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.

Knowing what to expect when breastfeeding should help you feel as confident as possible when you’ve just given birth and want to breastfeed your baby.

Your breast milk is uniquely made for your growing baby’s needs. Your breast milk can make a big difference to both you and your baby’s health. The longer you feed your baby breast milk, the more they benefit. Breast milk gives your baby all the nutrients your baby needs for around the first six months of life (and beyond). Breast milk may help protect your baby against infection, childhood illness and obesity. As a mum, breast feeding also reduces your chance of getting some illnesses later in life such as breast and ovarian cancer, and naturally uses approximately 500 calories a day and breast milk is free!

The skin to skin contact that breastfeeding naturally provides, enables a very special bonding experience for you and your baby. It will help to comfort you and your baby, helping baby to feel warm, calm and at ease. Being close to your baby also encourages your milk stimulation. Responsive feeding describes the sensitive, mutual nature of feeding when mother and baby respond to each other’s needs and cues. For example the mother can offer her breast if the baby appears unsettled or if the mother feels full and wants to sit down with her baby.

After a while you will be able to identify when your baby is hungry. Common signs are stirring, facial movements, eyes flickering, wriggling, moving head/mouth around, rooting for the breast, sucking fingers, crying.

Hot Weather and Feeding Your Baby

When the weather is hot your baby will want to feed more often as they will be thirsty. This is normal and your milk will adapt and change to be more refreshing but will still have all the same nutrients that your baby needs. Your breastmilk is your baby’s food and drink.

During hot weather, it is important to keep your baby cool. You can do this by dressing them in light clothes and keeping them in the shade.

Breastfed babies (0 to 6 months)

• No extra water is needed for exclusively breastfed babies until solids are introduced.
• During hot weather, your baby will breastfeed more often. These feeds may be shorter and more frequent. Check your baby is staying hydrated by counting the number of wet and dirty nappies they produce.

Formula fed babies (0 to 6 months)

• Formula fed babies may need small amounts of extra water during hot weather. There is no specific guidance on how much extra water. If needed, give a small amount in between milk feeds.
• Tap water is not sterile, it needs to be boiled and cooled first.
• Bottled water may not be appropriate due to high salt (sodium) and sulphate leves
• Filtered water can be given to babies under 6 months, but still needs to be boiled and cooled first.

All babies (6 to 12 months)

• Water can be given from an open cup or beaker at mealtimes from 6 months.
• Tap water can be given without being boiled first.

Very Important

In hot weather keep an eye on how much your baby is weeing and the colour of the wee. If they are producing less wee than usual and it is darker in colour (it should be straw coloured or clear) you should offer breast/expressed breastmilk feeds more often.

Click on the links below to find out more

• Why breastfeed?
• How do I know that my baby is getting enough milk?
• Feeding cues
• Feeding when you’re out and about
• Growth Spurts
• Attaching and Positioning at the breast
• Responsive feeding
• Breastfeeding and sleep

If you would like to find out more about becoming a breastfeeding peer supporter, click here