What advice should I provide regarding infant feeding and maternal nutrition during the postnatal period?

Infant Feeding Advice:

• Encourage exclusive breastfeeding for around the first 6 months, highlighting its nutritional and health benefits for both baby and mother, and that even short durations are beneficial.
• Support breastfeeding by advising on correct attachment, effective milk transfer, and managing common breastfeeding problems such as mastitis or nipple pain; observe feeds early after birth to assess and address concerns.
• Inform parents about expressing breast milk, safe storage, and preparation, and caution against 'prop' feeding.
• Discuss formula feeding sensitively with parents considering or needing it, including partial formula feeding alongside breastfeeding or expressed milk, and support continued breastfeeding if formula is introduced.
• Advise on vitamin D supplementation for all breastfeeding women to support maternal and infant health.
• Encourage early skin-to-skin contact to facilitate breastfeeding initiation when mother and baby are ready.
• Provide ongoing support and reassurance at each health contact, addressing any feeding concerns and encouraging sustained breastfeeding or re-establishment if combination feeding.

Maternal Nutrition Advice:

• Advise a healthy, balanced diet postnatally, tailored to individual needs, including those with gestational diabetes, where no specific diet is superior but healthy eating is essential.
• Inform women with insulin-treated diabetes to monitor and adjust insulin doses post-birth and to have snacks or meals before or during breastfeeding to reduce hypoglycaemia risk.
• Encourage lifestyle advice including nutrition, physical activity, and avoidance of smoking, alcohol misuse, and drug misuse to support recovery and wellbeing.
• Advise on vitamin D supplementation during breastfeeding to maintain maternal and infant vitamin D status.