Feeding your baby
Safety alert – self feeding pillow
Self-feeding pillows/prop feeders present a risk of serious harm or death from choking or aspiration pneumonia.
Urgent Safety Alert issued for baby self-feeding pillows – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
We are “Baby Friendly”
Our health visiting service has been accredited as “Baby Friendly” with the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative. The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) enables public services to better support families with feeding and developing close and loving relationships, so that all babies get the best possible start in life. Find out more about what that means, and the standards we have to adhere to:
Learn more about the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative
Baby Friendly Standards – Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)
Healthy Start food vouchers and vitamins
Healthy Start: (help to buy healthy food and milk): Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start)
Vitamins for children: Getting vitamins – Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start)
A-Z countywide infant feeding support
see here: Infant feeding support – Health Visiting ServiceHealth Visiting Service (oxfordhealth.nhs.uk)
General information about feeding your baby
However you choose to feed your baby, new babies have a strong need to be close to their parents, as this helps them to feel secure and loved. When babies feel secure, they release a hormone called oxytocin. This acts like a fertiliser for their growing brain, helping them to be happy babies and more confident children and adults. Holding, smiling and talking to your baby also releases oxytocin in you, which helps you to feel calm and happy. Find out more about building a happy baby and helping you to feel more calm and happy: Building a Happy Baby (unicef.org.uk)
There is growing evidence that skin to skin contact between you and your baby helps both of you in so many way. Find out more here: Skin-to-skin contact – Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)
Dads, partners and breastfeeding
Do see our service leaflet on supporting breastfeeding
Dads, partners and breastfeeding
Feeding Your Baby
https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/feeding-your-baby/
General breastfeeding information & support
Breastfeeding information in languages other than English:
https://globalhealthmedia.org/video/?_s=breast%20feeding&~1
Foreign language esources – Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)
The benefits of breastfeeding: The benefits of breastfeeding – Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)
Infant Feeding Team video playlist – YouTube
How to support your baby to position and attach to the breast
Breastfeeding: Positioning and attachment video: Positioning and attachment video – Baby Friendly Initiativ (unicef.org.uk)
Breastfeeding: ineffective attachment video: Ineffective attachment video – Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)
Expressing your breast milk
Breastfeeding: Hand expression video: Hand expression video – Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)
Expressing Breast Milk with a pump
To get the most out of expressing your breast milk this video may help :
How to know that your baby is getting enough milk in the early weeks
Sleep and caring for your baby at night
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/safer-sleep-information/safer-sleep-overview/
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/safer-sleep-information/co-sleeping/
Breastfeeding after returning to work
Please visit your Health Visiting team in your local baby lunch box, well baby clinic or contact chathealth for advice.
https://www.nhs.uk/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding-and-lifestyle/back-to-work/
For info on introducing solid foods at 6 months see here:
Introducing solid foods – Health Visiting ServiceHealth Visiting Service (oxfordhealth.nhs.uk)
Slow growing babies
Sometimes a baby will grow more slowly than expected which can feel worrying and confusing.
On these occasions you will be supported to develop a plan to increase your baby’s milk intake. You may also be asked to take your baby to see the GP to ensure they are well and healthy, and offered a referral to our Enhanced Infant Feeding Service.
Overcoming breastfeeding problems
https://www.unicef.org/parenting/food-nutrition/5-common-breastfeeding-problems
Mixed feeding
Mixed Feeding | Feeding Your Baby | Start for Life (www.nhs.uk)
Formula and bottle feeding
Infant formula and responsive bottle feeding (unicef.org.uk)
INFANT MILK INFORMATION | Types of infant milks on the UK market
Bottle Feeding | Feeding Your Baby | Start4Life (www.nhs.uk)
When to weigh your baby
Recommendations from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health:
Your baby will be weighed during their first 2 weeks by your midwife to make sure they’re regaining their birthweight.
Most babies are at, or above, their birthweight by 2 weeks.
After that time, for a well-baby, they only need to be weighed at the time of routine checks and injections (that is at around 2, 3, 4 and 13 months of age).
Your baby will usually only be weighed more often than these recommendations if there are concerns about their health or growth.
Regular weighing is not always helpful, and can cause unnecessary worry especially if over a short period of time. It is more important to observe baby’s feeding, general behaviour, stool and urine output, and whether they are growing into bigger clothes.
The time between weighing is longer for older babies because they are growing less quickly.
Your baby’s weight and height – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Dummies and your child
https://laleche.org.uk/dummies-and-breastfeeding/
https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/baby-product-information/dummies/
Page last reviewed: 27 August, 2025