OBS Recommended Resources for Health Professionals
In addition to our Recommended Resources for Parents, we recommend these resources for health professionals.
General resources
The Baby Friendly Initiative is transforming healthcare for babies, their mothers and families in the UK, as part of a wider global partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef. “We enable public services to better support families with feeding and developing close, loving relationships, ensuring that all babies get the best possible start in life”. Their annual conference is one of the biggest breastfeeding conferences in Europe.
Hospital Infant Feeding Network (HIFN)
A network of health professionals interested in supporting and facilitating breastfeeding in a hospital setting in the UK.
GP Infant Feeding Network (GPIFN)
A national network of primary care professionals and supportive colleagues advocating for improvements in infant feeding practice. Useful section on prescribing for lactating women.
An independent public health nutrition charity that provides information and resources to support eating well from pre-conception to five years. Excellent free resources for parents on infant milks in the UK, and more.
Baby Sleep Information Source (Basis) Resources for Practitioners
A project of the Durham Infancy and Sleep Centre (DISC), in the Department of Anthropology at Durham University, UK that provides research and resources about biologically normal infant sleep to parents and to professionals in the UK.
Other Specific Resources
Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Protocol #36 - The Mastitis Spectrum (Revised 2022)
HIFN's guide to Lactation in the LGBTQ+ community
LGBT Foundation's Report into Trans + Non Binary Experiences of Maternity Services (2022)
Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Protocol #33 - LGBTQ+ Patients (2020)
The Association for Breastfeeding Mothers page on supporting LGBTQ families with breastfeeding
The Association for Breastfeeding Mothers page on Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy, a guide for GPs.
Dr Aimee Grant - Autistic experiences of pregnancy, birth and infant feeding
GP Infant Feeding Network page on Maternal Mental Health
The Royal College of GP's Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit
Covid-19 Specific Resources
HIFN's Factsheet on the use of Covid-19 vaccinations in pregnancy and breastfeeding
Baby Friendly UK's Covid-19 resources and guidance
GPIFN's resources for Covid-19, Vaccination & Infant Feeding
The Breastfeeding Network's Drugs in Breastmilk Information Service's Statement on Covid-19 Vaccines while breastfeeding
RCOG's pages on Coronavirus infection and pregnancy and COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy and breastfeeding
RCM's page on Covid Vaccine Facts, Guidance for Pregnant Women
Oxford University Hospitals Trust information about maternity care during the pandemic
Families’ experiences of breastfeeding support during COVID-19 by researchers from Swansea University, Imperial College and the Human Milk Foundation with the collaboration of the Breastfeeding Network
The British Association of Perinatal Medicine's Perinatal Covid-19 Resources
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Last updated January 2023
