Infant feeding

During your pregnancy you may well be thinking about feeding your baby when they arrive.

Your midwife will offer you the opportunity to talk about feeding your baby during one of your appointments, and you will be invited to attend antenatal classes.

There are also a number of antenatal feeding information sessions offered in the county by voluntary organisations.

You will be given skin-to-skin contact with your baby as soon as they are born as this will help calm your baby after the birth and keep them warm. It also coats your baby’s skin with helpful flora which protect them against infection. It enables your baby to learn what you smell and feel like, and helps with milk production and getting feeding off to a good start.

Antenatal Classes and Workshops

Parent education workshops – Maternity (ouh.nhs.uk)

Preparing to Breastfeed Antenatal Sessions – Oxfordshire Breastfeeding Support

Online Antenatal Sessions – La Leche League Oxfordshire

During your pregnancy, we encourage you to visit your local infant feeding drop-in session “Baby Lunchbox”. It’s a welcoming space to talk about feeding your baby – whether you’re planning ahead or have previous experience.

Please visit https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/hv/groups/infant-feeding/ for session times and locations. 

Where can you learn more about feeding your baby?

https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/hv/groups/infant-feeding/

Feeding your baby

Start for Life home – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

OBS Is Here To Help – Oxfordshire Breastfeeding Support

Page last reviewed: 24 September, 2025