Infant feeding advice and support

The healthy child service provides ongoing support for infant feeding (breastfeeding, bottle feeding expressed breastmilk or formula or a combination of these options) via your health visitor.

Clinics - feeding support

During this pandemic drop in clinics are currently suspended but you can still contact your health visitor or the duty health visitor for advice and support.

We are also providing infant feeding support face to face for parents needing one to one additional feeding advice. This is a weekly clinic and appointments can be booked by contacting your health visitor or the duty health visitor.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding and Breastmilk

Below are some useful links for evidence based information on infant feeding in addition to the NHS website:

Building a happy baby

Off to the best start leaflet (open in pdf)

Department of Health 'off to the best start' is an information guide all about breastfeeding.

Hand expression video

Expressing and Storing Breastmilk - The Breastfeeding Network

Start4Life Breastfeeding Friend – message questions through Facebook or enable at Alexa Skill store

How safe is… alcohol, smoking and medicines and breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding Network How Safe Is It? (opens in pdf)

Support with conditions

Mastitis and breastfeeding

Mastitis is when your breast becomes swollen and painful. Find more information and support from the NHS Mastitis webpage.

Breastfeeding Network - mastitis (opens in pdf)

Thrush and breastfeeding

The NHS has helpful advice and information around breastfeeding and thrush.

If you are experiencing issues with thrush and breastfeeding you can contact the Breastfeeding Network.

Breastfeeding after returning to study or work

Breastfeeding and Work (opens in pdf)

Bottle Feeding

Guidance to formula feeding your baby

A Guide to bottle feeding leaflet

Department of health 'guide to bottle feeding'

Formula-feeding video

Making up bottles of infant formula - information from First Steps Nutrition

First Steps Nutrition Trust has provided helpful information regarding making up bottles of infant formula from hot taps and baby kettles.

Many kitchens are now fitted with hot taps where either ‘boiling’ or cold water is dispensed directly. Current advice to leave water to cool for no more than 30 minutes is based on 1 litre of water being boiled and left in the kettle, with the aim that the water is still at a temperature of 70oC or above when the powdered infant formula is added. If smaller volumes of water are used cooling times will be significantly shorter.

Using a hot tap water will be dispensed directly into a bottle if being used for making up infant formula. We have tested temperatures using one type of hot tap in a domestic kitchen as a guide for those supporting families who make up formula this way.

The table below shows different volumes of water where the temperature was tested after the water had been added to the bottle and after 5, 10 or 15 minutes.

An 8oz (240ml) baby bottle was used and water added in ounces as recommended for making up feeds for different ages of babies.

The temperatures were all taken twice, and the mean temperature has been provided. We put the lid on the bottle after adding the water and it is likely that leaving the bottle uncovered will impact on the temperature.

Amount of water	Temperature immediately after water added 0C	Temperature 5 minutes after water added 0C	Temperature 10 minutes after water added 0C	Temperature 15 minutes after water added 0C
2oz (60ml)	79.1	60.7
3oz (90ml)	84.6	69.0
4oz (120ml)	88.5	72.0	65.5
5oz (150ml)	89.5	74.3	69.8
6oz (180ml)	90.0	77.7	70.5	66.0
7oz (210ml)	90.4	78.1	73.8	68.3
8oz (240ml)	91.2	80.0	75.0	70.2

These are just a guide: it is likely that other hot taps might provide water at different temperatures and the time taken to fill the bottle to the correct level might vary. Care is needed when filling the bottles not to scald, particularly if you bend down to the right level to see the bottle markings to add the correct amount of water.

First Steps Nutrition Trust concludes from this is that if using a hot tap to fill the bottle that the powdered infant formula should probably be added:

Immediately if volumes of 2-3oz (60-90ml) are being made up
After no more than 5 minutes for volumes of 4oz-5oz (120ml-180ml)
After no more than 10 minutes for volumes 6oz-8oz (210ml-240ml)

Baby Kettles

Baby kettles are now available on the market which claim to keep water at the correct temperature after being boiled to allow families to make up infant formula without the need for cooling before the powder is added. These kettles appear to keep water at a temperature of 70oC for 3 hours. This is no longer than 500ml of boiled water can be kept in a thermos flask and still remain above 70oC.

There is a potential risk that the water in these kettles may be repeatedly boiled (e.g. set to re-boil after 3 hours) to maintain the temperature, concentrating elements in the water. Fresh water should always be used in the kettle. The water is also likely to cool below 70oC being poured into the bottle and is therefore likely to be less than 70oC when the powder is added. We have not tested these kettles but suggest caution if families are using these to make up infant formula.

First Steps Nutrition Trust welcome any other information about these kettles and experiences of using them.

Infant milks

Infant Milks — First Steps Nutrition Trust

Feeding premature babies and feeding twins

Feeding premature babies

Feeding twins

Introducing Solid Foods

Introducing solid foods leaflet - Baby Friendly Initiative

Eating well for mums and babies

Infants & new mums — First Steps Nutrition Trust

Weaning | Start4Life

Toddler and Infant Nutrition Advice - Infant & Toddler Forum

Child feeding guide

Healthy Start vitamins are available to eligible women and children via the following pharmacies located across York participating pharmacies:
1. The Priory Pharmacy, Cornlands Road, YO24 3WX
2. Tower Court Pharmacy, Unit 1, Tower Court, Oakdale Road, YO30 4WL
3. Whitworth Pharmacy, 275 Melrosegate, YO10 3SN
4. Monk Bar Pharmacy, 3 Goodramdate, YO1 7LJ
5. Day Lewis Pharmacy, 67 Front Street, YO24 3BR
6. Huntington Pharmacy, 1 North Lane within Huntington Surgery, YO32 9RU
7. Haxby Group Pharmacy, Haxby & Wigginton Health Centre, YO32 2LL
8. Fulford Pharmacy, 101 Main Street, Fulford, YO10 4PN
9. MJ Roberts Pharmacy, 8 Boroughbridge Road, YO26 5RU
1. The Priory Pharmacy, Cornlands Road, York, YO24 3WX
2. Citywide Health - Tower Court Pharmacy, Unit 1, Tower Court, Clifton Moorgate, York YO30 4WL
3. Monkbar Pharmacy, 3 Goodramgate, York, YO1 7LJ
4. Citywide Health - Water End Pharmacy, 8 Boroughbridge Road, Acomb, York, YO26 5RU
5. Citywide Health - Fulford Pharmacy, 101 Main Street, Fulford, York, YO10 4PN
6. Day Lewis Pharmacy, 67 Front Street, Acomb, York, YO24 3BR
7. Citywide Health - Huntington Pharmacy, 1-3 North Lane, Huntington, York, YO32 9RU
8. Citywide Health - Haxby Pharmacy, Haxby & Wigginton Health Centre, The Village, Wigginton, York, YO32 2LL

Healthy Start Vouchers can be applied for, contact The Healthy Child Service if support is needed to complete the application. Visit Antenatal diet information for the application form and more information.