Feeding your baby

Breastfeeding gives your baby the best start in life, so it's a good idea to be prepared by finding out how to breastfeed and how to cope with sore nipples, tender breasts and other concerns. The links below take you to the Breastfeeding guide on NHS Choices.

Breastfeeding

The benefits of breastfeeding
How breastfeeding can give your baby the healthiest start in life.

Positioning and attachment
Information on how to breastfeed, including getting comfortable and tips to make it easier.

Starting to breastfeed
What to expect in the early days after birth, including the benefits of your early milk and what happens when you start producing milk.  

What to eat and drink when you're breastfeeding
Information on eating healthily while you're breastfeeding, and foods and drinks to avoid or take care with.

Breastfeeding and smoking
How smoking can affect your little one, plus help and advice on quitting smoking. 

Breastfeeding help and support
Where to get help and support with breastfeeding, from experts and other new mums.

Overcoming common breastfeeding problems
Advice on dealing with common breastfeeding problems, such as cracked nipples, mastitis and thrush.

Medicines and breastfeeding
Which medicines are safe to take while breastfeeding, and which ones to avoid.

Expressing breast milk
Why to express breast milk, how to do it and how to store it safely.

Common breastfeeding questions
Answers to some common questions, including how long to breastfeed your baby for, how to tell if your baby is getting enough milk and the effect of alcohol.

Bottle feeding

Information about bottle feeding your baby, whether with infant formula milk or expressed breast milk. Find practical help on how to sterilise bottles, store breast milk, overcome problems and make up formula milk correctly. The links below take you to the Birth to five guide on NHS Choices.

Bottle feeding advice
Information on buying and sterilising bottle feeding equipment, winding your baby and where to get support.

Common bottle feeding problems
Information on problems such as swallowing air and when to seek medical help.

Combining breastfeeding and formula feeding
Information on introducing formula milk and increasing breast milk supply.