At around 4-7 months baby’s first tooth should appear. A baby who is attached well at the breast will be unable to bite down when they begin teething. The nipple is positioned far back into his or her mouth and the tongue will cover the lower gum. Ensuring baby is well attached is key.
As babies develop they become more inquisitive:
- Minimize distractions by dimming lights, turning off the TV or playing soothing music
- Try breastfeeding while walking or rocking, or find a quiet place.
Try to ignore other people’s opinions – all that matters is breastfeeding baby for as long as you can to give them the best start.
Reasons to breastfeed for baby
- Immune system – protects against infection and inflammation
- Bladder – protects against urinary infections
- Tummy – protects against serious infections an tummy bugs
- Lungs – less likely to be hospitalised with asthma when they are older
- Teeth – less likely to have tooth decay when they are older
- Ears – protects against ear infections
- Healthy weight – protects against diabetes when they are older.
What to wear when breastfeeding
- You don’t really need to buy anything to breastfeed, however, special nursing bras and ordinary items of clothing can make breastfeeding extra comfortable and easy when on the go.
- A good fitting breastfeeding bra will help to support your breasts and ensure easier access when feeding.
- Getting a new bra.
- Bra should never be so tight that it presses or squeezes breasts
- Under-wired bras are not advised due to the increased chance of blocking ducts and causing pain and inflammation
- Things to look out for in a nursing bra
- Four hook-and-eye fastenings, rather than the normal one or two
- Wider shoulder straps with a broad back and sides
- Cups that you can open and close with one hand
- It’s a good idea to be measured so that you know your bra fits properly
Days out and breastfeeding
Building Confidence
- The more you breastfeed when out and about, the more confident you’ll get
Planning to feed when out and about
- Slings and carriers are a great help for many mums, allowing them to carry their babies close to their bodies.
- This keeps their hands free and makes breastfeeding almost invisible.
- A loose top can enable feeding to be discreet, or a shawl or muslin draped over mum’s shoulder can ensure privacy.
- Attending a local breastfeeding group can be helpful to start feeding out and about as women are surrounded by like-minded mums and will receive support and advice.
Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme
- Breastfeeding friendly welcome schemes are in place throughout Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- The scheme sees stickers displayed to welcome women to breastfeed within premises and staff receiving awareness training.
- Many women report that these schemes helped them cross the threshold from home to out and about and allowed them to see and feel that their community would support their decision to breastfeed their baby.
Legal right to breastfeed
- It is women’s legal right to breastfeed wherever and whenever.
- Protected by the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005
- It is an offence to stop someone in a public place from feeding their child, if under two, with milk. The legislation allows for fines for preventing breastfeeding in public places.
Why Should I Breastfeed Past 6 Months?
What are the advantages for mum?
- Ongoing breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer
- Breastfeeding can help women lose weight by burning up to 500 calories a day.
- Breast milk is safely available at the right temperature whenever and wherever your baby is ready for a feed, making it really convenient.
- Breast milk is, of course, absolutely free and will save you a fortune because it never runs out. As your baby feeds, your body is busy making more milk.
What are the advantages for baby?
- Breast milk changes to meet your baby’s needs as they develop, and can respond to their surroundings to protect them from germs and bugs.
- Beyond the early years, breast milk also improves brain development and your baby’s future health by reducing their chances of conditions such as asthma, diabetes and obesity.
How Can I Prepare for Going Back to Work?
Some women give up on breastfeeding once they return to work,but this doesn’t have to happen.
Employers have a legal duty to support working, breastfeeding mums.
There are laws in place to protect breastfeeding working mums and many employers have special policies to make breastfeeding and expressing in the workplace as easy and as comfortable as possible.
To make sure your employer is ready to support you, you must write to them and let them know that you want to continue breastfeeding when you return to work -the earlier you let them know the better. Your employer will have to carry out a risk assessment to make sure it’s safe for you to breastfeed or express milk at work. Ideally, you should have access to:
- A clean, warm room with a low, comfortable chair. If you can’t lock the door, you should be able to put a sign on it to make sure nobody interrupts you. The toilet isn’t good enough!
- A plug socket point in case you are using an electric breast pump
- Nearby hand washing facilities
- A hygienic area where you can clean your pump and store your equipment
- A fridge for storing milk.
Preparing to Express Breast Milk at Work
- Speak to your childminder or nursery so they know how to store and use your milk.
- Have a chat with your employer -you may need more flexible working hours and breaks to fit with your baby’s feeding patterns.
- Find out more about the protection the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 gives you as an employee by following the link below.
Breast Milk Storage and Bottle Hygiene
Just like normal milk, breast milk must be stored carefully to stop it going sour.
Follow these tips to make sure none of your milk goes to waste.
Getting ready to express
- Wash your hands
- Make sure whatever you’re collecting your milk in is very clean and dry (you don’t need to sterilise it though -this is new advice in Scotland)
- Use a different container with a lid to store your milk. Again, check it’s clean and dry
Storage
- Label storage containers with the time and date to make sure you don’t use any spoiled milk
- Store your milk in the fridge or freezer as soon as possible
- Store at the back of the fridge and not in the door, away from meat products, eggs and uncooked food
Breast Milk Storage and Bottle Hygiene
Storage Times and Temperatures
- You can store your breast milk for up to 3 days in a fridge running below 10ºC
- Breast milk stored in a fridge running under 4ºC can be stored between 4 and 8 days
- Freeze your milk if you won’t be using it in time
- Keep an eye on the temperature of your fridge -opening the door frequently can make it rise. If there’s no built in thermometer, borrow or buy a fridge thermometer available from kitchenware stores
- Use a cool bag or box with frozen ice packs to transport milk.
Using Stored Breast Milk
- Defrost frozen milk in the fridge, but if you need it quickly it is safe to defrost under cool, then warm (not hot) running water.
- Dry the outside of the container with a clean towel or kitchen roll before use
- Use stored breast milk straight from the fridge
- To avoid overheating never use a microwave, always heat in warm water
- Use defrosted breast milk immediately -throw away anything unused
- If it smells sour, it has spoiled. Don’t use it!
- When stored the cream and milk may separate out. This doesn’t mean it’s spoiled -just gently mix it before use
- Use a very clean bottle, cup or syringe to feed your baby. There’s no need to sterilise. Just clean everything thoroughly in hot, soapy water and completely air dry, checking there’s no dried in milk or soap left behind.
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood glucose (sugar) level to become too high.
There are two main types of diabetes – type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.
Diabetic Retinopathy Screening
Everyone with diabetes runs the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a condition that may cause blindness or serious damage to eyesight.
As part of a national screening programme, anyone with diabetes over the age of 12 years is invited to have their eyes checked.
Visit NHSinform Website for more information about the screening programme.
To change your appointment, please phone 0141 277 7417 and one of our staff will be on hand to offer you a more convenient appointment time.
The day surgery unit provides a variety of procedures that can be accommodated as a day case (the patient does not have to be admitted to the hospital overnight).
These procedures may involve local anaesthetic, general anaesthetic or sedation.
A bone marrow transplant involves taking healthy stem cells from the bone marrow of one person and transferring them to the bone marrow of another person.
A bone marrow transplant has five stages:
- Physical examination: This is to assess your general level of health
- Harvesting: The process of obtaining stem cells to be used in the transplant
- Conditioning: Preparing your body for the transplant
- Transplanting the stem cells
- Recovery period: During which you’ll be monitored for any complications or side effects.
Patients can be in the hospital for approximately 6-8 weeks, on occasions longer. Patients are kept in isolation during this period to minimise risk of infection. This is a national service for all donor transplants (siblings and volunteer unrelated donors).
More information is available at:
This is the room in which a woman gives birth. It is specifically equipped to allow midwives to support the mother through the birthing process and differs from standard examination rooms.
The Community Maternity Unit has a birthing suite that is equipped with a birthing pool and partners/family can join the woman in the suite.
The information provided here is intended to help you find out what to expect during this difficult time, as well as providing information about some of the practical arrangements you will need to consider.
Due to the pandemic, some of the usual arrangements may have changed, however, support is still available.
Bereavement Support
Macmillan Information and NHS Bereavement Centre
The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre – Support from Beatson Cancer Charity
We can provide support for adults who have lost a loved one to cancer who was treated at the at the West of Scotland Beatson Cancer Centre or other West of Scotland hospital. We can provide support at any point following a death. We provide one to one support by telephone, run an in person group support programme, and can provide information and signposting.
NHSGGC Bereavement Support for Parents, Siblings and Staff
The Family Bereavement Support Team is here for those who have experienced loss at the children’s and maternity hospitals in Glasgow.
Based in the comforting surroundings of Crossbasket House, family bereavement practitioners Kristin, Lyn and Fiona offer structured support sessions for families facing the unimaginable grief of losing a child.
Crossbasket House is part of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, which has funded bereavement support at the hospital since 2018. The Charity is here for every step of a family’s journey through the hospital, including times of loss.
Whether face-to-face in the welcoming environment of Crossbasket House, by phone or online, the team support parents, families and siblings in individual or group sessions as they navigate their most difficult days.
What can happen when someone is dying
This leaflet will guide you through what to expect and what can happen when someone is at the end of their life.
What can happen when someone is dying (Latest English language version)
Alternative language versions (please note these are the previous version of the booklet)
What can happen when someone is dying (Arabic)
What can happen when someone is dying (Mandarin)
What can happen when someone is dying (Polish)
What can happen when someone is dying (Punjabi)
What can happen when someone is dying (Urdu)
When Someone Has Died – information for you
When someone close to you dies, you may be unsure what to do. This leaflet will help you understand:
- What you need to do
- How you may feel.
NHSGGC Spiritual Care and the Chaplaincy Service
An NHS Healthcare Chaplain is always on-call and ward staff can arrange for them to be paged.
Other Local and National Services and Resources
Death Certification
Arrangements for Death Certification may have changed due to Covid-19. Local Authority websites should have the latest information from your area.
Disability information Scotland
Can offer advice on installing disability equipment, information on benefits and other services.
EQUIPU
EQUIPU is a service responsible for providing, delivering and installing a range of disability equipment supplied by health and social work services to disabled people living at home.
For further information or to arrange uplift contact:
Telephone. 0141 287 6300
Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief
Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief is working to make Scotland a place where there is more openness about death, dying and bereavement so that:
- People are aware of ways to live with death, dying and bereavement
- People feel better equipped to support each other through the difficult times that can come with death, dying and bereavement.
LifeLink
Lifelink offers a range of stress services for adults and young people in communities and schools across Glasgow City.
Living Life
Living Life is a free telephone service available to anyone over the age of 16 who is suffering from low mood, mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety.
NHS Inform
NHS Inform Bereavement area can help you find answers to your questions and guide you through the early days of your bereavement. It can also help you understand more of the experience of loss in the days that lie ahead.
Renfrewshire Bereavement Network
New grief and bereavement service for families in Renfrewshire. Visit the website for more information:
Richmond’s Hope – service to help bereaved children in Glasgow
Other Useful Websites
Quit Your Way stop smoking services offer free information, advice and support, including nicotine replacement therapy, to those who want to stop smoking.
To find out more about what our services can offer call the Quit Your Way service on 0800 916 8858 or visit:
If you have a fracture (broken bone) there are a number of ways your injury may be treated.
Virtual Fracture Clinic
You may initially be referred to a Virtual Fracture Clinic. This is a virtual clinic and patients do not need to physically attend.
An orthopaedic consultant and nurse will look at your notes and x-ray and contact you with advice. They may advise you to physically attend a fracture clinic or you will be given advice over the phone and discharged with the option to call if you need further advice or an appointment.
Following assessment you may be sent a letter and a leaflet with advice on your specific fracture.
Fracture Clinic
If you are given an appointment to attend a fracture clinic, an orthopaedic doctor will look at your notes, x-rays and talk to you about your injury. The clinics can be busy but the nurses will keep you up to date if waiting times are longer than expected.
It is helpful if you have something to eat before you come and take your normal medicines. It is also helpful if you bring a list of any medication you are currently taking.
Nurse Led Clinic
After an injury or in some cases after an operation you may be asked to attend to one of our nurse led clinics. These clinics are run by our specialist nurses who are very experienced and have had training in orthopaedic injuries and operations. If a doctor is needed the nurse can contact one to see you.
Adult Dermatology within Greater Glasgow and Clyde has a number of hospital departments including:
- Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (Area J, Second Floor)
- New Victoria Hospital (Clinic G, First Floor)
- Glasgow Royal Infirmary (Walton Building, Link Corridor)
- Stobhill Hospital (Clinic J, Second Floor)
- Royal Alexandra Hospital (First Floor)
- Inverclyde Royal Hospital
- Vale of Leven Hospital
- West Glasgow ACH / Yorkhill (First Floor)
Most dermatological conditions can be managed by your GP in Primary Care, but the main conditions which we manage in hospital dermatology include more severe variants of inflammatory skin diseases such as Psoriasis and Eczema, Acne and also skin cancers, such as Melanoma, Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
We offer different treatments including creams and ointments, oral /injection treatments, ultraviolet phototherapy and skin surgery.
The following websites contain some useful dermatology online patient links and self-help articles.
When attending a Hospital Out Patient Clinic Appointment, please check the date and time on your letter or text message and arrive on time allowing for time to park as on site car-parking can be difficult or some distance away. You may consider attending by alternative means such as public transport or being dropped-off.
Most dermatology clinic appointments are around 10 to 15 minutes. The time slot allocated is matched to the specific dermatology referral query from your GP, so other unrelated conditions may not be assessed, or you may be asked to discuss these with your GP.
Senior Doctors, as listed on your appointment letter, supervise a whole team of specialist trainees and nurses so it may not always be necessary for you to see the named Consultant.
Dermatology can now use Virtual Consultations including photo images and video. You may be offered a Virtual or Digital Assessment and details on these services can be found here:
You will be treated in a cardiology department if you have a medical condition which affects your heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular system).
Cardiologists are doctors who diagnose, assess and treat patients with diseases and defects of the heart and blood vessels.
Services
