Infant Feeding
There are many resources available when discussing infant nutrition, we have collated some useful resources including local Somerset specific information. These links may be useful to you as clinicians or to signpost your patients to.
The information and links provided are for guidance, clinical decisions remain the responsibility of the practitioner; the intention is to help prescribers find evidence based information and does not replace input from appropriate professionals or constitute medical advice for individual patients.
Please contact sam.morris2@nhs.net with any suggested edits or any additional resources you feel would be useful to be shared. These documents will be reviewed when appropriate.
Food Allergy
CMPA guidelines for breastfed infants
CMPA guidelines for formula fed infants
Patient Webinars- Food allergy in children
First Steps Nutrition have resources on eating well for new mums including information for breastfeeding mothers which has further detailed information on breastfeeding with special diets, including sources of calcium for a dairy free diet while breastfeeding.
See Vitamin D for more information on vitamin D supplementation needs for children and breastfeeding parents.
Somerset Wellbeing Maternity Tookit and local resources
Somerset children & young people : Health and Wellbeing
The maternity toolkit is designed to support people on their journey from pre-conception, pregnancy and beyond.
The Somerset Essential Guide to feeding and caring for your baby 2019 – 2020 is a really useful guide that gives advice and tips on things such as infant feeding, attachment, safety and much more as well as dispelling the myths and misconceptions.
Somerset Health Visiting Team
The Somerset Health Visiting Team are available. If a parent requires advice and support they can contact the Health Visiting under-fives Parent Service text line on 07480 635514. Find the Health Visitor telephone number in your area on the Somerset County Council Health Visitor website.
Chat Health is a secure and confidential text messaging service. Health Visitors have a wealth of experience working with mums and dads-to-be, babies, toddlers and young children, and School Nurses with parents and young people 5-19 years of age. The ChatHealth service is available Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, including school holidays and excluding bank holidays. Anyone sending a text outside these hours, will receive an automated message with advice on where to get help if they require it urgently. When the service reopens the sender will then receive a reply to the message. ChatHealth runs alongside the normal Public Health Nursing Service.
The numbers are as follows:
Health Visiting under 5’s Parent Service – 07480 635514
School Nursing 5 – 19 Parent Service – 07480 635515
School Nursing 11 – 19 Young Peoples Service – 07480 635516
National Resources
First Steps Nutrition Trust provide nutritional advice, including around formula milk, weaning onto solids and healthy eating. Information is also available for dairy free or vegan diets.
Vitamin D
The Department of Health recommends that:
- Babies from birth to 1 year of age who are being breastfed should be given a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms (µg) of vitamin D to make sure they get enough. This is whether or not breastfeeding Mothers are taking a supplement containing vitamin D themselves.
- Babies receiving more than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula daily, do not require additional vitamin D supplementation.
- Children aged 1 to 4 years old should be given a daily supplement containing 10µg of vitamin D.
Vitamin D should be taken for the duration of breastfeeding. Advise breastfeeding people to take Vitamin D 10 micrograms per day. PH56 Vitamin D: supplement use in specific population groups. Also suitable for self-care.
Healthy Start vitamins are available for families who qualify for free, see how to apply. Healthy Start women’s vitamin tablets contain folic acid and vitamins C and D (Children’s drops are also available). FAQs. The application form must be signed by a midwife, health visitor, doctor or nurse.