Our team at Great Western Hospital are committed to ensuring that all mothers are supported to feed their babies by their chosen method, in line with the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Best Practice Standards.

While we recognise that breastfeeding is the normal and healthy way for babies to feed, and we are committed to helping mothers and babies establish breastfeeding, all women are given the opportunity to discuss feeding with a health professional, to ensure they receive unbiased, evidence-based information.

Staff are dedicated to supporting mothers and babies whichever way they choose to feed, and will ensure that parents who choose to bottle feed are shown how to do so safely.

Support and resources for infant feeding in Bath & NE Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire

Please see the Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Maternity Voices Partnership Plus website: Infant Feeding Padlet BSW MVP.

Breast feeding

We provide positive support and encouragement for mothers who would like to breastfeed, and we are committed to UNICEF's (United Nations Children's Fund) Baby Friendly Initiative to support breastfeeding.

The UNICEF/Baby Friendly standards are a proven way of increasing breastfeeding rates.

Baby Friendly supports both health professionals and mothers to continue their chosen method of feeding for as long as they wish.

Further information

Breastfeeding Network - Helplines

This registered charity provides breastfeeding support via a phone helpline.

Services are also provided for speakers of Welsh, Polish, Bengali and Sylheti.

Breastfeeding Network - Helplines website

Breastfeeding support groups in the Swindon area

A Google Map showing locations of Breastmates and Mum2Mum groups in Swindon and Wiltshire.

Click on the map for details about meeting days and times, and contact information.

Breastfeeding support groups in the Swindon area map

Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme

Breastfeeding Welcome encourages cafes, restaurants and other venues to welcome breastfeeding mothers by signing up to the scheme, and displaying a pink and white sticker (pictured below, right).

If you're out and about with your baby, and you need to stop and breastfeed, then it's not always easy to find somewhere convenient.

To make it even easier to plan your day, you can look up breastfeeding welcome venues in your area, or somewhere you're just visiting, by postcode or place.

The sticker is a clear message: 'You are welcome to breastfeed your baby here'.

Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme website

Guide to Formula Feeding

If you've chosen to bottle-feed your baby, then please take a few minutes to watch our short video containing useful advice on making up the bottle and then feeding your baby.

Guide to Formula Feeding

Infant Feeding Padlet BSW MVP

Support and resources for infant feeding in Bath & NE Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire area.

Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) Maternity Voices Partnership Plus website: Infant Feeding Padlet BSW MVP

NHS website: Why breastfeed?

As with all other health and medical advice, the NHS website provides plenty of useful information on breastfeeding.

NHS website: Why breastfeed?

Swindon Breastmates

Swindon Breastmates is a network of free local breastfeeding support groups.

They are informal drop-in groups, run by mums who are not only trained in breastfeeding support, but who have breastfed, or in most cases who still are breastfeeding, their own children.

Swindon Breastmates Facebook page

Mum2Mum Breastfeeding Groups - North Wiltshire

Meet other mums with experience who are trained to provide support. Open to new and expectant mums. 

Mum2Mum

Start4Life: guide to bottle feeding

This is a government/NHS initiative built on the latest research by the World Health Organization.

It is fully aligned with NICE guidelines and UNICEF's Baby Friendly Initiative (see above).It provides "healthy tips and advice for pregnant women, new mums, dads-to-be, friends and family".

Start4Life: guide to bottle feeding booklet

Essential Guide to Feeding & Caring For Your Baby in Wiltshire

A Wiltshire Council/NHS Wiltshire booklet produced as part of the Real Baby Milk project.

This contains general advice for new parents, detailed information about breastfeeding, and a directory of support groups in Wiltshire.

Essential Guide to Feeding & Caring For Your Baby in Wiltshire booklet