Some benefits of breastfeeding are:

• it’s free
• your breast milk is perfectly designed for your baby
• breast milk is available for your baby whenever your baby needs it
• there is no preparation needed to feed your baby
• it is always the right temperature
• your baby learns to recognise when they are full
• your baby is prepared for the tastes and flavours of various foods as a result of the food you have eaten

For mum

Breastfeeding is good news for mum too, as it:

• lowers the risk of breast cancer
• lowers the risk of ovarian cancer
• lowers the risk of osteoporosis
• lowers the risk of obesity
• can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease

For baby

Breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby with some benefits lasting into adulthood. It reduces the risk of:

• diarrhoea, vomiting and gastroenteritis
• being obese and developing type 2 diabetes
• ear infections
• sudden infant death syndrome/cot death
• cardiovascular disease in adulthood

Before your baby is born, you will have an opportunity to talk about feeding your new baby; this normally happens before you are 32 weeks pregnant, but we encourage you not to make any decisions about feeding until your baby is born.

Free two hour Feeding your Baby workshops are on offer to all expectant families in Worcestershire. To find out more, email: whcnhs.infantfeeding@nhs.net 

Following the birth of your baby you will be given time to have skin to skin contact, cuddling your baby in this way encourages her/his first feed, it keeps baby warm and calm and regulates his/her heart rate and breathing.

All staff supporting breastfeeding mothers are fully trained to help with breastfeeding, they will:

• teach you how to position and attach your baby correctly for feeds
• encourage you to feed your baby whenever he or she is hungry
• explain how you can tell if your baby is getting enough milk
• show you how to hand express and safely store your milk and you will be given written information about this

Important things to consider

In the early days of breastfeeding, it is important to consider:

• keeping your baby close, particularly at first, helps you get to know each other and to recognise when your baby needs to feed
• the more feeds you give the more milk you will make
• breastfeeding support workers will give you information about sharing a bed with your baby safely
• we do not recommend the use of teats, dummies or nipple shields when your baby is learning to breastfeed, babies suck differently at the breast and using these can confuse them; this may make it harder for them to learn to breastfeed well and for you to build up a good milk supply

NHS Infant feeding 1-1 support

The NHS infant feeding team will contact families shortly after discharge from hospital to offer 1-1 support with breastfeeding. They may contact by phone, text or home visits. To get in touch with the team, email: whcnhs.infantfeeding@nhs.net 

The national breastfeeding helpline is also available 24 hours a day, every day of the year and can be contacted on: 0300 100 0212.

The NHS website provides lots of useful breastfeeding information for families: Breastfeeding help and support - Best Start in Life - NHS

How long should I breastfeed for?

Health visitors and midwives can help you recognise when your baby is ready for other foods and explain how these can be introduced (normally at around six months), breastfeeding should continue as long as you and your baby wish.

Breastfeeding in public

Breastfeeding women cannot be discriminated against by law, protection covers women breastfeeding in any public space from parks, leisure facilities, public buildings, public transport, shops, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, theatres and cinemas. You will get information about how to continue breastfeeding should you wish to return to work or college.

Children's centres, family centres and many shops and restaurants welcome breastfeeding but if you would prefer somewhere private it's worth asking a member of staff or visit:

• Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust (Breastfeeding support)

Some general advice about breastfeeding includes:

• most babies do not need to be given anything other than breast milk until they are around six months old, if for some reason your baby needs some other food or drink the reason will be fully explained to you
• midwives and breastfeeding support workers can help you recognise when your baby is ready for other foods and explain how these can be introduced (normally at around six months), breastfeeding should continue as long as you and your baby wish
• midwives and breastfeeding support workers can provide information about how to continue breastfeeding should you wish to return to work or college
• breastfeeding women cannot be discriminated against by law, protection covers women breastfeeding in any public space from parks, leisure facilities, public buildings, public transport, shops, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, theatres and cinemas.

Breast Buddies' NHS breastfeeding support groups

Breast Buddies’ Breastfeeding Support groups provide an opportunity to meet other mothers in a relaxed and friendly setting. Information about the free NHS groups can be found:

• Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust (Breastfeeding support)

Other local support groups

You can find a timetable of all the Worcestershire breastfeeding local support groups here:

• Local NHS and community breastfeeding support groups