Infant feeding

Breastfeeding (sometimes called chest feeding) is the natural and healthiest way to feed your baby.

Any amount of breastfeeding has benefits.

Exclusively breastfeeding for around the first 6 months provides the best nutrition and protection for your baby. Continuing to breastfeed alongside solid foods after 6 months supports your baby’s:

• health and wellbeing
• growth and development
• bonding and emotional connection with you

Responsive feeding means feeding your baby whenever they show signs of:

• hunger
• needing comfort and closeness.

This supports bonding, baby’s brain development, and healthy growth.

Signs your baby may be ready to feed

• They try to suck on their hands or fingers
• They move their eyes around
• They turn their head and look for the bottle or breast
• Start to wriggle or become restless
• Open and close their mouth

These are early signs your baby is ready to feed.

If you notice these signs before your baby starts crying, feeding is often easier and calmer.

Why breastfeeding matters

Breastfeeding can offer many health and emotional benefits for babies and for the person who is breastfeeding.

Every family’s feeding journey is unique, and support is available however you choose to feed your baby.

Benefits for babies

Breastfeeding can help to:

• Support your baby’s immune system
• Acts as your baby’s first natural vaccine through colostrum (First milk)
• Reduce the risk of infections and illness (such as stomach bugs, chest infections, and ear infections)
• Protect your baby developing diabetes
• Lower the chance of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Support healthy growth and development
• Reduce the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease later in life

Benefits for the breastfeeding parent

Breastfeeding can also contribute to:

• Reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer
• Lower risk of osteoporosis in later life
• Lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes
• Help your body recover after birth
• Lower risk of postnatal depression, supporting bonding and emotional connection with your baby

Practical benefits

Breastfeeding:

• Is always available and at the right temperature
• Requires no equipment
• Can be a cost‑free feeding option

A good breastfeeding position and attachment help your baby feed effectively and comfortably. When your baby is well attached, feeding is usually comfortable and milk transfer is better.

CHINS

Positioning your baby for breastfeeding

You can use CHINS as a simple guide to help position your baby for feeding.

C: Close

• Keep your baby close to you.
• This helps your baby take enough of the breast into their mouth.

Make sure your clothes or hands are not in the way.

H: Head free

• Your baby needs to be able to move their head freely.
• They will gently tilt their head back when they are ready to feed.

Try not to hold the back of your baby’s head, as this can make feeding harder.

I: In line

• Keep your baby’s head and body in a straight line.
• This makes it easier for your baby to swallow and feed comfortably.

N: Nose to nipple

• Place your baby so their nose is level with your nipple.
• This helps them open their mouth wide and latch on.

S: Sustainable

• You are in a comfortable position you can stay in for the whole feed.

In this video, a breastfeeding counsellor shows how to position your baby and help them attach to the breast.

This video shows what happens when a baby is not well attached during feeding, and how this can cause sore nipples.

Useful resources on positioning and attachment

• Unicef Off to the best start Leaflet

Thinking about expressing milk?

Expressing milk is when you take milk from your breasts so you can feed it to your baby straight away, or store it in the fridge or freezer to use at a later time.

Learn when, why, and how to express breast milk in a way that works for you and your baby by visiting the NHS Best Start in Life Expressing Your Breastmilk page.

Food and drink advice for breastfeeding parents

Learn what to limit or avoid, including peanuts, cow’s milk, and other common questions by visiting the NHS Best Start in Life: What to eat and drink when breastfeeding page.

Vitamins

Babies and children under 5 should take vitamin supplements. This follows UK government advice to help children grow well and stay healthy. For more information visit our page on Healthy start and vitamins

Common breastfeeding concerns

Breastfeeding can be difficult at times, especially in the early days and you’re not alone.

Every feeding journey is different. Find guidance on common challenges like sore nipples, mastitis, tongue tie, reflux, thrush and milk supply

You can contact your midwife or our 0-19 service for support (See breastfeeding support below for contact details)

The National Breastfeeding Helpline

Visit or call The National Breastfeeding Helpline Telephone: 0300 1000212, 24hrs, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year.

You have the legal right to breastfeed anywhere.

If you feel unsure at first, there are simple ways to build confidence, from practising at home to finding breastfeeding‑friendly venues. Find out more by the visiting the NHS Best Start in Life: Breastfeeding in public page

Look out for breastfeeding‑friendly signs in your local area.

You don’t have to stop breastfeeding when you go back to work.

Many parents continue by feeding before and after work, expressing if they choose to, and knowing their rights in the workplace.

More information and advice on breastfeeding and returning to work

Skin-to-skin has lots of benefits for you and your baby.

Why skin‑to‑skin helps

It can:

• help keep your baby warm and comfortable
• support your baby’s breathing and heart rate
• help your baby feel calm, safe, and close to you
• support your baby’s healthy bacteria, which helps build a strong immune system

Skin‑to‑skin also:

• helps your baby use their natural instincts to find the breast and have their first feed
• supports your body to make milk by releasing hormones

Partners and siblings can also enjoy skin‑to‑skin, helping your baby feel safe and loved.

If you’re not breastfeeding skin‑to‑skin is still really important.

It helps you and your baby bond and feel close. It’s also the perfect place for your baby to have their first bottle feed.

Skin‑to‑skin helps you and your baby feel connected, supported and ready to start feeding.

• Baby Friendly Initiative: Meeting baby for the first time resource

Dads and partners play a really important role in feeding and caring for a new baby.

We have a dedicated page for dads and partners with tips and advice on how to support your breastfeeding partner, how to help with feeding choices, and ways to feel confident and involved from the very beginning.

Visit our page for dads and partners to learn more about how you can support feeding and bond with your baby.

If you are feeding your baby with both breastmilk and formula, you and your baby can still benefit from breastmilk.

Even small amounts of breast milk can support your baby’s health and development.

Read more about How to combine breast and bottle feeding – NHS

Infant formula is usually made from cow’s milk that has been changed so it is safe and suitable for babies.

It gives babies the nutrients they need to grow and develop. However, formula does not give the same health benefits as breastfeeding and cannot protect your baby from infections.

Which formula to use

• First infant formula is the only formula your baby needs (unless a midwife, health visitor or GP advises something different.

Your baby can:

• Stay on first infant formula when you start solid foods at around 6 months
• Use it throughout their first year.

There is no need to change brands unless you are advised to.

If you think a formula does not suit your baby, speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP.

Paced feeding

Paced feeding is a way of feeding your baby that lets them stay in control of how much they drink.

• Babies often take a little milk, pause, and then take more.
• Paced feeding helps copy the natural rhythm of breastfeeding.

When your baby turns 1

At 1 year, your baby can start to drink:

• Whole or semi‑skimmed cow’s milk
• Pasteurised sheep’s or goat’s milk.

Making formula safely

It is important to prepare formula safely to protect your baby.

Always:

• Follow all instructions on the formula packet
• Make the feed safely
• Clean and sterilise bottles and teats

This helps protect your baby from illness and infections.

• NHS: How to bottle feed
• Bottle feeding leaflet
• Infant formula and responsive bottle feeding
• Updated advice about formula preparation machines, explaining that some may not heat water enough to keep babies safe.