Deciding how to feed your baby is an important and personal decision that parents make for their child.

Exclusive breastfeeding delivers many benefits including a significant reduction in gastrointestinal infections and a reduction in the risk of Sudden Infant Death. Breastfeeding supports a close and loving relationship which helps the baby's brain development and formation of a positive attachment. Breastfeeding also improves mental health and can reduce the risk of postnatal depression.

However you decide to feed your baby, our trained professionals will support your choice and will provide you with as much evidence-based information as you need to make your decision easier.

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Regardless of the type of birth you have, talk to your healthcare provider about holding your baby against your skin straight after birth, uninterrupted for as long as possible. This skin-to-skin contact between you and your baby will calm baby, steady their breathing and heart rate and help to keep them warm and regulate their temperature. It will also begin the important bonding and milk production just by this simple act! This is a great time to start your first breastfeed because your baby will be alert and will show signs they want to feed in the first hour after birth. Your midwife can help you with this.

Take a look at Unicef's Baby Friendly video - The importance of relationship building:

Carry on with skin-to-skin (baby can wear a nappy) when you get home; your baby is never too old for this! Skin-to-skin helps you and baby to feel calm and also aid with feeding through tuning-in to baby's cues and increasing your milk supply. Your baby will be happier if you keep them near you and feed them 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 overfeed a breastfed baby. This is called responsive breastfeeding – feeds are not just for nutrition, but also for love, comfort and reassurance between both baby and mother.

Take a look at Unicef's Baby Friendly video - Meeting baby for first time:

 

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