There is nothing you can do for your child in his/her whole life that will affect them both emotionally and physically as profoundly as breastfeeding. It is also important for your own body and affects a surprising number of health issues. (see Human Milk below)
We hope this page will help you to make an informed choice about how to feed your baby and give you some resources to help you in the choice you make. We are a Baby Friendly Accredited Trust, to find out more about this click here.
Online Zoom Breastfeeding Workshops
Please contact the Infant Feed Lead on the Breastfeeding help line for log in details. Tel: (028) 9056 1339
| Date | Time |
| 14 December 2020 | 11am-1pm |
| 13th January 2020 | 11am-1pm |
| 10th February 2020 | 11am-1pm |
| 3rd March 2020 | 11am-1pm |
| 14 April 2020 | 11am-1pm |
If these dates and times aren’t suitable for you please use this link to avail of a Breastfeeding Workshop kindly shared by Dorset Healthcare that you can watch at your own convenience: dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/breastfeedingcourse
We hope you find the following resources helpful prior to and throughout your breastfeeding journey.
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Human Milk
‘Human Milk, Tailor-Made for Tiny Humans’ is an independent advertising initiative created by a small team of parents, focussing on the composition of human milk and the science of breastfeeding.
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Good Start
This book presents the reasons why mothers and babies benefit from breastfeeding and explains how to breastfeed successfully. It covers issues including how breastfeeding works, positioning and attachment, how to know if breastfeeding is going well, expressing milk, breastfeeding and babies in special care, advice on breastfeeding and bed-sharing, dealing with common problems, fitting breastfeeding into your life, and going back to work.
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Skin to Skin Contact
Research Shows that it is optimal to place new babies Skin-to-Skin with their Mother. Skin-to-Skin babies are warmer and have higher blood sugar, they breathe better and are more awake and able to look at and connect with their mother.
A newborn is familiar with its mother before birth and feels safest on her skin after being born.
There are also other considerations for babies’ well-being. Babies need an attachment environment of people who will be constantly close to them for the first few years of their lives. Compensating for a lack of a primary caregiver can be hard work, but does not doom the baby, as long as the right interventions take place, which might involve speech therapists or occupational therapists, depending on the need.
Video courtesy of UNICEF BFI: https://youtu.be/0vzW9qPz3So
For more information on Skin to skin visit: https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/news-and-research/baby-friendly-research/research-supporting-breastfeeding/skin-to-skin-contact/
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Attaching your Baby to the Breast
Good attachment will help a baby get more milk and make breastfeeding more comfortable. This video shows why good attachment is so important to breastfeeding success and what a mother can do to deeply attach her baby to her breast.
Visit to globalhealthmedia.org for more videos in the series.
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Breastfeeding Twins and more
For more information on Breastfeeding Twins and more click here.
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Expression and Storage of Breastmilk
This short clip, produced by the Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative, provides an overview of hand expression and how to hand express successfully.
Visit www.unicef.org.uk for additional resources.
Click here to find out more about Storage of Expressed Breastmilk.
Click here for more information about Expressing breast milk in pregnancy for your baby (Colostrum Harvesting)
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Breastfeeding Support
Our Breastfeeding Peer Support Service, BFF, is available to all breastfeeding women; all you have to do is ask your Midwife or Health Visitor to make a referral.
Breastfeeding Peer Support is mother to mother support given by women who have breastfed (or are still breastfeeding) and would like to support other mothers in their breastfeeding journey. It is a texting and/or phone call support service.
All our volunteers have completed a training course and are registered with the South Eastern HSC Trust Volunteer Service.
At present our Breastfeeding Support Groups have been suspended amid the Covid 19 situation. We do however have a lot of other support still available.
ZOOM Breastfeeding Support Groups:
If you are interested in attending a zoom support group in these areas please email the Champion below (depending on the area) with your contact details.
The Champion will then contact you and advise you if and when they are able to set up a group and also will be able to advise you of other support that may be available to you if you fall within the Sure start area. You don’t have to be in the Sure Start area to join the breastfeeding zoom group but do need to be in the area to avail of additional support that may be offered.
Greater Lisburn and Saintfield: contact your health Visitor for details
SURE STARTS:
Ards: Paula Mulhall – Paula.Mulhall@setrust.hscni.net
Downpatrick: Laura Sharvin – Laura.Sharvin@setrust.hscni.net
Bangor: Heidi Brewer – Bangorearlyyears@brysonsurestart.org (please mark for the attention of Heidi in the subject line)
Lisburn: Debbie Abernethy – lisburnchildhealth@brysonsurestart.org
Colin: Julie-Anne Murphy: JulieAnne.murphy@colinsurestart.com
As well as the BFF Service and the zoom groups mentioned above there are other resources available:
- 24 hours support from:
Midwife Led Unit LVH: 02892633534
Midwife Led Unit DPK: 02844616995
Maternity Unit Ulster Hospital: 02890550469 or 02890550403
- National Breastfeeding Helpline: 0300 100 0212 30 am- 9.30pm/ 7 days a week, also on Instagram and Facebook. Webchat service at www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk
- La Leche League: 0345 120 2918 laleche.org.uk, also on Facebook and Instagram
- NCT Helpline: 03003 300771 8am-10pm 7 days a week
- Lisburn Breastfeeding Support Group Facebook page
- Breastfeeding in Northern Ireland Facebook page
- Drugs and Breastfeeding
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Building a Happy Baby: A Guide for Parents
A useful PDF guide for parents:
Smile, talk, laugh and sing during nappy changing time and make a difference for your baby that will last a lifetime.
- Changing Time is Chatting Time video : https://bit.ly/2keUUnT
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Responsive bottle feeding
We are a Baby Friendly Accredited Trust and therefore support the wellbeing and life chances of all babies, whether breast or bottle fed. Whilst breastfeeding is the best option for babies, and we support mothers who breastfeed, we also aim to support those mothers who have made the informed choice to formula feed. This ensures all babies receive high standards of care and the best possible chance to thrive regardless of feeding type.
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Caring for your baby at night
For more information on caring for your baby at night click here.
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How babies sleep
Learn more about how babies sleep: (This website presents research evidence about biologically normal sleep for human babies)