Feeding your baby

To help you prepare for feeding your baby your midwife will discuss the different options at your antenatal appointment.

Breastfeeding

There are lots of benefits to breastfeeding your baby. Breastmilk provides perfectly balanced nutrition for your baby and its composition evolves to meet your baby’s individual needs are they grow. Breastmilk also boosts your baby’s ability to fight illness and infections. Breastfeeding is also a great way to connect with your baby. Keeping your baby close will help you to respond to their needs for food, love and comfort.

It is recommended that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life and that they continue to receive some breastmilk alongside safe, complementary foods thereafter.

Breastfeeding has benefits for you too. Those who choose to breastfeed have a lower risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Preparing to breastfeed class

The infant feeding team run an online class for expectant parents who are considering breastfeeding. This is a great way to learn how to feed your baby and find out about breastfeeding support. The class runs on the first Tuesday of every month at 6pm – please let us know which month you’d like to book.

Email [email protected] to book your place or find out more.

Leeds Maternity Breastfeeding Clinic

This clinic is run by our Infant Feeding Team who are Specialist Midwives and Support Workers. It offers personalised support for anyone who has difficulties with breastfeeding in the postnatal period (up to 28 days after your baby was born).

Email [email protected] for more information or to self-refer.

Breastfeeding – useful links

Colostrum

Please see the Antenatal Hand Expressing leaflet for more information about colostrum.

Formula feeding

If you use formula milk it is very important for your baby’s health that you follow all the instructions to make the feed and sterilise any equipment correctly. Before you and your baby go home we will show you how to make up baby formula, and provide you with information including types of formula.

If you plan to formula feed you will need to bring ready to feed first milk formula into hospital with you. Starter packs with disposable bottles and teats are available to buy in many supermarkets and pharmacies. You should expect to use about 8 teats and bottles a day. We do not have the facilities for the safe preparation of powdered formula on the maternity wards. We do not provide formula milk for babies on maternity wards unless there is a medical indication.

First Steps Nutrition Trust is a charity that provides clear, evidence-based information about infant formula milks that is free from commercial bias: First Steps Nutrition Trust

Bottle feeding

Skin to skin contact

Having skin to skin contact with your baby immediately or as soon as possible after birth is a great way to get feeding off to the best possible start.

Skin to skin helps your newborn to learn how to find your breast and to have their first feed. Skin contact also triggers the release of your milk making hormones prolactin and oxytocin, helping you to establish a good milk supply.

If you decide not to breastfeed, you and your baby will still benefit from having skin to skin contact after birth. This is the perfect place for your baby to have their first bottle feed.

Meeting baby for the first time video – Baby Friendly Initiative

Feeding support in Leeds

Support in the community after your baby has been born

Please take a look at the Leeds Community Healthcare website for more information about infant feeding support in Leeds: 0 to 19 Public Health Integrated Nursing Service

Leeds Bosom Buddies support groups

Leeds Bosom Buddies provide mum-to-mum breastfeeding information and support in groups run by trained breastfeeding peer supporters. They can also provide more details about the Breast Pump Loan Scheme.

See Leeds Bosom Buddies on Facebook or email [email protected] for the latest information and groups in your area.

Our videos

The aim of this series of videos is to provide the information you will need to decide how to feed and care for your baby.

Links to online information, videos and leaflets

Breastfeeding – NHS – NHS breastfeeding guides including how to breastfeed, expressing your breast milk, challenges, healthy diet, breastfeeding in public and more.

Off to the Best Start: a leaflet about why breastfeeding matters and how to hold and attach baby effectively for feeding.

Caring for your baby at night: this leaflet is designed to offer helpful, practical advice on coping at night. Also see Infant Sleep Service

New Dads and Breastfeeding: how Dads can assist and be involved in breastfeeding.

Partners and Breastfeeding: how partners can assist and be involved in breastfeeding.

Neonatal – you and your baby: supporting love and care on the neonatal unit. This leaflet includes information about breastfeeding a neonatal baby.

The importance of relationship building – A video about responding to babies’ needs for comfort and food.

Meeting baby for the first time – this video explains the benefits of skin to skin contact

Skin to skin contact – how skin to skin helps you to initiate breastfeeding and develop close, loving relationships with your baby.

Hand expression: This video guides you through how to hand express, and talks about the times when hand expression might be useful for you.

Breastfeeding and relationship building: the importance of developing close and loving relationships with babies in their early days and weeks.

Positioning and attachment: a breastfeeding counsellor helps with positioning and attachment whilst breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding resources – Baby Friendly Initiative (Unicef) – leaflets, videos and resources about establishing and continuing successful breastfeeding.