Highlight to listen
Positioning and attachment are the key to successful breastfeeding! Positioning is how you hold your baby at the breast and attachment is what your baby does when they latch on to the breast. It’s important to get this right so that:
Feel confident breastfeeding with tips on what to expect. Learn how your unique breast milk benefits your baby’s health and fosters a special bond.
Taking medication while breastfeeding can be confusing and concerning. Sometimes, the information on the leaflet inside the packet isn't clear about the safety of the medication. To help with this, the Breastfeeding Network has produced some Drugs Factsheets. You can also find out more from the NHS, breastfeeding and medicines.
Returning to work after maternity leave doesn’t mean you have to stop breastfeeding. The following websites have more information but if you need to discuss your situation in more detail you are welcome to contact our Infant Feeding team on 07500 952216.
Your baby will wake frequently to feed in the early days and weeks and while this is tiring for parents it is entirely normal. Talk to your midwife or Health Visitor for tips on how to manage this stage or find out more about baby sleep from Basis, the baby sleep information source
Breastfeeding grief is the sadness and emotional pain some mothers feel when they can't breastfeed as they had hoped. This can happen for many reasons, like medical issues, lack of support, or difficulties with the baby latching.
Having more than one baby can be challenging, but breastfeeding twins, triplets, or even more is definitely possible!
Breastfeeding when you're out and about can mean breastfeeding in front of a relative or friend in your own home, or in a public place, such as a café or shopping centre.
Breastfeeding can be challenging, particularly as you and your baby learn this new skill in the early weeks. You can access support from your midwifery or health visiting team and in Torbay both services have specialist staff to support with feeding, so please do reach out for support if you need it.
Your baby shows you signs to let you know when they are hungry. These are called feeding cues. These cues get stronger as your baby gets hungrier, until they cry as a last signal to you.
Most babies go through several growth spurts (also called frequency days or wonder weeks) during the first 12 months. It’s important to be aware of these so you understand and don’t doubt yourself (or your milk supply) when you experience them.
Babies have small tummies - only the size of a cherry when they are born! This means they will feed little, and VERY frequently in the first 6 weeks especially. Remember – responding to your babies cues will help you establish breastfeeding. Babies rarely need “extra” milk or additional feeds. Please speak to your health visitor if you are worried. The below signs reassure you that your baby IS getting enough milk.
A proper fitting bra helps support good breast health and reduces the risk of back and shoulder pain
You do not need a feeding schedule. Health professionals recommend "responsive" or "on demand" feeding – this means following your baby's cues and feeding them when they are hungry.
If you're breastfeeding, you should consider taking a 10mcg daily vitamin D supplement.
Everyone knows that pregnancies last three trimesters – so what exactly is the Fourth Trimester? The National Childbirth Trust explains what this crucial stage is, and what it means for you and baby. They talk about
What happens in your baby’s first years has a big effect on how healthy they will be in the future. Mum’s milk gives your baby all the nutrients they need for around the first 6 months of life and it remains important, along with solid food, beyond 6 months.
However you plan to feed your baby, skin to skin after birth is a really good way for you to start to get to know each other. In the first few hours after birth, having uninterrupted skin to skin with your baby will help them to go through some important developmental stages.
Expressing milk is when you take milk from your breasts so you can feed it to your baby straight away, or store it in the fridge or freezer to use at a later time. You can express breastmilk by hand or with an electric or manual pump, whichever you feel more comfortable using.
We know breastfeeding can be challenging sometimes and in Torbay there is support available through your maternity team, health visiting team or at the Family Hubs.
If you’ve ever asked questions like the ones below during the rollercoaster weeks of new parenthood, you’re in good company! Most new parents, unless they have been around newborn babies a lot before, are surprised and sometimes confused by how intensely their baby needs to be held and comforted. At times, it can feel like very hard work, or even as if, whatever you try, nothing quite works. Babies on the TV might sleep quietly in their beds between feeds, but real babies often don’t!
Your baby shows you signs to let you know when they are hungry. These are called feeding cues. These cues get stronger as your baby gets hungrier, until they cry as a last signal to you.
The Start for life website contains lots of useful information about how to prepare infant formula and sterilise feeding equipment to minimise the risk to your baby.
Paced feeding is way of giving your baby more control over feeds. Babies usually take small amounts of milk and stop for a rest, and then take more. You can help them to "pace" their feeds so that it mimics the way they would breastfeed.
You do not need a feeding schedule. Health professionals recommend "responsive" or "on demand" feeding – this means following your baby's cues and feeding them when they are hungry.
However you plan to feed your baby, skin to skin after birth is a really good way for you to start to get to know each other. In the first few hours after birth, having uninterrupted skin to skin with your baby will help them to go through some important developmental stages.
You may choose to give your baby formula milk, want to combination feed or give your baby expressed breastmilk by bottle. Our service will support you however you choose to feed your baby.
Peer support is when people use their own experiences to help each other and can complement the work of specialist services by offering a more holistic approach. It works flexibly to adapt to the needs of the parent and their family receiving peer support.
Friendly, welcoming breastfeeding support groups in your local Family Hub. Led by trained health visiting and family hub teams alongside trained breastfeeding Peer Supporters who have breastfed / chest fed their own children. You can feel assured that we provide reliable, evidence-based information for all mums and parents-to-be, breastfeeding / chest feeding and combination feeding families.
Classes to support antenatal women to learn about breastfeeding and breast milk. Partners, family and friends welcome to attend.
You are welcome to drop in and feed your baby at our family hubs anytime we are open.
We want to help every parent or carer in Torbay to find the right support at the right time. Support isn’t just for the tough times. It’s there to help make your whole parenting experience easier and more enjoyable.
If you would like support with infant feeding give us a call, contact our hub or email the team. This is for specialist 1 to 1 support from our infant feeding team for those experiencing problems with feeding. Depending on your needs you will receive phone support or be seen face to face. You can also find lots of advice and support at our Facebook page NHS Infant Feeding Torbay.
Download our leaflet for information on the services and support available in Torbay for infant feeding, your mental health and wellbeing and early communication.
Tongue-tie is where the piece of skin connecting the tongue to the bottom of the mouth is shorter or tighter than usual. It's most common in babies. It may not cause any problems, but if it does treatment is available. Find out more from the NHS here.
Our Torbaby follows the Solihull Approach Antenatal Programme.
Join our baby feeding group and meet other parents, get information, advice and support from family hub staff and breastfeeding peer supporters. Once a month we offer our no rush to mush session so you can find out when your baby might be ready to start solids. We also talk about supporting early relationship building, returning to work and breastfeeding, finding the right bra and more.
Developed in partnership with infant feeding, maternity, health visiting, public health colleagues from across Torbay in early 2023, our Infant Feeding Strategy sets out the direction to support agencies and the public, to protect, promote, support, and normalise breastfeeding.
Groups focused on child development.This is a weekly group for parents with their babies to attend and is based on offering specific advice and guidance for new mothers.Each week there will be a theme focused around your child’s development run by the family hub staff with breastfeeding peer supporters on hand to offer additional support. Click on our What's on pages for dates, times and venues. Just search My Developing Baby.
We know breastfeeding can be challenging sometimes and in Torbay there is support available through your maternity team, health visiting team or at the Family Hubs.
Torbay family hubs loan out electronic breast pumps free to low income parents or £30 per month including a £10 refundable deposit.Breast pumps can:
As you start weaning your baby, they may be at risk of choking. Find out what to look for and what to do.
If you are raising your baby as vegetarian or vegan the early stages of weaning should be no different from weaning any other baby. Your baby's first food can include fruit, vegetables or softly cooked vegetables or fruit offered as finger foods if you are baby led weaning.
Until about 6 months, babies only need breast or infant formula milk to give them all the right nutrients. They might look like they want to try other things, but their body isn’t ready until they are about 6 months old. If they start eating other foods they might not get enough milk. If they start eating other food too early they are more likely to get infectious illnesses or even be at risk of obesity.
Would you like additional support with starting your baby on solid food? If your baby is over 6 months old we are offering monthly sessions at Turning Heads in Torquay.
If you are pregnant or have a child under four years old you could get a Healthy Start card to help buy some basic foods. This important means-tested scheme provides vouchers to spend with local retailers. Pregnant women and children over one and under four years old can get one voucher per week. Children under one year old can get two vouchers per week.
Introducing your baby to solid foods (often called weaning onto foods) should start around six months of age (26 weeks). Before introducing solid foods your baby must show three clear developmental signs; stay in a sitting position and hold their head steady, co-ordinate their eyes, hands and mouth, and swallow food rather than pushing most of it back out with their tongue. There are many myths around signs of ready such as; chewing fists, watching you eat, requiring extra feeds and waking during the night. These are not necessarily signs of being ready for solids and some extra breast or first stage milk will help until they are ready for food.
Once they’re old enough, you can start encouraging your baby to drink from a cup or beaker.
Find out more about becoming a breastfeeding friendly business, organisation, early years setting or employer here.
(ABM)www.abm.me.uk
www.laleche.org.uk/get-support0345 120 2918 (everyday, 24 hours)
To get in touch, call 0800 138 0509 (Mon-Fri 10am-1pm and 7pm-10pm) or complete the Ask Twinline form online. The best way to get a quick response is to call. Emails will be responded to within three working days. Find helpful information and advice here.
From Bump to Breastfeeding is a set of films following the journey of four mums (and we hear from other mums along the way) who decide to breastfeed their babies. The films will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about breastfeeding and how to do it successfully. You can also download their free Baby Buddy app.
If you’ve ever asked questions like the ones below during the rollercoaster weeks of new parenthood, you’re in good company! Most new parents, unless they have been around newborn babies a lot before, are surprised and sometimes confused by how intensely their baby needs to be held and comforted. At times, it can feel like very hard work, or even as if, whatever you try, nothing quite works. Babies on the TV might sleep quietly in their beds between feeds, but real babies often don’t!
Breastfeeding Friend from Start4Life (or BFF) is an app that lets you get NHS-trusted advice at any time, day or night. You can get it for your:
Lots more information on breastfeeding, infant formula and bottle feeding, and introducing your baby to solid foods. You can download free resource’s here.
If you are pregnant or have a child under four years old you could get a Healthy Start card to help buy some basic foods. This important means-tested scheme provides vouchers to spend with local retailers. Pregnant women and children over one and under four years old can get one voucher per week. Children under one year old can get two vouchers per week.
Guidance and support for feeding babies with cleft lip or palate.
