Feeding your baby

Infant feeding and Baby Friendly Status

Wye Valley NHS Trust was reaccredited by UNICEF in October 2024 for work with mothers and newborn babies and awarded Baby Friendly Status.  Recognising that best practice standards are in place to protect, promote and support breastfeeding and all mothers/parents with their informed feeding choices.

This award also recognises best practice in strengthening and supporting mother-baby and family relationships. Guide about our policy to support new families to make informed choices about infant feeding.

What we offer

We provide a high level of support for all mothers/parents with infant feeding choices, which includes breast feeding and bottle feeding.

It is recognised that often mothers who choose to breastfeed give up before they had planned, and some parents may not be able to breastfeed or may choose to bottle feed.

The Trust has put many measures in place to support mothers/parents.

Follow our Facebook page for breastfeeding informaton and tips Facebook Breastfeeding information

Countywide feeding support - for infant feeding and caring for your baby

The good news is that in Herefordshire we have a joined-up approach from the Midwifery team, support workers, health visitors, children’s centers and the voluntary sector to support you and your baby in your feeding choice.

We are here to support your breastfeeding goal - our team is available on 07733264085, Monday to Friday, for telephone and home visiting. Out of these hours telephone triage for 24 support on 07990986517.  In addition to your midwife and health visitor you can ring our team or our maternity team. 

Breastfeeding checklist for mothers - on the Unicef website provides helpful tools for mothers to fill in with their midwife or health visitor and use several common signs to assess whether a baby is breastfeeding well and safely.

Caring and feeding your baby

If you would like further information or the opportunity to discuss your feelings about comforting and caring for your baby, including the areas below please speak to your midwife.

• caring for my baby at night
• Antenatal expressing
• Why closeness and comfort helps baby feel secure and is good for brain development and the kinds of things you could do to aid this (skin contact, keeping baby in same room at night, responding to feeding cues, responding to your baby, not leaving baby to cry, talking to baby, cuddling and comforting  baby, holding baby and not being possible to ‘spoil ‘ a baby)
• The value of breastfeeding and tips for how to help breastfeeding be successful
• How to bottle feed safely and responsively.
• Breastfeeding support in the community and in the hospital

Please take the time to read the information on the website links below regarding infant feeding, skin to skin contact with your baby and the importance of closeness and comfort for your babys development.  We would then at your 31 week midwife appointment like to offer you the opportunity to explore these topics and ask for more information if required. 

• Building a happy baby – UNICEF
  
  
• Getting to know your baby 
  
  
• Caring for my baby at night – UNICEF - one of the biggest challenges for new parents is getting used to the changes that a baby will bring to their night-time routine.  
  
  
• From bump to breastfeeding video
  
  
• All about the crucial role you play in building your baby’s brain
  
  
• Unicef responsive bottle feeding website and leaflet
  
  
• Expressing in pregnancy - this is when you hand express colostrum in the final few weeks of pregnancy. It is advised for mothers to wait until around 37 weeks before starting antenatal expression. 
  
  
• Safe sleep advice 
  
  
• The wonder of human milk
  
  
• How to know if feeding is going well

Bottle feeding

However you choose to feed your baby we are here to support you to get off to the best possible start.  The support above is also available to parents who choose to bottle feed their baby, so if you need help or advice on infant feeding please do contact your midwife, maternity support worker, peer supporter, or health visitor as above.  Coming into hospital to give birth - Due to enhanced hygiene measures if mothers are making the informed decision to bottle feed please remember to pack a formula feeding starter pack that includes bottles and teats in your hospital bag.  Unicef responsive bottle feeding website and leaflet

Once your baby is born 

Maternity ward 
Support from midwives and maternity support workers - we have a team of midwives and maternity support workers on the ward to support new parents with caring for your baby and infant feeding.  These staff are trained and experienced to provide excellent advice and guidance to parents.

Extra support on maternity ward 
We also have a trained team of volunteer mums providing additional support to parents on our maternity ward as they transition into parenthood. They have first-hand experience of motherhood and provide an extra non-clinical layer of support to new parents while they are on the maternity ward at Hereford County Hospital and are here to listen and support parents.   

Support/when you return home
Face to face and video support from maternity support workers - we offer face to face and  support when you return home with your baby if you need help or advice with infant feeding and caring for your baby.

Our community team of friendly and professional maternity support workers are here to support you with infant feeding, as required.  

Call them on 07733264085 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) for the breastfeeding helpline, where we can give telephone advice or arrange a face to face home visit. Out of these hours or for general concerns telephone the triage number for 24 hour advice and support from a midwife on 07990986517. 

This is to complement your midwife’s ongoing support and visits. 

Community support groups/peer supports - to attend

Our Peer Supporters will be available for infant feeding support at Children's Centre's across Herefordshire.  Our team of trained volunteer mum's  provide extra support to new parents on our maternity ward and at community locations such as baby groups to offer this support.

Community groups:

Tuesday

• The Real Birth Studio 10am-1pm

Wednesday

• NCT, De Koffie Pot 1pm-3pm 

Thursday 

• The Real Birth Studio 11am-2pm 

Health visitors
In addition to visits/contact with your midwife, our health visitors also provide support face to face or via online video if needed. The contact number for the health visiting team is 07870 682711.

Useful breastfeeding support helplines and websites

National Breastfeeding Helpline - 0300 100 0212  www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk

Start4Life - 0300 123 1021

NCT Breastfeeding Line - 0300 330 0771

La Leche League - 0845 120 2918 

Health Start voucher scheme

If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We’ll add your benefit onto this card every 4 weeks.

You can use your card to buy:

• plain liquid cow’s milk
• fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables
• fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
• infant formula milk based on cow’s milk

You can also use your card to collect:

• Healthy Start vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to 4 years old

Visit the Healthy Start NHS website or call 0845 607 6823.

You qualify for Healthy Start if you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four years old and you or your family get at least one of the following:

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income -related Employment and Support Allowance

• Child Tax Credit (with a family income of £16,190 or less per year)

• Universal Credit (with a family take home pay of £408 or less per month)

You also qualify if you are under 18 and pregnant, even if you don’t get any of the above benefits.