Breastfeeding

The first milk, called colostrum, is highly protective. 
We encourage all mothers to provide colostrum to their baby soon after birth.
For more information, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/mry49zky

Skin Contact / Responsive Feeding 

Skin to skin contact after birth provides important protection for your baby. During this time your baby will be covered with good, friendly microbes from your skin, which are highly protective. Skin to skin contact will also calm you and your baby, steady their breathing and keep them warm. This is a great time for a first breastfeed and your midwife can help you. 
Stay close to your baby and feed whenever they are hungry. This will remind your body to produce plenty of milk. It is fine to feed your baby when they need comforting, when your breasts feel full or when you just want to sit down and have a rest. It is not possible to over feed a breastfed baby!

Less work (with formula feeding you need to make up each bottle fresh), less money spent, less time off work looking after sick children, and overall more convenience.

  • Ill health
  • Infections 
  • Diabetes
  • Skin problems 
  • Asthma and respiratory illnesses

They are also less likely to be obese, require hospital admissions and are less likely to need antibiotics. 
Mothers who breastfeed protect their own health too.

• Hold baby close to you 
• Keep baby’s head and body in a straight line 
• Head free / tilted back 
• Start with nose to your nipple 
• Baby’s chin touches the breast first

• It’s comfortable – Breastfeeding should not hurt.
• Baby is relaxed, your baby’s chin is indenting your breast, baby has a wide open mouth, you can see more of the darker skin around your nipple above your baby’s top lip, your baby sucks fast at first then deeper and slower and your baby’s cheeks are plumped out. 
• Your baby has frequent wet / dirty nappies (yellow poo by day four). 

Your baby only needs breast milk for the first six months. 
Your midwife can discuss expressing your breast milk as an option. 

Help and support

Your Midwife, Health Visitor or Children’s Centre can help you. 
For up-to-date information on contact numbers and support groups in your local area, please return to the Infant feeding webpage.

To download a copy of the leaflet click here

Document ID: W64 
ELHT/Maternity Services/Baby Friendly Team/Breastfeeding Flyer V2 
Issue: June 2023 Review: June 2026

Return to Infant Feeding webpage