Antenatal Information- Dudley Infant Feeding Team by

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

katypenn — 2022-01-04 13:36:05 UTC

This padlet has lots of links and information to help you to prepare you for your baby's arrival!

Building a happy baby starts during pregnancy! Preparing for parenthood...

katypenn — 2022-01-04 13:39:39 UTC

We now know that building a strong relationship between parents and their new baby will give them the best possible start in life, and will help them to grow up happy and confident. This leaflet, which is free to download, helps parents to develop that strong relationship, starting in pregnancy and continuing into the early days, weeks and months of a baby’s life.

Starting to think about feeding you baby during your pregnancy...

katypenn — 2022-01-04 13:49:19 UTC

You do not need to make a decision about whether you will breastfeed or bottle feed until your baby is in your arms but:
-try and find out as much as you can about your options
- look in to the value of breastfeeding for you and your baby
- keep an open mind and remember there is value to any breastmilk you choose to give your baby.

Meeting your baby and getting feeding off to a good start...

katypenn — 2022-01-04 13:55:42 UTC

What is skin-to-skin contact?

Skin-to-skin contact is usually referred to as the practice where a baby is dried and laid directly on the mother’s bare chest after birth, both of them covered in a warm blanket and left for at least an hour or until after the first feed. Skin-to-skin contact can also take place any time a baby needs comforting or calming and can help boost a mother’s milk supply. Skin-to-skin contact is also vital in neonatal units, where it is often known as ‘kangaroo care’. Here, it helps parents bond with their baby and supports better physical and developmental outcomes for the baby.

Why is skin-to-skin contact important?

There is a growing body of evidence that skin-to-skin contact after the birth helps babies and their mothers. The practice:

calms and relaxes both mother and baby
regulates the baby’s heart rate and breathing, helping them to better adapt to life outside the womb
stimulates digestion and an interest in feeding
regulates temperature
enables colonisation of the baby’s skin with the mother’s friendly bacteria, thus providing protection against infection
stimulates the release of hormones to support breastfeeding and mothering.

Off to the Best Start...

katypenn — 2022-01-04 14:19:44 UTC

This is a really helpful leaflet to look at before and after your baby is born.

Antenatal Support

katypenn — 2022-01-04 14:32:44 UTC

Keen to learn more and meet some of the Infant Feeding Team?

katypenn — 2022-01-04 14:44:42 UTC

Join one of our Breastfeeding Workshops...

We currently run

-6 Face to face workshops per month

Russells Hall Hospital, in antenatal clinic 7pm 1st + 2nd Thursday of the month and 2nd Saturday at 11.45am

Brierley Hill Family Hub 10am 2nd Tuesday of the month

Dudley North Family Hub 1.30pm 3rd Wednesday of the month

Stourbridge Family Hub 1.30pm 4th Monday of the month

To book your place and check dates please send your due date, hospital number and contact phone number to dgft.spmwif@nhs.net and a member of our team will contact you by email or telephone with available dates and book you onto a workshop.

Dudley Infant Feeding Team...

katypenn — 2022-01-04 15:01:23 UTC

Dudley Infant Feeding Team are available to support you throughout your pregnancy, right through until your baby is 6 weeks old:

- Lisa and Julia: Specialist midwives for infant feeding and are both IBCLCs (international Board Certified Lactation Consultants)

- Lyndsay, Liz and Annmarie: Community Breastfeeding Support Workers- trained in breastfeeding peer support.

- Hope : Flo Text Message Co-Ordinator - will ensure you receive the Flo text messages.

The team are available for telephone support and home visits in the Dudley borough.

Flo text messaging service...

katypenn — 2022-01-04 15:24:11 UTC

Have you been signed up for Flo yet? Flo is our tailor-made text messaging service. Especially built to support parents in Dudley. When you sign up for our text messages you get evidence based information direct to your phone, in real time. As we use your due date to allocate your package you will get reminders right when you need them. The best bit is it's 🌟FREE🌟 if you are in Dudley. Flo can support you, via text message from 12 weeks antenatally right up until your baby is 6 weeks old. You'll get information on...

💙Building Babies Brain

💙Pregnancy Milestones

💙Breastfeeding Facts

💙How to breastfeed

💙Resources in other languages

💙Skin to skin

💙Safer sleep

💙Links to further information on infant feeding

💙DadPad

💙Social media links

💙Mental health support

💙What to expect

💙How to know your baby is feeding well

💙Links to other services eg. HPSS, Health Visiting etc.

💙Things to avoid

💙ICON – You can cope.

You should be offered the Flo text messaging service at your hospital booking appointment. If not ask your midwife and she can request you are signed up via Sunrise. Or you can email us to sign you up dgft.cbsw@nhs.net. Our Florence text messaging service will always be FREE, even if you get a notification on your phone saying you will be charged, this is an automated message & you will not get any charges. The service is regulated by the PSA Authority http://psauthority.org.uk

Antenatal Hand Expressing...

katypenn — 2022-01-04 17:33:08 UTC

At Dudley we encourage you to hand express and collect colostrum after you reach 36 weeks pregnant if you want to. This means you may have some colostrum stored ready if your baby needs it, and you will have learnt a really useful skill to use during your breastfeeding journey. Before giving your baby breastmilk from a syringe always remove the bung. Check your syringe or container is freezer safe before using it to store colostrum in the freezer.

This link shows you how to hand express.

Hand expression video - Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)

Ask your midwife, the Infant Feeding team or any member of the maternity staff for a hand expression kit.

For more information on storage of breastmilk this is a helpful link https://www.nhs.uk/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding/expressing-breast-milk/

Building a close and loving relationship with your baby...

katypenn — 2022-12-06 11:37:55 UTC

A close and loving relationship can start during pregnancy. This helps you release lots of happy hormones and helps your baby's brain develop and grow. See our poster above for more information and ways that you can help your baby's brain growth.

7 days a week feeding support is available...

katypenn — 2023-03-29 13:15:43 UTC

For breastfeeding support weekdays 09:00am - 5:00pm contact the Dudley Infant Feeding Team on:

01384 456111, ext 3887
Julia-07920246433

Lisa- 07929735941
dgft.spmwif@nhs.net

For breastfeeding support week days out of hours (5pm-9am), weekends and bank holidays contact maternity triage on 01384 456111 ext 3053.

National Breastfeeding Helpline

9.30am-9.30pm, 365 days a year

0300 100 0212

nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk

New Baby Network

lisawilliams20_ — 2023-10-25 09:58:01 UTC

Local peer support groups. For more information and to book. New Baby Network is commissioned by Dudley Public Health to provide peer support groups in the Dudley Borough.

Partners

lisawilliams20_ — 2025-07-12 16:26:04 UTC

Support from your partner, family and friends can have a positive effect on your feeding experience.

Partners can help with caring for baby. Here's a practical guide so they can feel prepared too bit.ly/ohbabybc

Search DadPad today on your App Store or Google Play. It is free in Dudley provides Dad with practical information on parenting a newborn baby bit.ly/DadPadDud

Information and Parenthood Classes

lisawilliams20_ — 2025-07-13 19:45:36 UTC

Preparation for Parenthood is a FREE 6-session programme during pregnancy to help you prepare for your baby’s arrival, which offers practical information to support your pregnancy and help you give your new baby a great start in life. It’s also a great opportunity to meet other expectant parents and build friendships within your community. Partners or family are encouraged to attend alongside expectant mothers.

Each week helps you prepare for your baby’s arrival and for your life as a parent. F

Visit www.dudleyparents.co.uk and click on the HENRY tile for information about available courses and how to book your place.

lisawilliams20_ — 2025-07-13 19:48:28 UTC

This leaflet gives more information on HENRY Preparation for Parenthood course.