MAMBA Baby Care Course

Module 3

Infant Feeding & Newborn Sleep

This session we have only really scratched the surface of two of the most emotive topics in the baby world- feeding and sleeping!

There really is so much more you can dive into and learn about along your parenting journey on these two topics, so we have conciously only looked at the essentials from an antenatal point of view to enable you to start to plan and make decisions about your baby’s care.

For anyone interested in breastfeeding, please do join me on the ‘Planning to Breastfeed’ course which is invaluable for giving your the best start and the tools and information you need to troubleshoot and have a positive experience.

Below are some great videos from other organisations which will be useful, as well as some links to further reading around these topics to enable you to come to your own decisions.

There will always be others who agree and disagree with your choices around sleeping and feeding but I firmly believe that knowledge is power and informed decision making is the very best you can do for yourself and your baby.

Breastfeeding Basics

Learning what good breastfeeding attachment and positioning looks (and feels) like is part of the journey both you and your baby will embark on if you choose to breastfeed.

Watching (and re-watching) this wonderful video has solved more minor issues that I can list. Keep the link safe!

There is a wonderfully large and supportive breastfeeding community all around you, wherever you are in the UK and abroad- you just need to know where to look!

Below are some links to La Leche League, Kelly Mom and The Association of Breastfeeding Mothers.

National helplines are also open day and night for telephone help and support:

National Breastfeeding Helpline:

0300 100 0212

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers:

0300 100 0212

Bottle Feeding

Many parents choose to formula feed, combination feed or bottle feed expressed milk.

The most important thing is that you are supported on your journey with the choices you wish to make, and that you know how to handle, make and store milk safely for your baby.

These videos show you how to make up formula milk and some options to make life a little easier, as well as a short video demonstrating paced bottle feeding.

The below links also take you to the NHS webpage all about bottle feeding, which has some great information and advice, as well as the Which? report looking at different formula milks. Both interesting reading….

Infant Sleep

Newborns sleep cycle doesn’t evolve until they are about 4 months old, when they circadian rhythm starts to set in. Until then, day or night, they have consistent needs which will keep you busy.

You can help your baby’s circadian rhythm develop by following the sleep shaping and hygiene advice here.

Understanding infant sleep cycles can also help you to support them in beginning to link cycles together so they have one longer stretch of sleep during the a 24 hour window (usually 3-4 hours) and keep your fingers crossed it happens at night when you are also tucked up in bed!

As babies begin to grow and become more predictable in their wake and sleep windows and patterns parents can start to shape more of a routine for their baby that fits in with their needs. However, regular night waking and feeding is still biologically normal up to and beyond 12 months of age.

Understanding the biological norms and current research on infant sleep can help you make decisions on how you approach this challenging window of time. The Baby Sleep Information Source (BASIS) is a wonderful website full of up to date evidence based research and guidance. They also have an awesome app you may wish to download!

I hope you have enjoyed diving into these topics and will continue to explore and expand your understanding over the weeks to come. I am always happy to do infant feeding and infant sleep consultations if you run into any problems and need help from a trusted source.

If you are interested in exploring more about Attachment Theory and even Attachment Parenting, there are some great resources here.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Module, by now you should all be feeling much more confident about all things baby care!

Nicola