Infant Feeding Practitioner in Warwick inWarwick PUBLISHED WED 11 JUN 2025 Jump to job information section

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 Midwife to join our friendly and innovative Infant Feeding team. We are looking for an experienced, passionate and enthusiastic individual to assist with the maintenance of the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) Stage 3 Accreditation, thereby ensuring the infant feeding services within the SWFT are of the highest standard possible. The post holder will work closely with the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator, midwifery and neonatal teams as well as external agencies.

The role of the Infant Feeding Midwife is multifaceted. It involves providing expert clinical infant feeding support to women and babies who experience challenges in their feeding journey within the Maternity Unit, the Children's Ward and the Community and triaging referrals to the specialist Feeding and Tongue Tie Clinics.

In addition the role involves supporting the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator in the delivery of multidisciplinary teaching and audit of Infant Feeding services in order to maintain the UNICEF BFI Stage 3 accreditation.

SWFT run a very successful Tongue Tie Service by referral, triaged by the Infant Feeding Team. It would therefore be desirable, but not essential, for any candidate to have a current, appropriate Tongue Tie Qualification

The Infant Feeding Midwife will promote the uptake and duration of breastfeeding in accordance with Unicef Baby Friendly (BFI) Initiative Standards by ensuring the multidisciplinary team is appropriately educated and mothers/parents are well informed and have access to skilled feeding support whenever they need it.

The role involves working autonomously to maintain the Standards of the Unicef Baby Friendly Stage 3 Accreditation which were achieved in early 2025 . You will work alongside the Infant Feeding Coordinator to develop a strategy to ensure the BFI standards are sustainable into the future and then to apply for the Unicef BFI Gold Award . The post holder will have in depth knowledge and understanding of the Unicef Baby Friendly Standards for Maternity Services and the Audit process.

You will be an experienced, competent practitioner who will take responsibility for ensuring the multi-professional team provide high quality evidenced based infant feeding support to pregnant women/individuals, mothers/parents and their babies. The post holder will provide visible support to staff and parents in the clinical areas to ensure the successful initiation and continuation of relationship building and breastfeeding.

Under the direction of the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator the post holder will run a regular clinic to assess, plan and implement specialist interventions for families experiencing urgent, complex or challenging infant feeding issues.

About us

Key Result Areas:

CLINICAL RESPONSBILITIES

To:

Monitor and maintain standards of care in accordance with the Trusts policies, Guidelines, Protocols and Professional Regulations

Actively participate in the promotion of breastfeeding and increasing the initiation and maintenance of breast feeding

Provide infant feeding support in line with the BFI Standards and SWFT Infant Feeding Policy

Obtain skills and knowledge to advise and support midwives, neonatal nurses , nursery nurses, clinical support workers and volunteers with infant feeding in line with the BFI Standards

Ensure a high level of clinical visibility in the clinical areas, working alongside staff and supporting women

Ensure all Maternity staff are competent in supporting mothers/parents with positioning and attachment of the baby at the breast and assessing and evaluating the effectiveness of infant feeding

Have the skill to recognise feeding complications and deal with clinical problems in a safe and appropriate manner including making appropriate feeding plans

Provide support to women with complex feeding difficulties in a clinic setting (following appropriate training)

Liaise with and advise members of the multidisciplinary team on the individual needs of mothers in relation to infant feeding and ensure that each mother has access to appropriate services

Make direct referrals to the Infant Feeding Coordinator, consultant obstetrician, paediatrician, clinical psychology department as determined by the health needs of the mother and baby

Give information on accessing breastfeeding supporters/support groups when appropriate

Maintain accurate and contemporaneous clinical records using computer based clinical information system when appropriate

Identify and report any risk management issues, in accordance with trust procedures

Ensure timely referral of babies to the Tongue Tie clinic where tongue immobility is suspected to be contributing to feeding problems

Support the Tongue Tie Practitioners with the provision of the Frenulotomy service

MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Infant Feeding practitioner will:

Ensure that consistent care is provided throughout the maternity service in line with the BFI standards

Contribute to the creating and updating of evidenced based guidelines to support clinical practice and the BFI Standards

Manage the BFI Audit programme, collate the information obtained and submit it to Unicef

conduct Unicef BFI Audits of staff, mothers/parents, supplementation rates and the environment in all areas of the Maternity Service and ensure findings are discussed with the Infant Feeding Coordinator

Assist the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator in making Action Plans to achieve any BFI Standards which Audits indicate arent being met

Take responsibility for ensuring effective communication about relationship building and infant feeding with pregnant women/individuals and parents through approved social media platforms, including live video sessions, the Maternity Electronic Healthcare Record and visual displays in the Maternity Unit

Assist the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator with ordering, distributing and monitoring equipment and resources for infant feeding purposes

Ensure the safe working order of infant feeding equipment and teach and advise staff and families how to use equipment safely and appropriately following local guidelines and infection control policies

Arrange the recruitment and training for the Volunteer Infant Feeding Supporter programme

Liaise with Maternity staff to advise on changes to care plans

Provide regular feedback to staff on an individual basis with regards to compliance with BFI Standards through Practical Skills Reviews

Manage complaints sensitively and in accordance with Trust policy, referring to the Infant Feeding Coordinator and Maternity Service managers when appropriate.

Attend and contribute to BFI project meetings

Establish good communication/working relationships with multi-disciplinary agencies both internal and external to the department with the aim of providing a seamless service for women and their families

EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Infant Feeding practitioner will:

Participate in regular reviews of antenatal classes, ensuring they meet the needs of the women, partners and families attending and are consistent with the Baby Friendly Initiative Standards

Assist the Infant Feeding Co-ordinator with the review of infant feeding information available for staff and parents, ensuring all literature is based on the BFI standards and is available in languages appropriate to the local population

Take responsibility for maintaining and developing clinical skills and practices which enhance the role of the midwife and improve the care to the mother

Develop, deliver and monitor mandatory training programs for all staff involved with infant feeding

Fulfil the role of mentor to colleagues and student midwives by teaching, assessing and evaluating their skills and knowledge in relation to infant feeding

Advise and support clinical support workers in assisting mothers/individuals with their chosen method of feeding their babies, in accordance with the BFI standards

Advise and support the clinical support workers to demonstrate the principles of sterilisation, expressing breastmilk and safe preparation of formula milk

Apply evidence -based knowledge to practice

Update their own knowledge by continuing education and through personal and professional development