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Generic Bonding Before Birth Leaflet No Venue V1.1

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MFT FEEDING SUPPORT LEAFLET  UPDATED INFO

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A Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trial of Antenatal Corticosteroids for Planned Birth in Twins: STOPPIT-3 This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR127869). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

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MFT FEEDING SUPPORT LEAFLET  NEW IN PROGRESS

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Manchester Birth Centre tour information

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Manchester Birth Centre tour information

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Welcome to the POGP Pregnancy and Early Postnatal section.

Find out more about pregnancy and early postnatal topics on our dedicated pages:

External links

Coming soon - collection of videos featuring women who have spoken out about their experience of suffering from the effects of an obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI)

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Welcome to the POGP Pregnancy and Early Postnatal section.

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Birth After Caesarean Section information leaflet

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Birth After Caesarean Section information leaflet

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Come visit Manchester Birth Centre where we believe that birth can be an amazing, magical and empowering experience for women and families. We aim to support a positive birth experience by providing a calm, safe, peaceful and homely environment.

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Information for parents - improving the outcome for premature babies

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Information for parents - improving the outcome for premature babies

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Information on improving the outcome for pre-term babies - other languages

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Information on improving the outcome for pre-term babies - other languages

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Statement on Inclusive Language and Practice. The North West Neonatal Operational Delivery Network (NWNODN) and the North West Coast and Greater Manchester Safety Patient Collaboratives are aware that the use of gendered language such as mother, woman and maternal, as well as breast and breastmilk f…

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All pregnant women are offered screening tests to check on their health, and their baby's health. These tests are usually carried out by a midwife.

Some screening tests should ideally be done before a woman reaches 10 weeks of pregnancy. This is because further tests may be needed, and decisions made about ongoing care.

So as soon as you know you're pregnant, please contact your local midwife service and book your first appointment with them.

Your first appointment with a midwife may take place at a GP surgery, Children's Centre, at home or at a hospital. It depends on the services available where you live.

At this appointment you will receive standard health checks, for example have your blood pressure taken. You will also be offered a number of screening tests.

These tests are usually done by the midwife taking a blood sample.

HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis can be tested for, as well as Down's syndrome, Edwards' syndrome and Patau's syndrome. You can choose to have these tests or not.

Testing is also offered for thalassaemia and sickle cell. Tests for thalassaemia and sickle cell should be done before 10 weeks to be most effective.

Find out more

Whether to take screening tests or not is entirely up to you. Some people prefer to find out whether their baby is affected, or to rule out any potential issues.

If you choose not to be screened for sickle cell and thalassaemia during pregnancy, your baby can still have screening for the conditions as part of the newborn blood spot screening a few days after birth.

Either way, it's important to book to see a midwife as soon as you know you're pregnant, so you can receive the best possible care for you and your baby, every step of the way.

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It's important to book an appointment with your midwife as soon as you find out you're pregnant. They can talk to you about important screening tests.

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Labour Pains - Information on pain relief choices during labour

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Information for expectant parents and healthcare professionals on pain relief choices during labour

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Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative | Meeting baby for the first time

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Good attachment will help a baby get more milk and make breastfeeding more comfortable. This video shows why good attachment is so important to breastfeeding success and what a mother can do to deeply attach her baby to her breast.

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Attaching Your Baby at the Breast - Video - Global Health Media Project

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Good attachment will help a baby get more milk and make breastfeeding more comfortable. This video shows why good attachment is so important to breastfeeding

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Published by Better Health Start for Life and the Baby Friendly Initiative and updated in 2022, this leaflet provides mothers and health professionals with key information about breastfeeding.

The leaflet is a teaching aid for health professionals when discussing the benefits and management of breastfeeding with pregnant women, and when teaching new mothers how to breastfeed. Health professionals may also find our breastfeeding assessment tools and practical skills review forms useful when talking to new mothers.
To enquire about printed copies of this leaflet, please visit the Department of Health & Social Care campaign resource centre. The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative is unable to assist with printed leaflets for this resource.

Off to the Best Start leaflet - A guide to help you start breastfeeding

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Off to the best start leaflet - Baby Friendly Initiative

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This leaflet from the Department of Health and the Baby Friendly Initiative provides key information about breastfeeding.

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Starting to think about infant feeding – My Birth My Choice

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Deciding how to feed your baby is a decision that can be influenced by many different events and experiences. We want you to have the opportunity to discuss the various options available so that the decision you make is based on the best available information (rather than hearsay) and is a decision…

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This hub aims to inform about the types of tears that can occur during childbirth, how to minimise your risk of deeper tearing, and what can be done to help your recovery if you do tear.

We also aim to support you to take prompt action if you have any concerns about your recovery, helping you feel better informed when discussing any topics with a healthcare professional.

This information has been developed by the OASI Care Bundle Project Team, the OASI Care Bundle Clinical Champions and perineal specialists.

It is based on the RCOG Green-top Guideline No.29 The Management of Third and Fourth Degree Tears (June 2015) and expert opinion from the above named developers and key stakeholders in line with RCOG due process.

Please give us your feedback

We would like to understand how people are using this resource to help ensure it is relevant and useful. To give us your feedback, please complete our short survey.If you have any questions, please email womensvoices@rcog.org.uk

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Perineal tears and episiotomies in childbirth

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Welcome to our hub for perineal tears and episiotomies in childbirth.

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Maternity Rights Advice Service Manchester

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Maternity Rights Advice Service Manchester

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You can access NHS physiotherapy without going to your GP first with go2physio.

Physiotherapists are physical activity specialists working with you to enable you to manage your condition. They are expertly skilled to assess, diagnose, and manage patients with musculoskeletal conditions much in the same way as doctors.

Musculoskeletal conditions such as muscle or joint problems like back pain, knee pain or sprains are best managed by Physiotherapists. Physiotherapists can transform people's lives by:

Reducing pain

Improving quality of life

Keeping people out of hospital

Reducing disability

Reversing the deterioration of conditions

Physiotherapists will ensure that you will receive the most up to date and effective evidence based treatments for your problem. Some physiotherapists are also qualified to administer injections or prescribe drugs without seeing your GP or Pharmacist. For information about pain relief, please visit the NHS Live Well pages.

To self-refer via go2physio you must meet this criteria, if you do not meet these criteria your referral will be rejected and please consult your GP.

You must be a Salford resident OR be registered with a Salford GP

You must be 16 years old or over

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You can access NHS physiotherapy without going to your GP first with go2physio. Physiotherapists are physical activity specialists working with you to enable you to manage your condition. They are expertly skilled to assess, diagnose, and manage patients with musculoskeletal conditions much in the same way as doctors.

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Health Start frequently asked questions and translations

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Health Start frequently asked questions and translations

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v1.Healthy Start Guide and Frequently Asked Questions

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Fetal movements leaflet in different languages

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Fetal movements leaflet in different languages

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Self referral to physiotherapy Oxford Road Campus Saint Mary's

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Self referral to physiotherapy Oxford Road Campus Saint Mary's

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pain relief comparison card september 2014_Urdu

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pain relief comparison card september 2014_Arabic

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Remifentanil PCA Hindi Proofread - Amended

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In this video, a breastfeeding counsellor helps a mother with her positioning and attachment whilst breastfeeding.

Key to achieving the Baby Friendly standards is a workforce able to support mothers to breastfeed effectively. This video provides some guidance on this.

You can see more of the 'From Bump to Breastfeeding' DVD on the Best Beginnings website.

Video not working? Contact us

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Positioning and attachment video - Baby Friendly Initiativ

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In this video, a breastfeeding counsellor helps a mother with her positioning and attachment whilst breastfeeding. Watch to learn more.

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How much formula does my baby need?

Newborn babies need quite small amounts of formula to start with. The amount will vary from baby to baby.

Although most babies settle into a feeding pattern eventually, they vary in how often they want to feed and how much they want to drink.

Feed your baby when they show signs that they want it. Babies tend to feed little and often, so they may not finish their bottle. Having a big feed does not mean your baby will go longer between feeds.

How do I know if my baby is getting enough formula?

Your baby's weight gain and the number of wet and dirty nappies will tell you whether your baby is getting enough formula.

Your baby should have around 6 wet nappies a day from a few days after the birth. Nappies should be wet with clear or pale yellow urine, or feel heavy.

For the first day or two after birth, your baby will pass a dark, sticky substance known as meconium. Within the first week your baby should start to pass pale yellow or yellowish brown poo. They should be having at least 1 poo a day.

Your baby will usually be weighed at birth and again in the first week. After that, healthy babies only need to be weighed at 8, 12 and 16 weeks, and again at 1 year.

This information should be entered on a chart in your personal child health record (PCHR) or "red book".

Read more about the personal child health record (red book) in Your baby's health and development reviews.

If you have any questions or concerns about your baby's weight gain, speak to a midwife or health visitor.

How will I know if my formula-fed baby is hungry?

After a while, you'll get to know the signs that show your baby is ready to feed.

For example, your baby may:

start to get restless

begin to turn their head and open their mouth (rooting)

find something to suck - usually their fist or fingers

Try to feed your baby before they cry, as this is a late sign of hunger.

What do I need if I'm formula feeding away from home?

If you need to feed your baby away from home, take with you:

a measured amount of formula powder in a small, clean and dry container

a vacuum flask of hot water that's just been boiled

an empty sterilised feeding bottle with cap and retaining ring in place

The vacuum flask does not need to be sterilised, but it should be clean, and only used for your baby. The boiling water should kill any bacteria present in the flask. If the flask is full and sealed, the water will stay above 70C for several hours.

Make up a fresh feed only when your baby needs it. The water must still be hot when you use it, to destroy any bacteria in the formula powder.

Remember to cool the bottle (with the lid on) under cold running water before you feed it to your baby.
Read more about how to make up baby formula
Alternatively, you could use a carton of ready-to-feed liquid formula when you're away from home.

What if I need to transport a made-up feed?

If it's not possible to follow the advice for formula feeding away from home, you should use a carton of ready-to-feed liquid formula.

But if you still need to transport a feed (for example, to a nursery), prepare the feed at home, cool under a running tap or in a bowl of cold water, and put it in the fridge to cool.

Make sure the feed is cold. Take it out of the fridge just before you leave and carry it in a cool bag with an ice pack, and use it within 4 hours. If you do not have an ice pack, or access to a fridge, the made-up infant formula must be used within 2 hours.

If the formula that you made up at home is stored:

in a fridge - use within 24 hours

in a cool bag with an ice pack - use within 4 hours

at room temperature - use within 2 hours

Can I use bottled water to make up infant formula?

Bottled water is not recommended for making up infant formula feeds for your baby. This is because it's not usually sterile and may contain too much salt (sodium) or sulphate.

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Information and advice on formula feeding, including how much formula to give your baby, how many wet nappies they should have and how to handle feeds away from home.

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Breastfeeding can take practice – read our guides on breastfeeding to find out what works best for you

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Hand expression is a useful skill to learn, and it's a way of getting milk out of your breast with your hand only, as opposed to a pump.

Why might you need to hand express?

Several circumstances might warrant this.

One common scenario can be straight after the birth, usually around the second or third day, when it's not unusual for many women to notice that their breasts have become overly full ( engorged ) as the mature milk comes in and the volume of milk increases.

If you become engorged, there is a general congestion happening, and your nipple and areola area are also likely to become engorged, and therefore, flatter.

Some babies struggle to latch on when this happens.

Hand expressing your milk will help your baby to latch on better, as it will make your nipple protrude better, and keep you comfortable as well.

If your baby is struggling to latch on well after the birth, hand expressing your milk is a great way to generate your supply, and your expressed milk can be given to your baby until he gets better at doing what he is hard-wired to do.

If you experience a blocked duct , hand expression, alongside massage and warmth, is a fantastic way to get rid of the blockage quickly.

You can even target the problem area with hand expression.

If you have an overactive let-down , where milk spurts out of your nipple too forcibly after your baby does the first quick sucks, you may find that this causes an issue for your baby.

He may cough or splutter, or even arch away from the breast very quickly, and be quite distressed.

In this situation, you can hand express just a small amount of milk (for just a few seconds) just before latching to allow the first fast bit of milk to come off the breast, and the flow to return to normal.

Your baby will then be more comfortable at the breast, and the flow more manageable.

It would be a good use of time to learn a little about antenatal expression of colostrum - where you hand express your milk just before birth, as you can use your milk in particular circumstances.

In the first few hours and days after birth, if you find that your baby isn't latching on too well or not at all, then hand expression is the best thing to do for that first couple of days before you consider using a breast pump .

Hand express every two to three hours while your body is producing the first milk, colostrum, and at night as well.

Once the volume of milk starts to increase around the third day after birth, it is important to use a hospital-grade double pump every 2-3 hours (and once at night) if your baby still isn't latching.

Before you do the hand expression technique, try to become as relaxed as you can.

This could perhaps involve watching the television, or having a hot drink, or reading.

Using warmth via a hot bath or shower, or warm flannels on your breast can be useful, as can massaging the breasts by kneading with your hand, all the way around the clock face.

Surprisingly, looking at a photograph of your baby or having a blanket that your baby has used near to you can also help generate the hormones that encourage your milk to let-down.

You will also need to use a wide-mouthed container to collect the milk.

Some women try to express into a bottle, but find this problematic as the milk shoots from the nipple in different directions!

It can be quite hard to catch, so it's better to use a jug or bowl that has been cleaned well with hot soapy water or preferably sterilized.

Hand expression - the technique

Once you have relaxed, cup your breast with one hand.

With your other hand, you can pinch your nipple and work back from the nipple, squeezing until you find an area where the texture feels slightly different.

Some women will say it feels like a row of nodules or dots, and others describe it differently.

Once you've found the area, put your thumb on top of the breast, fingers underneath, and squeeze and release, squeeze and release, squeeze and release, and continue doing that, building up a rhythm.

At first, it can be disconcerting because you may see nothing - you may even find that you do the squeeze and release routine for one to two minutes before you see any milk coming out of the breast at all.

While it may be discouraging, be assured it's normal, simply carry on. Squeeze and release, squeeze, and release.

Eventually, you will see drops. It could be tempting to give up at this point but keep squeezing and releasing at that same spot.

It's important not to slide your hands down the breast.

Eventually, you will see milk shooting or squirting out of the breast. Keep going, and soon the squirts will subside.

To reiterate, do the squeeze and release action until you see drops. Keep going until you see squirts.

Keep going until the squirts have subsided.

At that point, you can rotate to another area of the breast, and repeat that whole sequence, then rotate again.

When you've been all the way around the breast, move to your other breast, and start again.

If you find that the place where you put your thumb and your fingers isn't causing milk to come out of the breast, no matter how many times you've squeezed and released, then you can alter the position, move slightly towards the nipple, or further back, and try again there.

Sometimes it can take time to find the area.

Some women also find that they need to press into the chest wall first, and then do the squeeze and release.

Most women find that the more you practice the technique, the more finely tuned and natural it becomes over time.

Hand expression is an excellent skill to learn and very important, especially in the prevention of blocked ducts .

Blocked ducts can sometimes lead to mastitis , and more rarely, mastitis can lead to abscesses , so perfecting the art of hand expression provides you with an extremely effective preventative tool.

Review dates, references & further resources

Review Dates

Version 1.1 published in March 2019. Next review date: Jan 2022

References

If you require the reference sources for this article, please contact us. We will complete your request within 28 days.

Comments / Feedback

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We would love to hear your feedback on the information in this padlet. Please click on the link below to take a very short survey. Thank you!

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