We hope you find the information in our spotlight on breastfeeding interesting. Please know that whichever way you decide to feed your baby, we are here to support you to make feeding time a special time where you and your baby can build a close and loving relationship ensuring your baby has the best start in life.
Feeding Your Baby – NHS Lothian | Our Services
NHS Lothian maternity and neonatal services, as well as the community health visiting services, are all fully accredited by the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative which enables public services to better support families with feeding and developing close and loving relationships.
Learn more about the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative
NHS Lothian supports Responsive Breastfeeding.
Responsive Breastfeeding means a mother responds to her baby’s cues, as well as her own desire to feed her baby. Feeding responsively recognises that feeding times are not just for nutrition, but also for love, comfort and reassurance between baby and mother. For example, a mother may offer her breast when her baby shows signs of hunger or when her baby is distressed, fractious, or appears lonely. She can also offer her breast to meet her own needs, for example before she goes out, before bedtime or because she wants to sit down, rest and have a cuddle with her baby.
To help put NHS Lothian breastfeeding figures in context, please refer to the National rates for Scotland for 2020/21 (latest publication):
- 66% of babies born in Scotland were breastfed for at least some time after their birth.
- 55% of babies born in Scotland were being breastfed at 10-14 days of age when their care was handed over to the health visiting teams. This has increased from 44% in 2002/03, largely due to an increase in mixed breast and formula feeding.
Neonatal Unit:
UK-wide, 49% of babies born at less than 32 weeks receive their own mother’s breastmilk within their first 48hrs. Within NHS Lothian, 65% of babies born at less than 32 weeks received this early breastmilk from their mothers in 2022.This places NHS Lothian’s Neonatal Unit 8th out of around 54 Level III neonatal units in the UK.
We are very proud of NHS Lothian Neonatal Unit’s achievements that enable babies born early to receive their mother’s milk.
