Start for Life
The first 1,001 days (from conception to 2 years old) is considered to be the most important time in a child's life for development.
Whether you're a parent/carer, grandparent or other family member, you can use our Start for Life pages to find information, advice and support for this vital period of a child's life.
Infant feeding and breastfeeding support
Midwives, health visitors, children's centre staff and locally-trained volunteer mothers (peer supporters) are there to help you get feeding your baby off to a good start. They can give you lots of information and support just when you need it - in person and on-line - in your home and in family hubs and children's centres.
Breastfeeding
There is a lot of evidence to show how beneficial it is to breast feed your baby, especially in the early weeks. Breastfeeding is a skill that takes time to get the hang of, but there's lots of helpful information and advice available to help you.
- Breastfeeding information and support
- Information and resources about breastfeeding, expressing and bottle feeding your baby
- Breastfeeding videos (videos are available in many community languages)
- Information on how to get breastfeeding off to a good start
Bottle feeding
If you are bottle feeding, these tips will help keep your baby safe and healthy.
If you decide to use infant formula, first infant formula (first milk) should always be the formula you give your baby. You can use it throughout the 1st year. When your baby is 1-year-old, they can start drinking whole cows' milk.
When bottle feeding, remember to hold your baby in an upright position and keep the bottle more horizontal rather than facing downwards. Stop the feed regularly to give your baby a rest.
Read more about bottle feeding
Baby feeding support
Drop-in infant feeding groups are hosted by Hillingdon Peer Supporters and take place at 4 of our children's centres - Harefield, South Ruislip, Pinkwell and Colham.
Find dates and details of peer support drop-in groups
Feeding support is also available in all our children's centres, where staff have been trained to help you. Contact your local children's centre or health visitor to ask for help during our centres' normal opening hours.
If your baby is under 10-days-old, you can also call the community midwife team on 01895 279472 or the THH Triage on 01895 279054.
If your baby is over 10-days-old, you can arrange one-to-one feeding support with the health visiting team by speaking with your health visitor or call 01895 891302.
Starting solids
Introducing your baby to solid foods (sometimes called complementary feeding or weaning) should start when your baby is around 6-months-old.
At the beginning, how much your baby eats is less important than getting them used to the idea of eating. They'll still be getting most of their energy and nutrients from breast milk or first infant formula.
Giving your baby a variety of foods, alongside breast or formula milk, will help set your child up for a lifetime of healthier eating. Gradually, you'll be able to increase the amount and variety of food your baby eats until they can eat the same foods as the rest of the family, in smaller portions.
If your baby was born prematurely, contact your health visitor or GP for advice on when to start introducing solid foods.
Read more about starting solid foods
You can find more guidance, hints and tips from other parents to to support you with feeding.
If you need further help and support with any infant feeding, contact your health visitor.