily be resolved.
Some mums may choose to express milk from the beginning, hand expressing works better in the first few days as colostrum is in such small amounts. If your baby is learning how to breastfeed then introducing bottles can make it more difficult for them, but once you and your baby have got the hand of breastfeeding most babies don’t have any problems switching between. If you are giving expressed milk or formula to a breastfed baby then remember breastfeeding works on supply and demand, the more often you feed the more milk your body will make. So if you give a baby anything other than a breastfeed your supply might become reduced so expressing at these times will help to maintain or increase your supply.
How to I know my baby is getting enough milk?
If you are feeding your baby frequently and they are well attached at the breast they will usually get all the milk they need, but a really good wayto tell is if they are getting the right amount of wet and dirty nappies. This breastfeeding checklist shows you all the signs a baby is feeding well.
How to I know my baby is getting enough milk?
If you are feeding your baby frequently and they are well attached at the breast they will usually get all the milk they need, but a really good wayto tell is if they are getting the right amount of wet and dirty nappies. This breastfeeding checklist shows you all the signs a baby is feeding well.
If you are feeding your baby responsively- that is whenever he/she shows feeding cues, or whenever you feel you just want to cuddle hold and feed your baby. Your baby is well attached at the breast and you are not sore then how many wet and dirty nappies they are having is a great sign that feeding is going well.
Find out how your breastfeeding is going with these helpful checklists:
Formula Feeding
Formula feeding means feeding your baby cow’s (or goat’s or soya) milk that’s specially treated to be suitable for babies, all formula milks are made to very strict guidelines and there is no advantage of one brand over the other. More expensive brands have no nutritional advantage. Choosing a “first” milk is important as it is much easier for babies to digest, second or follow on milks are not required, first milks are all babies need for the first year of life and after that babies can drink ordinary cow’s milk.
You should feed your baby as soon as they show signs that they are hungry, and you can still experience skin-to-skin contact – which is particularly important for calming your baby and building a special bond in the early days.
If you are formula feeding, always make sure you sterilise all the equipment – responsive bottle feeding will help you to build a loving bond with your baby. Your baby will feel the most safe and secure if only you, as the main care giver, carries out their feeds for the first few weeks – and after that, only you or your partner. Hold your baby close to you, as skin-to-skin contact can help calm your baby and strengthen the secure attachment. Gently invite them to take the teat of the bottle, and keep eye contact while they’re feeding.
You can find out more about feeding your baby responsively when they show feeding cues;
Here is a list of top tips for feeding:
- Crying is the last sign of wanting to feed, so try and feed your baby before they cry.
- Hold your baby close in a semi-upright position so you can see their face and reassure them by looking into their eyes and talking to them during the feed. Begin by inviting baby to open their mouth: gently run the teat against their top lip.
- Gently insert the teat into baby’s mouth keeping the bottle in a horizontal position to prevent milk from flowing too fast.
- Your baby may need a few breaks during the feed to burp (this is especially important if your baby has reflux or colic). Sit your baby on your lap facing away from you – or over your shoulder – and gently pat or rub their back. Have a look at our guide to burping your baby for more information. When your baby burps, they may bring up small amounts of milk – this is very normal and nothing to worry about, just make sure you have a muslin or cloth handy.
- If your baby appears to be uncomfortable at any time – for example, turning away from the bottle, feeding too quickly or too slowly, or being sick afterwards – there may be simple steps you can take to turn any feeding problems around. It’s important to let your baby pace the feed, and respond to the cues to wind. Don’t try and push your baby to take more than their tiny tummy needs. Pacing the feed, small, frequent feeds and responding to your baby’s cues solves most problems. If you have any concerns, talk to your midwife or health visitor as soon as you can for help and advice.
How to make up formula feeds safely
Formula milk is a processed product and is not sterile so it needs to be made up as freshly and safely as possible, using freshly boiled very hot water of at least 70°C will destroy any bacteria that might be in the powder.
For help and advice, call the Infant Feeding Team on 01698 366710
To find out more about How to feed your baby safely, visit the guide by the Parent Club.
Getting Out And About
If you are breastfeeding, getting out and about is easy and all you need is yourself and your baby! When you are both still getting the hang of feeding it can feel a bit daunting to begin with. Once you get established with breastfeeding, you’ll be able to do it without anyone even noticing. If you wear something that lifts up from the waist, like a t-shirt or a jumper rather than a shirt or blouse with buttons, you can breastfeed without any breast showing at all. The more you breastfeed when out and about, the more confident you’ll get and the easier you will find it.
Remember, your baby has the right to be fed in Scotland wherever they are and however they are being fed. In Scotland breastfeeding is protected by law, meaning it is an offence to stop someone in a public place from feeding their child, if under two, with milk. For more information on the law, visit the Citizens Advice Scotland website. Look out for the Breastfeeding Scotland and Breastfeeding Welcome signs for businesses promoting breastfeeding friendly environments.
If you are a business and are looking to become breastfeeding friendly, visit MyGov – Become a breastfeeding friendly business
Sometimes new mums can worry that someone will notice or say something about them breastfeeding, but thousands of mums are out and about everyday breastfeeding their babies – it is normal after all! In the early days you might want to look out for the “Breastfeeding Welcome” or “Breastfeeding Friendly” stickers. When you see these you can be sure of an extra special welcome as the staff in these premises will have had additional training to know how to welcome breastfeeding families.
There are over 500 breastfeeding friendly locations throughout Lanarkshire for you to try where you will be made to feel comfortable.
For help and advice, call the Infant Feeding Team on 01698 366710
If you are formula feeding, there are a few options you can try, some mums like to take a sterile bottle and some ready-made formula with them. Or if you know you will have access to a kettle taking a sterile bottle and some pre-measured formula powder in a sterile container to make up the feeds as you need them will work. Or if you aren’t sure you will have access to freshly boiled water taking a clean flask you keep only for water and some powder with you will work.
However you are feeding your baby getting out and about and meeting old and new friends is important, even going for a walk and getting some fresh air can make you feel so much better.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for good bone health. The best source of vitamin D is sunlight and there are small amounts in some foods however when babies are growing either in the womb or in the first few years of life, they need additional vitamin D in the form of a supplement. The recommended amount is 10 micrograms a day and should be taken by:
- Pregnant women
- Breastfeeding women
- Babies
- All children up to the age of 5 years old
If babies are receiving more than 500ml of formula milk per day then they do not require vitamin D until they are receiving less than that amount.
All Pregnant women can receive free Healthy Start vitamins from their community midwife for the duration of their pregnancy. They can continue to receive these vitamins after they have had their baby until they are 1 year old. These are available from their health visitor, health centre front desk or local breastfeeding group. Some community groups stock mothers vitamins. Health Visitors can provide information on the nearest stockist.
Breastfeeding Groups In Lanarkshire
NHS Lanarkshire has a number of breastfeeding groups that run weekly throughout both North and South Lanarkshire. They are an excellent opportunity to meet up with other breastfeeding mums and get advice from breastfeeding experts. You don’t need to be having a problem to come along to the breastfeeding groups, it’s a great way to meet other mums and pick up hints and tips, they also have events throughout the year for you and your baby to enjoy. No need to book just turn up at the times stated.
*The groups meet every week on the dates below except on public holidays
Motherwell*
- Pat Cullinan Centre, Logans Road, Motherwell ML1 3PB
- Monday 9.30am-11.30am
Rutherglen*
- Health & Happy Building, 18 Farmeloan Road, Rutherglen G73 1DL
- Monday 10.30am-11.30am
Carluke*
- Community Health Centre, 40 Chapel Street, Carluke ML8 4BA
- Tuesday 1:00pm-2:00pm
Cumbernauld*
- Condorrat Health Centre, Health Education-Rm16, Airdrie Road, Cumbernauld G67 4DN
- Tuesday 10.00am-11.00am
Larkhall
- The Lighthouse, King Street, Larkhall ML9 1DP
- Tuesday 11.00am-12.00 noon
Hamilton*
- Fairhill Lifestyle Centre Neilsland Road, Fairhill, Hamilton, ML3 8HU
- Tuesday 1:30pm-2:30pm
Bellshill*
- Salvation Army Church and Community Centre, Gladstone Street, Bellshilll, ML4 1AT.
- Tuesday 1:30pm-2:30pm
Chryston*
- Chryston Parish Church, Main Street, Muirhead G69 9LA
- Tuesday 1.30pm-2:30pm
Family Nurse Partnership Coatbridge
- Community Centre (Attached to St Andrews High School) 9 Old Monkland Road Coatbridge ML5 5EA
- 3rd Tuesday of month 1pm – 3pm Transport to the group can be provided if required.
Airdrie*
- Gartlea Community Centre, Hillfoot Road, Airdrie, ML6 9PB
- Wednesday 10:00am-12:00 noon
Coatbridge*
- Coatbridge Health Centre, 1 Centre Park Court, Coatbridge ML5 3AP
- Wednesday 10.30am-11.30am
Strathaven*
- Strathaven Health Centre – The Ward, Strathaven, ML10 6AS
- Wednesday 10.30am-11.30am
Wishaw
- Houldsworth Centre- Wishaw, Kenilworth avenue, Wishaw, ML2 7LP
- Wednesday 10.00am-11.30am
Kilsyth*
- Kilsyth Community Health Centre, Health Education Rm, Airdrie Rd, Kilsyth, G65 0HU
- Wednesday 11.30am-12.30pm
Lesmahagow*
- Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill Community Wing Carlisle Road Blackwood ML11 9SB
- Thursday 12pm- 1pm
Lanark
- Lanark Health Centre, Woodstock Road Lanark ML117DH
- Thursday 1.30pm-2.30pm
Blantyre
- Blantyre Life, 90 Park Lane, Blantyre G72 9AS
- Thursday 1.00pm – 2.00pm
Shotts*
- St Patricks Chapel Hall, 84 Station Road, Shotts, ML7 4JB
- Friday 10:00am-11:30am
East Kilbride*
- Village Centre, East Kilbride, 12 Maxwellton Drive, G74 4H
- Friday 11:45am-12:45pm
Contact Us
Infant Feeding Team
Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm
National Breastfeeding Helpline
Your Feedback - comments, concerns and complaints
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