Five things to know about feeding your baby

Behaviour is a terrible guide to whether a baby is feeding well. Cluster feeding, not settling after feeds, wanting to feed constantly, waking frequently — all of these are completely normal in babies who are feeding well. They are not signs that something is wrong with your supply or your formula.

What actually tells you whether your baby is getting enough: nappy output and weight. From day 5, a well-fed baby produces at least 5–6 heavy wet nappies per day (pale yellow urine). Most babies are back to birth weight by day 10–14.

If nappy output is lower than this, or if weight loss has exceeded 10% of birth weight, contact your midwife the same day. Not tomorrow — today.

Around 81% of UK mothers initiate breastfeeding. Rates fall sharply in the first weeks — and surveys consistently show that most people who stop before they intended to do so did not want to stop. The most common reasons are pain, latch problems, and concerns about supply.

These are almost always addressable. Pain after the first 30 seconds of a feed is a latch problem — not something to push through. A correct latch should not hurt beyond the very first moment of attachment. Getting someone to actually watch a feed and give specific feedback — not reassurance — is the most valuable intervention available.

If you are struggling: don't wait to see if it gets better. Contact your midwife, health visitor, or a lactation consultant this week. The National Breastfeeding Helpline is free: 0300 100 0212.

If you are formula feeding, one product decision covers the entire first year: first infant formula (stage 1), any brand. That's it.

Follow-on milk (stage 2), hungry baby milk, comfort milk, anti-colic milk, and toddler milk are all unnecessary products not recommended by NHS, UNICEF, or First Steps Nutrition Trust. They exist as commercial products partly because advertising regulations prevent manufacturers from marketing stage 1 formula — so they market follow-on ranges instead. Your baby does not benefit from switching to any of them.

At 12 months, babies can move to full-fat cow's milk. Until then, first infant formula is all they need.

Powdered infant formula is not sterile. It can harbour bacteria — principally Cronobacter sakazakii — that can cause serious illness in newborns. The preparation method matters specifically because of this.

NHS guidance is to use fresh boiled water that has been left to cool for no more than 30 minutes — it must still be at least 70°C when you add the powder. This temperature kills the bacteria reliably. Formula preparation machines (Perfect Prep, Baby Brezza) do not reach 70°C throughout the water and are not recommended by NHS guidelines.

Once made: feed immediately, or cool quickly and use within two hours. Discard any unfinished feed after a feed — do not keep and reheat.

Responsive feeding — responding to your baby's hunger cues rather than a clock — is recommended by NHS and UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative for both breastfed and formula-fed babies. A newborn's stomach is tiny and empties quickly; feeding on demand supports appropriate intake, helps establish milk supply (if breastfeeding), and is more comfortable for the baby than waiting until they are distressed.

Early hunger cues (before crying) include: rooting (turning head and opening mouth), sucking fists or fingers, increased alertness and movement. Crying is a late hunger cue — a baby who is already crying before a feed will be harder to latch and harder to feed calmly.

Most babies gradually settle into a feeding pattern by around 6–8 weeks — not a strict schedule, but a rhythm. That rhythm emerges from responsive feeding; it rarely works the other way round.