When you’re making a choice about how you want to feed your baby, you’ll be influenced by the views of family and friends, by past experiences, by what you see in the media as well as by the advice from health professionals.
It’s an important decision, and you need to feel that you have all the facts and information you need. While you’re still pregnant, it’s worth finding out more about the choices available to you, even though you don’t need to make any firm decisions until your baby arrives.
As well as exclusively breastfeeding or exclusively formula feeding, you have other options such as mixed feeding, or expressing breastmilk which you give to your baby from a bottle. Whatever decision you make, support will be available. During your pregnancy you’ll have regular contact with your midwife, and when you reach 28-32 weeks, you may also have contact with your health visitor. Both these health professionals will be happy to discuss feeding choices with you. They can also signpost you to ante-natal groups running in your area.
Useful links
- The Best Beginnings website has a series of short films about different aspects of breastfeeding, including the first feed after giving birth, breastfeeding in the early days, breastfeeding out and about, overcoming challenges and breastfeeding twins
- Leaflet: Feeding your baby from birth to five
- National Childbirth Trust (NCT) – breastfeeding and antenatal support. Breastfeeding helpline, open every day from 8am – 10pm: 0300 3300 770
- First Steps Nutrition – this site provides more detailed information about UK formula milks, including a simple guide
- Start4Life guide to bottle feeding
