Healthcare professionals involved in your pregnancy and the care of your baby can provide you with support and information about feeding your baby. You are also able to access specific support for feeding through the Barking & Dagenham Infant Feeding Team, and peer-to-peer support through our team of volunteer peer supporters. If needed, you may also see an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant), who can support with the most complicated of feeding concerns. 

If you need support with feeding your baby, please email InfantFeedingBar&Dagenham@nelft.nhs.uk

Drop in groups with the Barking & Dagenham Infant Feeding Team

Please see below the locations/times of our infant feeding drop-in groups:

Marks Gate Community Hub** 

Rose Lane, Dagenham, RM6 5NJ 

FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH 10am-12pm

Babyzone at Future Youth Zone** 

201-205 Porters Avenue, Dagenham, RM9 5YX 

WEDNESDAYS 10am to 11.30am (TERM TIME ONLY)

Five Elms Health Centre 

Five Elms Road, Dagenham, RM9 5TT 

WEDNESDAYS 1.30pm to 3.30pm

The Child and Family Health Centre 

79 Axe Street, Essex, IG11 7LZ 

THURSDAYS 10am to 11.30am

Barking Learning Centre** 

2 Town Square, Barking, IG11 7NB 

THURSDAYS 1pm to 3pm 

 **these groups are also our Starting Solids sessions, please click the Starting Solids tab for more information.  We are able to give some support for breastfeeding in these sessions but may signpost you to another session or arrange a 1:1 with you if necessary.

Drop in groups with Lifeline Projects 

Please see below the locations/times of the infant feeding drop in groups offered in partnership with Lifeline Projects with their peer support volunteers. Contact Lifeline Projects for more information, including how to train as a breastfeeding peer supporter here.

Dagenham Learning Centre 

1 Church Elm Lane, Dagenham, RM10 9QS

MONDAYS 10am to 12pm

Marks Gate Community and Family Hub 

Rose Lane, Dagenham, Romford, RM6 5NJ 

WEDNESDAYS 9.30am-11.30am (booking only)

Thames Community Hub 

Bastable Avenue, Barking, IG11 0LH 

WEDNESDAYS 1pm-3pm 

The White House 

884 Green Lane, Dagenham, RM8 1BX 

THURSDAYS 12.30pm-2.30pm

Barking Learning Centre 

2 Town Square, Barking, IG11 7NB 

FRIDAYS 10am-11am 

Barking Birth Centre at Barking Community Hospital 

Barking Hospital Road, Upney Lane, Barking, IG11 9LX 

FRIDAYS 2pm-4pm (booking only)

Please click on this link to access all services from Barking and Dagenham Start for Life Services, helping babies and young children have a great start in life, including more Infant Feeding Support Groups in Barking and Dagenham. 

Helplines

• National Breastfeeding Helpline: 0300 100 0212  (open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year) 
• Association of Breastfeeding Mothers: 0300 330 5453 
• La Leche League: 0345 120 2918 
• National childbirth Trust (NCT): 0300 300 0700
• The Breastfeeding Network supporter line in Bengali and Sylheti: 0300 456 2421 

As you prepare for the arrival of your new baby, it’s important that you attend all of your antenatal appointments, eat a healthy diet and get plenty of rest.  

Babies can hear while in the womb from 20 weeks so it’s a good idea to spend time each day talking to them, responding to their movements and getting to know them. This is great for baby’s brain development. 

You may wish to harvest colostrum whilst pregnant. You can speak to your midwife for more information about this or get in contact with our infant feeding team. 

Your baby can hear your voice whilst you're pregnant and their brain development starts in the womb. How they're cared for in the first 1001 days (from conception to two years old) has the greatest impact on their brain development, as well as their emotional and mental wellbeing. It's important to spend time getting to know your baby's movements, talking to them and responding to them. 

You can prepare to feed your baby by reading about different elements of feeding whilst you're still pregnant. Holding your baby skin-to-skin is one of the most important things that you can do with your baby after birth and throughout their early life, and cuddling and soothing your baby will help them to build a secure attachment. You can't spoil your baby with too much love and attention. 

Global Health Media have some fantastic videos to help you get familiar with how breastfeeding works – how baby attaches to the breast is very important for comfortable feeds and to help you make enough milk for your baby. 

Building a happy baby: A Guide for Parents Leaflet – Baby Friendly Initiative (unicef.org.uk)    

ABM - How lactation works.

Congratulations on the arrival of your baby! 

Having a new baby can be both exciting and scary for you, as well as your partner and any older children. 

Keeping your baby close and in skin contact can help to calm both you and your baby by releasing oxytocin, a hormone responsible for the feeling of bonding and also for releasing milk from the breast. Skin to skin helps to regulate your baby's heart rate, breathing and temperature, and encourages their reflexes for feeding. Babies find it really comforting when they're held close to you as you're all they have ever known. 

By holding your baby close in skin to skin, you can start to recognise early feeding cues, which can help you to attach your baby to the breast for a feed. How you attach your baby is important, so that you are comfortable throughout the feed and your baby is able to drink enough milk.  

Babies who are left in uninterrupted skin to skin will usually feed within 90 minutes of being born, and then regularly whenever they need. 

In hospital, your midwives and the infant feeding team will support you to learn how to hold your baby for feeding (for more information see Positioning and attachment tab). Ask for their help while you're there – you're both brand new at feeding, it's normal to need that support. In the first few days, your baby's tummy is small and the first milk you make, colostrum, is all that is needed to feed your baby. These first few small feeds are full of immune factors that help to protect your baby now they're arrived in the world. 

If your baby is very small at birth, if they are born early, or if they need some additional support, you will be shown how to express milk by hand. Sometimes you might need to use a breast pump, either manual or electric. 

To make enough milk for your baby, you should feed your baby as often as they want, which might be quite often! If your baby is a little sleepy, it's best to continue to feed them every 2-3 hours (including overnight) for the first few weeks whilst they learn how to ask you for food and cuddles. Frequent feeding primes your body to make plenty of milk for your baby. 

Night feeds (for more information see Feeding at night tab) are really important in the early months to help establish your milk supply, and babies need frequent feeding as they don't know the difference between day and night for the first few months (and, for some babies, for longer!) 

How you hold your baby and how your baby attaches to the breast is important for several reasons. If your baby isn’t latching well at the breast it can be painful for you and it can mean that they’re not getting as much milk as they might need.

Feeding should always be comfortable for you. If breastfeeding hurts, it's important to get support. You can contact the infant feeding team here (see Infant Feeding Support in Barking & Dagenham tab for more information) or you can call the health visiting duty desk on 0300 300 1813. 

This video from Global Health Media demonstrates how to bring your baby in for the most effective latch. 

Laid back feeding can also help you to be more comfortable whilst you're waiting for additional support. 

Where possible, start with your baby in a position so that your nipple is pointing up their nose. Hold baby nice and close, wait for a wide open mouth, and then bring baby straight towards your breast. Your nipple should head to the back of the roof of their mouth and their chin should indent your breast. You should be able to see more areola (the pigmented area surrounding your nipple) above their top lip than their bottom lip, and their nose should be clear. If their nose isn't quite clear, try tucking their bottom in towards you a little closer. 

These principles should be the same regardless of where you're holding your baby, which means it's possible to feed in lots of different positions to find the one that you're both happiest with.

It's really normal to have concerns about whether your baby is getting enough milk when you're breastfeeding, because you can't see how much milk they're getting each time! 

Your midwife and health visitor will ask questions about your baby to determine whether they're getting enough milk. You should have access to this information in your baby's red book, which might look like a breastfeeding checklist. 

Under 6 weeks  

If your baby is feeding comfortably at least 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, producing at least 2 dirty and 6-8 wet nappies every day and their weight gain is following their centile in the red book, then we typically assume that feeding is going well. 

Over 6 weeks 

The same as above, but with some allowance for fewer dirty nappies and perhaps less frequent feeds as they get older. 

Do I need to give formula? 

Generally speaking the answer to this is "no, not if you don't want to!". It's important to note that any formula you do give to your baby will signal to your body to make less breastmilk. You should also make sure that you're sterilising all bottles and preparing formula correctly to keep your baby safe from bacteria. 

Sometimes, a midwife, health visitor, breastfeeding specialist or doctor may suggest giving more milk than breastfeeding alone. This is called "supplementation" or "topping up", and should be part of a feeding plan that also maximises the amount of breast milk available. Supplements can be expressed breast milk or infant formula.   

If you’re worried at any point that your baby isn’t getting enough milk, or if you have a supplementation plan that you’d like some support with, please contact the infant feeding team via email to InfantFeedingBar&Dagenham@nelft.nhs.uk 

Sometimes you might need some extra help and support with feeding. If breastfeeding hurts, or if you're concerned that your baby isn't getting enough milk, you can ask for help from your midwife, your health visitor or the infant feeding team. Asking for help early can quickly solve most breastfeeding issues – more often than not, it's a quick adjustment to the positioning and attachment that makes all the difference. 

Sore/damaged nipples 

Sore and damaged nipples are a sign that something isn't quite right, and are usually caused by baby not being well positioned at the breast (for more information see Positioning and attachment tab). Seeking support at our infant feeding drop in groups can help with this (see Infant Feeding Support in Barking & Dagenham tab for more information). Moist wound healing can be used to heal the damage once we've helped you to find the cause. 

Tongue tie 

Occasionally, a baby might struggle with using their tongue – the infant feeding team can support you with information and suggestions about tongue tie and can refer you to a local service if needed. 

Tongue ties can cause issues such as painful feeding, poor weight gain, gassiness and fussy behaviour. They’re not the only cause of these concerns, but can be something worth investigating if you’re experiencing these symptoms.

Breast pain/engorgement/mastitis 

If you're struggling with breast pain, you may be experiencing engorgement or mastitis. This article gives you some self-help measures but please speak to your GP or call 111 if you're experiencing a high temperature, if you start to feel worse, or if the self-help measures do not improve symptoms after 24 hours. It's important to continue to feed your baby as normal whilst investigating what may have led to the engorgement. 

Oversupply 

Some people struggle with their bodies making too much milk, and their babies struggle to cope with the flow. There are different positions that can help with this, such as laid-back feeding, and it's best to get support from the infant feeding team to help you to become more comfortable. 

Thrush 

The latest evidence suggests that thrush cannot exist on the nipple or within the breast, however, rarely, babies can develop thrush within their mouths, and this can result in painful feeding. If you suspect your baby has thrush, please reach out to the infant feeding team.  

Blocked milk ducts 

You may feel a small, tender lump within your breast that may indicate a blockage. These are often caused by poor positioning and attachment, so it's important to seek support from the infant feeding team. You can continue to feed your baby as normal, but take some time to focus on their positioning and attachment to achieve a deep latch. 

Some parents choose to express their breast milk and feed it to their baby using a bottle. (See bottle feeding tab for more information)

Expressed breast milk (EBM) can be stored in the fridge or freezer. It can be warmed (if needed) in warm water and should never be heated using a microwave.

There are a variety of breast pumps that you can purchase, and often the type you choose will depend on why you want to express.

For returning to work ( see returning to work tab for more information), you might consider a wearable pump, or an affordable double electric pump. For occasional expressing, a manual breast pump may suit you.

If you’re pumping to increase your milk supply, or if you are pumping exclusively, a hospital-grade double electric pump is recommended for the best output of milk.

You may wish to try power pumping to boost your milk output with a pump. You can also try other things to boost your oxytocin, such as watching videos of your baby, smelling their clothes, or listening to mindfulness tracks.

It’s important that the flange on your breast pump fits your nipple well. If it doesn’t fit you properly, it can cause pain, damage and reduce the volume of milk that you can express. If you’re not sure whether your flange is fitting you well, please get in contact with our infant feeding team (see Infant Feeding Support in Barking & Dagenham tab for more information).

If your baby arrives earlier than expected, they might not be able to breastfeed on their own straightaway. Your healthcare team will support you and your baby to make sure that they are getting the nutrition that they need. 

Your baby may need to spend some time on the Neonatal Unit in hospital. If your baby can’t breastfeed directly, it’s important to start expressing soon after their birth and to continue to express frequently (around every 2-3 hours) to tell your body that your baby has arrived and that milk needs to be produced.

Skin to skin as soon as possible and as often as possible is really important for both your baby and you.

• neonatal_leaflet_online.pdf 
• Breastfeeding | Bliss 
• Feeding | Bliss 

Breastfeeding more than one baby can be challenging, but it is possible. Many twin mums stop breastfeeding before they are ready due to a lack of support and knowledge.

Breastfeeding Twins and Triplets UK is a charity that offers support and evidence-based information about feeding babies to parents of multiple babies through their Facebook group.

Twins Trust is a charity that supports the parents of multiple babies to access evidence-based information and a network of community support. They offer information about breastfeeding, including a helpline and access to peer supporters.

Our infant feeding team (see Infant Feeding Support in Barking & Dagenham tab for more information) can also offer practical support, including home visits where needed.

Introducing infant formula can reduce your milk supply, as every feed missed by your body will give the signal to make less milk. If you’re breastfeeding and thinking about giving your baby formula milk, please speak to your midwife, health visitor or our infant feeding team via email for support and information about safe bottle feeding and protecting your milk supply.

Sometimes, a midwife, health visitor, breastfeeding specialist or doctor may suggest giving more milk than breastfeeding alone. This is called "supplementation" or "topping up” and should be part of a feeding plan that also maximises the amount of breast milk available. Supplements can be expressed breast milk or infant formula.   

Expressed breast milk (EBM) can be stored in the fridge or freezer. It can be warmed (if needed) in warm water and should never be heated using a microwave.

If you need to give formula to your baby for any reason, such as if they cannot be breastfed or if you choose to give formula, they will need any first stage infant formula for the first 12 months of their life. It doesn’t really matter what brand you choose as they are all similar. This booklet has lots of helpful information about different types of formula.

Once your baby turns 1 year, you can switch from formula to full fat cow’s milk. There’s no need to stop breastfeeding at this point unless you’re both ready to do so.

How to bottle feed

Like breastfeeding, it’s recommended to feed your baby responsively if you’re using bottles. A feeding technique called paced bottle feeding can support your baby to control the flow of milk and recognise when they’re full.

Follow your baby’s feeding cues for when they are hungry and when they’ve had enough milk. Hold your baby close, in a semi-upright position, and invite them to take the bottle teat. Keep the bottle horizontal, rather than pointing the teat downwards, and don’t worry if the teat contains some air – any air that your baby swallows moves quickly through the body and will come out one end or the other! Allow frequent pauses by tilting the bottle to the floor every 7-8 sucks, as this gives your baby the chance to recognise when they’re full. Pacing bottles like this helps reduce the risk of overfeeding in bottle fed babies. Never force your baby to finish a feed.

Babies enjoy being close to their parents, and it’s important for their brain and emotional development for their feeds to be given by their parents, particularly in the early weeks.

Night feeds are important for building your milk supply and feeding your baby. When you're pregnant, babies are fed constantly through the placenta, and after they are born it can take a long time for them to build up to the stretches of sleep that we experience as adults. It is really normal for babies to wake frequently for the first months of their life, and some babies will continue to need some nighttime support into toddlerhood. 

It helps to know how to cope with the disrupted sleep of having a baby, as well as understanding what normal baby sleep looks like and the patterns of baby and toddler sleep. Sleep is developmental, and it is not linear – one night of good sleep doesn't mean your baby will continue to sleep through (sometimes they will!) and that's ok!! 

Safe sleep is crucial to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Follow this advice for every sleep, including daytime naps.  

Your baby should be in the same room as you or another adult for every sleep (including daytime naps) for at least the first six months. You can still pop to the toilet or make a cup of tea, but while they are asleep, babies are safest if you're close by. There are no devices on the market that can replicate this element of safety. 

Never fall asleep on a sofa or armchair with your baby. The risk of SIDS is 50 times higher for babies when they sleep on a sofa or armchair with an adult. They are also at risk of accidental death as they can easily slip into a position where they are trapped and can't breathe. 

Safer sleep advice 

The Lullaby Trust provides guidance for keeping babies safe whilst they sleep. 

The safest place for a baby to sleep is in their own clear, flat, firm separate sleep space (e.g. a cot or Moses basket) in the same room as you. 

1. Lie your baby on their back 
2. Keep their cot clear and empty – no pillows, duvets, cot bumpers, soft toys/comforters, wedges, pods or nests. 
3. Use a firm, flat, waterproof mattress 
4. Keep baby smoke-free 
5. Avoid your baby getting too hot 
6. Sleep your baby in the same room as you for at least the first six months 

Safe bedsharing 

Some parents choose to share a bed with their babies, whilst others may fall asleep with their baby in their bed without meaning to. This is called co-sleeping or bedsharing. Wherever you are planning for your baby to sleep, it is recommended to make your bed as safe as possible for your baby, in case you find yourself accidentally falling asleep with them in your bed. 

The Lullaby Trust has guidance for creating a safe environment for sleep, when to avoid co-sleeping completely and how to reduce the risk of SIDS. 

Co-sleeping with your baby is very dangerous if: 

• You or anyone in the bed has recently drunk any alcohol 
• You or anyone in the bed smokes, or baby was exposed to smoking during pregnancy 
• You or anyone in the bed has taken any drugs or medication that can make you sleepy 
• Your baby was born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or weighed under 2.5kg (5.5lbs) at birth 

In these scenarios, it is always best to put baby in their own sleep space, such as a cot or Moses basket. Keeping the cot or Moses basket close to your bed may make this easier. 

Adult beds have not been designed or safety tested for infants like a cot or Moses basket has been. To make your bed safer for co-sleeping, whether you intend to co-sleep or not, you should: 

• Keep pillows and adult bedding away from your baby, along with any other items that could cover their head or cause them to overheat. Many babies who die from SIDS are found with their head covered by loose bedding. 
• Remove slatted or decorated headboards 
• Follow the safer sleep advice to reduce the risk of SIDS 
• Don't bring other pets or children into the bed 
• Check that baby cannot become trapped or wedged in the bedframe or headboard, or fall out of bed or become wedged between the mattress and the wall. 
• Never leave your baby alone in an adult bed. As your baby develops, becomes more mobile and can move around, the risks change, so it's important to check your bed regularly to prevent possible accidents. 

Some people will need to take certain medications whilst breastfeeding. It is always best to consult with your GP and inform them that you are breastfeeding, however it should also be noted that there are very few medications which are completely incompatible with breastfeeding. 

The Drugs in Breastmilk service is a team of pharmacists with specific training and knowledge in breastfeeding. If you or your GP are unsure whether a particular medication is incompatible with breastfeeding, you can message the Drugs in Breastmilk service to ask. 

There are also a number of factsheets on common conditions and common medications. These factsheets provide information about whether certain medications might have negative impacts on either your baby or on breastfeeding. These can be used in conversations with your healthcare professionals about medications that you might require. 

As your baby approaches 6 months of age, you might be starting to think about introducing solids. Our support groups are a great place to bring your baby and try some solid foods once they are showing the signs of readiness. 

Signs of readiness 

• Able to sit up unaided, holding their head steady 
• Coordinating their hands, eyes and mouth to look at the food, pick it up and put it in their mouths themselves 
• Swallowing, rather than using their tongue to push food back out of their mouth 
• 6 months of age 

Note that some of these signs may appear one by one before 6 months, but 6 months of age is when the infant gut is mature enough to tolerate the introduction of solid foods. 

It is not a sign of readiness to be showing an interest in food. We know that developmentally this will happen around 4 months of age, but it is a normal learning behaviour, rather than a sign that it is time to try solid food. Your baby will likely also show an interest in cars and your house keys around this age, but you wouldn't expect them to unlock a door or parallel park yet! 

It is also not a sign of readiness to be waking frequently at night. For many babies, this happens in a cluster around 4 months of age, but it is a common sleep behaviour, rather than a sign that it is time to try solid food. 

Starting Solids Sessions

Marks Gate Community Hub 

Rose Lane, Dagenham, RM6 5NJ 

FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH 10am-12pm

Babyzone at Future Youth Zone 

201-205 Porters Avenue, Dagenham, RM9 5YX 

WEDNESDAYS 10am to 11.30am TERM TIME ONLY

Barking Learning Centre 

2 Town Square, Barking, IG11 7NB 

THURSDAYS 1pm to 3pm

Resources for Starting Solids 

• Introducing your baby to solids | NCT 
• Your baby's first solid foods - NHS 
• Introducing solid foods 

Many people continue breastfeeding when they return to work or study. It's a great way to support your baby's immune system, providing nutrition and to connect after a period of separation.  

Your options and plans will depend on your individual circumstances, and it's worth having a chat with our infant feeding team to talk through any concerns you might have. If your baby is over 1 year, you might find they're fine without breastmilk when you're apart, whereas a baby under 6 months will need to be left with either expressed breastmilk or formula. Between 6 months and 1 year, your baby might be fine with solid foods and water, or they may need breastmilk/formula as well, and then continue to breastfeed when you're together. 

You and your baby can carry on enjoying the benefits of breastfeeding for as long as you would both like to. The World Health Organisation and NHS recommend breastfeeding for the first two years of life and beyond, and it is an entirely individual decision. 

Breastfeeding and returning to work/study 

• Breastfeeding and returning to work | NCT 
• Working and Breastfeeding - La Leche League GB 
• Breastfeeding and Work – ABM 
• Breastfeeding and returning to work - Best Start in Life - NHS 
• Breastfeeding and going back to work - NHS 

Your rights as a breastfeeding employee  

• Continuing to breastfeed when you return to work - Maternity Action 
• Protecting pregnant workers and new mothers: employers - Rest and breastfeeding at work 

Breastfeeding doesn't stop being nutritious for your little one at any point. Breastmilk adapts to the needs of your baby throughout the time that you are breastfeeding, whether they are a newborn, starting their solid food, learning to walk or going to nursery. 

The World Health Organisation and NHS recommend breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of your baby's life, and then for the first two years of their life and beyond. You might say that you never made a plan to breastfeed for a particular time, or that you never planned to feed for this long, but that's just how things have worked out! 

Breastfeeding older babies, toddlers and children can come with unique challenges. Teething is a prime example! Generally speaking, if your baby is latched well, their teeth won't be involved with feeding, but the pain they're experiencing can make them fussy and awkward during feeds. 

Many babies and toddlers enjoy breastfeeding as a comfort and regulation tool. This can mean that feeding at night continues beyond the first year, and this is normal. Taking breastfeeding away at night will not necessarily result in better sleep for you or your little one – often it's the quickest and calmest way to get everyone back to sleep. 

Breastfeeding while pregnant is generally considered to be safe and is quite common. Your milk supply can change during pregnancy, often reducing around 4-5 months due to pregnancy hormones, and your child may breastfeed less or stop entirely at this point, and they may then continue breastfeeding at a later stage. Feeding both your older baby and your newborn is called tandem nursing. 

• Pregnant and Breastfeeding - La Leche League GB 
• Guest post: Breastfeeding through pregnancy and beyond - The Breastfeeding Network 
• Breastfeeding During Pregnancy and Tandem Nursing - La Leche League International 

When you're ready to stop breastfeeding, or if you're thinking you might be ready to stop breastfeeding sometime soon, there are resources that exist to help this transition. You can also speak with our infant feeding team for some personalised suggestions, based on the age of your little one and the options you're considering. 

• Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy – ABM 
• Still Nursing? - La Leche League GB 
• Emma Pickett (@emmapickettibclc) • Instagram photos and videos

NHS Resources

Feeding your baby can feel quite overwhelming at first – whether you are breastfeeding, bottle feeding or a combination of both. We have lots of guidance to support you, along with hints and tips from other parents.

There is a lot of evidence to show how beneficial it is to breastfeed your baby, especially in the early weeks. However, it can take time to get the hang of, and there may be reasons why you cannot breastfeed. If you have any feeding worries or concerns, the best thing to do is speak to your midwife or health visitor.

Follow the link for NHS, Better Health, Start For Life information on Breastfeeding , Bottle Feeding and Mix feeding

UNICEF Resources (Available in 11 languages)

Here are a range of resources on infant feeding, relationship building, as well as information on common breastfeeding challenges:

UNICEF - Support for parents

UNICEF - Benefits of breastfeeding

UNICEF - Breastfeeding in the UK

Global Health Media Resources

Here you will find short engaging videos to understand and remember critical points when breastfeeding (available in over 30 languages). Click here to watch a video about 'Attaching your baby to the breast'.

Websites

• Bliss
• The Breastfeeding Network
• La Leche League
• Lactation Consultants of Great Britain: Find a lactation consultant near you
• Twins Trust: Feeding twins and triplets
• National Childbirth Trust (NCT)
• UK Association for Milk Banking

Helplines

• National Breastfeeding Helpline: 0300 100 0212
• Association of Breastfeeding Mothers: 0300 330 5453
• La Leche League: 0345 120 2918
• National childbirth Trust (NCT): 0300 300 0700
• The Breatfeeding Network supporter line in Bengali and Sylheti: 0300 456 2421