Feeding your baby
Your Health Visiting team is trained to help and support you with breastfeeding / feeding your baby.
We are Unicef Baby Friendly accredited.
We offer a face to face new birth visit, virtual breastfeeding support groups, a Surrey-wide 0-19 Advice Line and a specialist breastfeeding support service if required.
If you need breastfeeding support, please call the advice line on 01883 340 922 or speak to your health visitor.
You can also visit our breastfeeding and infant feeding Surrey Facebook page for information, video links and tips.
We offer virtual introducing family foods workshops. Visit our Introducing family foods page to find out more.
Face to face child health drop-ins, breastfeeding support groups and other group activities are not currently taking place due to Covid-19. You can read more on our Covid-19 update page.
Feeding your baby
During pregnancy
During pregnancy
You can talk to your health visitor about all aspects of caring for and developing a relationship with your baby, feeding your baby including the benefits of breastfeeding.
This will provide you with information to support you to make an informed decision and get breastfeeding off to a good start and help them transition from ‘womb to world'.
Watch this informative video about baby brain development, crying and postnatal wellbeing.
Colostrum collecting
Your midwife may have suggested you collect colostrum whilst pregnant. You can speak to your midwife about how to access the colostrum collecting syringes/kit.
Watch this video to find out more about collecting colostrum.
The early days
After your baby is born you will be encouraged to hold your baby skin to skin for as long as you like and until they receive their first feed.
Your midwife will offer to show you how to express your milk by hand and you may be shown how to do breast compression. You will receive information about the support available for breastfeeding once you leave hospital.
If you are giving your baby a bottle feed, your health visitor will support you and offer you advice on how to responsively feed your baby and how to pace the bottle feeds.
If you are giving your baby formula milk, please talk to your heatlh visitor about how to do this safely and complete a bottle feeding assessment.
For further information about infant formulas visit First Steps Nutrition.
New birth visit
At the new birth visit your health visitor will ask if you are happy with your baby’s feeding and complete a breastfeeding assessment with you so that you feel confident that breastfeeding is going well.
She will talk to you about how to hold your baby to feed and about laid-back feeding which allows baby to use his natural reflexes.
Your health visitor can talk to you about how your baby attaches to the breast so that feeding is not painful:
- Attaching your baby to the breast
- How poor attachment can cause pain for the mother
- How to express your milk for you baby.
Take a look at the Off to the best start and Building a happy baby: a guide for parents leaflets
Your health visitor will talk to you about responsive breastfeeding and how often your baby may wish to breastfeed.
Your health visitor will talk to you about the importance of developing a close and loving relationship with your baby and what you can do to help 'build a happy baby'. You baby will love to be close to you and that’s good for their brain development.
You will receive information about:
6 months+
When your baby is around six months old, you can start to introduce family foods. Visit our Introducing Family Foods page for top tips.
Talk to your health visitor or community nursery nurse about how to access Introducing Family Foods virtual workshops in your area.
If you are worried about your baby’s health
Your Family Doctor can support you if you have any health concerns about you or your baby and your pharmacist can give you information about the medication you can take whilst you are breastfeeding.
Vitamin D
Do you know why Vitamin D supplements are important for you and your child? Read more on our Vitamin D advice page where you can also find out if you eligible for free Healthy Start vitamin vouchers.
Breastfeeding helplines
- National Breastfeeding Helpline: 0300 100 0212 (9.30am – 9.30pm)
- Association of Breastfeeding Mothers: 0300 330 5453 (9.30am -10.30pm)
- La Leche League: 0345 120 2918 (8.00am to 11.00pm)
- NCT – 0300 330 0700 (8.00am to midnight)
For further information
- To follow up a referral
For example, for developmental paediatrics or therapy services. Contact the One Stop referral centre (tel: 0300 222 5755, Option 2)
- For advice or questions about your child's health and two year development checks
Contact your local Health Visiting team or call the Advice Line
- Referrals for ASD, ADHD or another neurological/developmental condition
Your GP will need to make a referral. Visit the Developmental Paediatrics page for more information about these services in Surrey.
- Access to mental health services
Your GP needs to refer your child via CAMHS
- Hearing concerns
Contact the Audiology service
- Concerns or complaints about a Children and Family Health Surrey service
Visit our feedback page to read about our approach and who to contact. You can also email the Patient Experience Team directly using csh.patientexperience@nhs.net
If your query is not covered by the routes above, please use the form below to contact us. Your query will be passed to the relevant team who will aim to respond within seven working days.