Feeding and Nurturing Your Baby
Breastfeeding
Our midwives and infant feeding coordinators are here to support you, should you choose to breastfeed your child.
Benefits of breastfeeding your baby
The benefits of breastfeeding have been well evidenced and midwives and health visitors are keen to highlight the benefits to both mum and baby:
Breast fed babies are:
- Five times less likely to present with gastrointestinal infections (tummy bugs) or urinary tract infections.
- Two times less likely to have a chest infection.
- Two times less likely to have an allergy if they are from an allergic family. This includes eczema, asthma or diabetes.
- If the babies are premature they are 20-fold less likely to get neonatal necrotising enterocolitis, a bowel condition, which can be life threatening.
- Have improved cognitive development.
- And are less likely to be obese in childhood or later adult life.
Mothers who breastfeed:
- Have reduced risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis later in life.
- Regain their pre-pregnancy weight more quickly and their womb contracts to its pre-pregnant state more quickly, reducing their likelihood of postpartum bleeding or womb infections.
Bottlefeeding
If you’ve decided to bottlefeed your baby, you’ve probably got many questions about what formula to use, how much formula you should feed your baby and what equipment you need.
Your midwife, health visitor or infant feeding coordinator can answer any questions that you may have and provide you with a range of advice, information and support.
The Start4Life website also has handy guides on how to make up your baby’s bottle with formula, how to feed your baby, as well as support to help you overcome any problems or challenges you may face bottlefeeding your baby.
Mixed Feeding
Many mums want to combine breastfeeding with bottlefeeding either using expressed breast milk or infant formula. As with breastfeeding or bottlefeeding on their own, mixed feeding can also present mums with some challenges and there useful advice and support on mixed feeding is available on the Start4Life website.
Homestart
Skilled counselling can help mums to start and continue breastfeeding and support is available in Greater Manchester from Homestart teams. To find out more, families can call Homestart on: 07802 883947. Homestart also have a range of great videos on infant feeding on YouTube that mums can access by visiting: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLu5ktrW08FBsowxW7dDlUA.
Useful Resources
Breastfeeding
Start4Life
- Poster - Here to help with breastfeeding, 24/7 and All's Well
- Booklet - Off to the best start – a guide to help you start breastfeeding
- Booklet - Guide to bottle feeding – How to prepare infant formula and sterilise bottles
- Easy read booklets - Time to start solid foods
Websites
Start4Life website - Breastfeeding - https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/feeding-your-baby/breastfeeding/
NHS UK – Breastfeeding help and support - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding/help-and-support/
Breastfeeding.Support website - https://breastfeeding.support/
The Breastfeeding Network website - https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/breastfeeding-support/
La Leche League GB website - https://www.laleche.org.uk/
NCT website - https://www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/feeding/early-days/breastfeeding-support-nct
Tommy’s website: https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/after-birth/feeding-your-baby/breastfeeding-information-and-support
Baby Bistro - a local support group in Oldham - https://www.familiesonline.co.uk/local/oldham/listing/baby-bistro
Bottlefeeding
Start4Life website – Bottlefeeding - https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/feeding-your-baby/bottle-feeding/
Mixed Feeding
Start4Life website - Mixed Feeding - https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/feeding-your-baby/mixed-feeding/
Infant Feeding Leads
The Northern Care Alliance has Infant feeding leads who are available to provide support to women who wish to breastfeed their baby.
Wendy Blackwood - Royal Oldham Hospital maternity, Neonatal Unit and Paediatric Services and other clinical areas including Rochdale Infirmary and Fairfield General Hospital
E-mail: wendy.blackwood@nca.nhs.uk
Pauline Mulhall - Salford Health Visitor and Community Services and Salford Royal Hospital Infant Feeding Lead
E-mail: Pauline.mulhall@nca.nhs.uk
Joanne Mayall - Oldham Health Visitor & Community Services
E-mail: joanne.mayall@nca.nhs.uk
Vicky Thomas - Bury Health Visitor & Community Services
E-mail: Victoria.thomas@nca.nhs.uk
Amanda Hadlow - Rochdale Health Visitor & Community services
E-mail: amand.hadlow@nca.nhs.uk
Tongue Tie
Tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) is where the strip of skin connecting the baby's tongue to the bottom of their mouth is shorter than usual.
It can sometimes restrict the tongue’s movement, making it harder for babies to breastfeed. It is often diagnosed during a baby’s newborn physical examination, but it can be difficult to spot.
If you think that your baby your baby is struggling to feed and may have tongue tie, speak to your midwife, health visitor of GP.
Common signs of tongue tie
Your baby may have tongue tie if they’re struggling to latch on properly when you’re breastfeeding or if they’re unable to stay attached for a full feed. Other signs are your baby being unsettled or hungry all the time, not gaining weight as they should, or making a clicking sound as they feed. Other signs that your baby might have tongue tie are if they have difficulty moving their tongue up or side to side or difficulty sticking their tongue out.
Treatment
If your baby is able to feed, treatment may not be necessary. If treatment is required, it may involve a simple procedure called a tongue-tie division, which involves cutting the short, tight bit of skin connecting the underside of the tongue to the bottom of the mouth. This treatment is nothing to worry about. It is a quick, simple and virtually painless procedure, which will help your child’s feeding immediately. The procedure is usually performed by your GP, nurse or midwife and they will be able to explain your options with you in more detail.