Meet the team
Hello! We are Katherine and Sarah and we share the role of Infant Feeding Coordinator at Warrington and Halton Hospital. We are passionate about supporting mothers and their families to make the right choices for themselves regarding infant feeding and we are always working to make the service we provide better. The information on this page should provide a useful introduction to your options around feeding your baby – it’s never too early to think about this, so please be sure to ask your community midwives for support and information as you start (or continue!) your journey into parenthood.
We look forward to welcoming you and your baby
Katherine Conquest and Sarah Tandy
Infant Feeding Co-ordinators
We promote and support Infant Feeding choices, helping mums and their families to make evidence based decisions that work for them. We provide expert care, education and support throughout your pregnancy and once your baby has arrived, we support you to feed your baby safely and to develop a strong and loving relationship with your child.
We promote breastfeeding as the biologically normal way to feed your baby and we aim to equip you with the skills and knowledge to develop your confidence so that breastfeeding your baby is an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
If you choose to feed your baby with formula milk, we will support you to do so safely, in a way that responds healthily to your baby’s needs and develops a loving bond between parent and child.
Our “Parents guide to the Infant Feeding Policy” will provide more information on how we can help you on your journey.
When you choose to have your baby at Warrington and Halton Hospital, you can be reassured of the support of our highly experienced and qualified team. We are currently pursuing Baby Friendly Re-Accreditation Stage 3 with UNICEF. This is the highest level possible for any baby unit within the United Kingdom.
For more information on what BFI UNICEF is, and what standards they expect of accredited hospitals, please click on the link below:
We recognise that professional support is often the key to a successful and happy breastfeeding journey.
During your pregnancy, we will begin to offer information and guidance so that you already have the basic knowledge you need to begin to breastfeed your baby. It’s never too early to think about your own choices and plans!
Our midwives are experienced and attend regular training updates to ensure that the support they offer once baby is born is of the highest quality.
Your community midwife will provide ongoing support to ensure that things get off to a great start whatever your choice of Infant Feeding. They are supported by the Infant Feeding Coordinators who can offer telephone and face to face consultations if required.
You can benefit from a number of support groups that are run in local centres - you may access these during your pregnancy when you are beginning to plan for feeding your baby, and then once baby is born, the groups will always offer a skilled professional who can help solve problems and offer encouragement: in addition, you have the benefit of a supportive group of peers who can share their breastfeeding journey with you.
These are our current face to face support groups. It is advisable to ring ahead to check that the group is running as advertised. Click on the picture below for more information.
Click here for the group times and locations.
Please consider joining our Facebook group Warrington Hospital Breastfeeding. This online community group offers peer to peer support and encouragement. It is administrated by the Infant Feeding Coordinator intermittently and therefore should not be used as a 24/7 source of professional advice. If you need advice or are concerned about your baby’s wellbeing, please contact us via telephone (see “contact us” below).
Breastfeeding, like any new skill, can take time and patience to master - there are two of you learning how to do this together and sometimes it seems like a very difficult thing to do. Reading about breastfeeding and understanding how your body works is a great way to plan ahead and starting during your pregnancy is the best idea. Your midwife will discuss this with you throughout your pregnancy so that you feel confident when baby arrives. There is a wealth of brilliant information online, so here is a selection of useful resources to get you started:
BFI links
“building a happy baby” leaflet
BFI foreign language resources
NHS “Off to the best start” leaflet
The Breastfeeding Network provide lots of useful support to breastfeeding mums including information on safety of medications whilst breastfeeding:
https:/
The Association of Breastfeeding Mothers are an excellent source of support with a national breastfeeding helpline
La Leche Legue, in addition to their online advice and support, often run local peer led support groups
Is Breastfeeding going well?
| Breastfeeding is going well when | Talk to your midwife if: |
|---|---|
| Your baby has 8 feeds or more in 24 hours | Your baby is sleepy and has had less than 6 feeds in 24 hours |
| Your baby is feeding between 5 and 30 minutes at each feed |
Your baby consistently feeds for 5 minutes or less at each feed Your baby consistently feeds for longer than 40 minutes at each feed Your baby always falls asleep on the breast and/or never finished a feed. |
| Your baby is generally calm and relaxed whilst feeding and is content after most feeds. | Your baby comes on and off the breast frequently during the feed or refuses to feed |
|
Your baby has wet and dirty nappies Breastfeeding is comfortable |
Your baby is not having wet and dirty nappies You are having pain in your breasts or nipples, which doesnt disappear after the baby's first few sucks. Your nipple comes out of baby's mouth lookming pinched or flattened on one side. |
| When your baby is 3-4 days old and beyond you should be able to hear your baby swallowing frequently during a feed | You cannot tell if your baby is swallowing any milk when your baby is 3-4 days old |
| Your baby has normal skin colour |
Your baby appears jaundiced (yellow discolouration of the skin) – most jaundice is not harmful but it is important to check for this particularly in the first week of life. Yellow will usually appear around the face and forehead first and then spread to the rest of the body. You can check when you change baby’s nappy or clothes or gently press your baby’s skin to see if a yellow tinge is developing. Also check the whites of baby’s eyes when they are open and inside their mouth when open to see if the gums or roof of the mouth look yellow |
|
You think your baby needs a dummy You feel you need to give your baby formula milk |
How can I tell if my baby is hungry?
Click here for more information
How can I tell if my baby is getting enough milk?
Click here for more information.
If you choose to formula feed your baby, we will support you to do so in a responsive and safe way. Your community midwife will support you after the birth of your baby to ensure that you feel confident to feed your baby and that you are able to develop a loving bond.
UNICEF information on safe preparation of formula milk and explain what “responsive bottle feeding”
UNICEF information on “building a happy baby”
If you have a query regarding your Infant Feeding choices, or you need support now your baby is born, please speak to your community midwife or phone the Community Office on 01925 662092.
For any out of hours concerns, or if you are concerned about your baby’s wellbeing, you should phone the Birth Suite or C23 on their 24 hour telephone lines:
Birth Suite: 01925 662334
C23: 01925 662258
Your Infant Feeding Support
Bosom Buddies support groups - click