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Infant Feeding Team

Breastfeeding is normal, natural and the healthiest way to feed your baby but it is not always easy. This is especially true if you do not get the right support. We follow the quality standards set out by UNICEF Baby Friendly UK and this means our staff and services are designed to support your feeding journey however you choose to feed. For more information on the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative, please click here.

We have a dedicated Infant Feeding Team based at the Trust, which was highlighted as Outstanding, by the Care Quality Commission in 2019.

You can contact them on 07816 061633 by call or text. Please leave a message and we they will return your call. The Infant Feeding team are here to give you information and support over the phone or they can arrange to see you face-to-face.

more-than-milkYou can contact them before you have your baby, while you are in hospital and once you are discharged home.

If you have particular concerns about feeding, have had a previous difficult feeding experience or have a complicated pregnancy, the team offers parent craft classes one-to-one or in small groups which can be tailored to your needs.

 

Follow the Infant Feeding team on:

Twitter: @SWBH_IFT 

Instagram: @SWBH_feedingteam.

For more information about disabled access for this service, please click here.

Team

From left to right:

  • Kirsty Hall, Infant feeding midwife and IBCLC
  • Louise Thompson, Infant feeding coordinator and IBCLC
  • Suad Abdullahi, Infant feeding lead neonatal and IBCLC
  • Kristy Dunning, Infant feeding midwife and IBCLC

IBCLC = International board-certified lactation consultant

Services

Services

We offer a range of services throughout your pregnancy and after you have had your baby. Please call us with any questions/concerns you may have had as we are always happy to help. If you are diabetic, carrying twins/triplets or have previously had a baby born prematurely we are happy to meet with you to help prepare you for feeding your new baby. We work alongside our colleagues in clinic and can meet with you on a one to one basis at a time to suit you or alternatively we are happy to discuss any issues over the telephone. We provide one-to-one support on our postnatal and paediatric wards.

We can support you with many feeding issues including weight loss, tongue tie, meditation in breast milk, access to donor milk medication or anything that’s concerning you no matter how small you might think the problem is. Please also see our contact section for details of local and national feeding support. We can offer help and support on breastfeeding and returning to work, future pregnancies and tandem feeding.

If you have enjoyed breastfeeding your baby and would love to help support other local mums, why not consider attending peer support training? Please call us for details.

Patient Stories

Patient Stories

Contacts

Contacts

SWB Infant Feeding Clinic Helpline – 07816 061633

For virtual breastfeeding support 24/7 access the breastfeeding chatbot on Facebook messenger, Alexa and Google Home https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/breastfeeding/extra-help-and-support/

Further support can be obtained from:

National Breastfeeding Helpline – 0300 100 0212

Breastfeeding Network Helpline – 0300 100 0210

Sandwell Breastfeeding Network Helpline – 07505 775357 / sandwell@breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk

La Leche League Helpline – 0845 102 2918

NCT Breastfeeding Helpline – 0300 330 0771

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers Helpline – 08444 122949

Information for patients

Films - educational 'how to' videos
The links below go to videos created by the Infant Feeding Team. They are a series of instructional and educational videos which show parents “how to” feed their baby, and clean and use equipment.

How to hand express breast milk 
How to breastfeed comfortably  
How to wash breast pump equipment on the Neonatal unit  
Expressing your breast milk before your baby is born
How to use a Carum breast pump
How to use a Calypso breast pump
Responsive bottle feeding
How to use nipple shields 
Patient information leaflets
External guides:

Trust leaflets:

Baby and Infant Mental Health
However you feed your baby, responding to them and holding them close for feeds and cuddling them when they feel sad will help them feel safe and secure and flood their developing brain with happy hormones. This relationship starts when you are pregnant.

There is lots of useful information about raising a happy baby in this leaflet ‘Building a happy baby’, click here to download.

  • Follow this link for information on why babies cry and how to cope.
  • Learn more about babies’ social and emotional development by clicking the following here. 


You may also find this short film useful: 

How do I get off to a good start
Skin-to-skin contact as soon as you are able and for at least after the first feed will help you get off to a good start with feeding. Feed your baby frequently. In the first 24 hours your baby may only feed three or four times but they may feed more. After the first 24 hours your baby will need to feed at least eight to ten times in 24 hours. You cannot overfeed a breastfed baby. For more information click here.

You can assess how your baby is breastfeeding using a feeding assessment which is on page 8 in your baby’s Red book or you can click here. You might also find this film useful about meeting your baby for the first time:

Your relationship with your baby starts when they are in your tummy. Taking time out to talk to your bump while you are pregnant may help you respond to them once they are born.

How will I know my baby is breastfeeding well
Many parents worry that they will not know if  the baby is breastfeeding well because they cannot see how much milk they are taking. Watch the videos below to see what an effective feed looks like:

Feeling sad during a breastfeed
Depression or other negative emotions upon milk let-down (D-MER) A small number of breastfeeding mothers experience feelings of depression (or anxiety, homesickness, agitation or anger) beginning immediately before their milk lets down and it may last a few minutes. This is called Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex, or D-MER. This appears to be a physiological response (not a psychological response) that may be tied to a sudden decrease in the brain chemical dopamine immediately before milk let-down.

Many mums experiencing these symptoms find it helpful to visit D-MER.org, but you can also contact the Infant Feeding Team on 07816 061633

Feeding on the Neonatal Unit
If your baby is born sick or preterm, your milk is like medicine. We will support you to express your breast milk and can provide you with a breast pump. We have a dedicated Neonatal Feeding Nurse, Carmen Nuttall, and you can contact her on 07866 004667 or you can also contact the Infant Feeding Team (see contacts tab).

The video below shows you why expressing your breast milk is so important:

For more information on NEC visit SIGNEC and NEC UK 

I think I have a low milk supply, what can I do?
Many new mums think they have a low milk supply, but the majority do not – click here to find out more.
You can also watch the video below for more information:

If you want to increase your milk supply:

  • Make sure that the baby is feeding effectively. If feeding is hurting, baby may not be able to transfer milk effectively. Seek help from the ‘where can I get help’ section above or watch this film.
  • Breastfeed frequently for as long as your baby is actively feeding. Babies’ breast feed at least 8-10 times in 24 hours, sometimes more. It is normal for gaps between feeds to be 1.5-2 hours at times and go no longer than 3 hours between feeds.
  • Take a ‘baby moon’. Take 2 or 3 days when you do nothing but feed your baby and rest. Avoid extra visitors if you can and get help from those close to you to provide you with support with things like food, house work and answering the phone.
  • Offer both breasts at each feed. Let baby finish one side then offer the other breast. Baby may not look interested in another feed at first but many will take milk from the second breast.
  • Try ‘switch feeding’. Feed on one side and when baby’s feeding slows down put them on the other breast. When they become sleepy on that side ‘switch’ them back to the other side.
  • Avoid teats and dummies. If baby wants to suck let them suckle at your breast.
  • Take care of yourself, rest when you can and eat and drink well.
  • Consider expressing after feeds or between feeds. This should encourage your breasts to produce more milk. Expressing for two or three minutes after your milk has stopped flowing will help increase your milk supply too.

For more information go to www.kellymom.com

Safe sleep and feeding my baby at night
Babies need to breastfeed frequently around eight to twelve times in 24 hours. It is normal for them to feed during the night.

For information about feeding your baby at night, please download this leaflet.

For information from Basis on a baby’s sleep, click here.

How can my partner and family help me?
Partners may not be able to breastfeed but there are lots of other ways they can support mum and baby, like helping with chores, cuddling baby and holding baby, providing food and drink for mum and finding good sources of information and support like the ones found on these pages.

You may also find this video useful:

Supporting parent mental health
If you are concerned about yourself or a loved one, speak to a health care professional like your midwife, health visitor or GP. You can also find support via: nhs.uk and  PANDAS Foundation UK For information on maternal mental health and breastfeeding click here. 
Is it normal for breastfeeding to hurt
You may have had a painful experience or spoken to people who have. With the right support breastfeeding should be comfortable and should not hurt. Get help as soon as you can from the numbers in the ‘where can I find help’ section. This film clip will help show you how a baby breastfeeds so that it is comfortable.

Positioning and attachment:

Useful websites for breastfeeding complications
Visit https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/ for useful information on complications including:

  • Thrush
  • Mastitis
  • Drugs in breast milk

The Facebook page, “Drugs in Breast milk” will answer your questions quickly and is staffed by experts. You can also speak to the Infant Feeding Team or your Midwife.

I think my baby has tongue tie, what can I do?
Tongue tie is common in babies but they do not always affect feeding. You can also get information from the NHS website.

If you suspect your baby has a tongue tie which is effecting how well they feed, you can speak to the Infant Feeding Team for information, support and where to get treatment. Contact the Infant Feeding Team and we will support you to make a referral.

What should I do if I think that my baby has jaundice
For most babies, jaundice is mild, harmless and clears up by itself. But it is important that you tell your midwife, your on-call midwife or your doctor if you notice that your baby’s skin, the whites of their eyes or the inside of their mouth or gums have a yellow colour. If this happens in the first 24 hours after birth, contact them urgently. This could be a sign of another medical problem.

If your baby is more than 24 hours old, contact them on the same day that you notice the change in colour. You should also tell your midwife or on-call midwife or doctor if your baby passes pale, chalky coloured stools or dark urine that stains the nappy. Follow the link for more information about jaundice, click here.

Information about expressing breast milk
Here is some information about expressing your milk before your baby is born. You do not need to express before baby is born but it can be a useful skill to learn: Expressing your milk before baby is born.

You don’t need to express before baby is born, but it can be useful to have some extra milk there just in case. This video talks you through how to hand express and discusses times when expressing might be useful.

If you want more information about expressing your milk or using a breast pump you can contact the Infant Feeding Team.

I am thinking about bottle feeding, where can I get information and support?
The Infant Feeding Team can offer you advice and support on bottle feeding your baby. You can express breast milk and give it by bottle and get, many of the benefits of breast feeding for mother and baby:

For information on which milk to choose and how to bottle feed click here.
For a simple guide to infant formula, follow on formula and other infant milks in England go to this link.
For information about how to make feeds up safely, what milks to choose how to know your baby is bottle feeding well click here.
For safety advice for infant milk preparation: Vacuum flasks, combined formula mixer and bottle insulator and milk preparation machines click here.
For a visual guide to responsive formula feeding click here.

First steps nutrition: a guide to formula milks
Responsive bottle feeding (UNICEF)
Information in other languages on breastfeeding and bottle feeding.

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