Maternity Support Worker - Infant Feeding Team

As an Infant Feeding Maternity Support Worker, you will work as part of the Infant Feeding Team to support the implementation and ongoing development of infant feeding policy and practice across Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. You will contribute to achieving national and local breastfeeding targets, helping to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for babies and families. Working closely with women, families and multidisciplinary colleagues, you will provide specialist infant feeding support throughout the maternity pathway. This will include undertaking feeding observations, supporting effective breastfeeding techniques, promoting responsive infant feeding, and providing evidence-based information to help families make informed feeding decisions. You will support mothers and babies on antenatal and postnatal wards, offering guidance on breastfeeding management, infant feeding cues, normal newborn behaviour, milk production and safer sleep practices. Through practical support,
encouragement and timely intervention, you will help families overcome early feeding challenges and build confidence in caring for their babies. A key aspect of your role will be participation in the Trust's Readmission Prevention Programme. You will undertake post-discharge telephone follow-up calls with families, identify potential feeding concerns at an early stage, and ensure appropriate support, advice or referrals are arranged when required. You will also contribute to antenatal infant feeding education by supporting and co-facilitating workshops and information sessions. Working alongside the wider Infant Feeding Team, you will help ensure families receive consistent, evidence-based advice throughout their maternity journey. As a Baby Friendly Champion, you will actively promote UNICEF UK Baby Friendly standards across maternity services, supporting colleagues to embed best practice and helping to create a culture where breastfeeding and responsive infant feeding are valued,
protected and supported. In addition, you will maintain accurate clinical records, collect and report infant feeding data, contribute to audits and quality improvement projects, and support the ongoing development of infant feeding services across the Trust. This role offers an excellent opportunity for an experienced Maternity Support Worker with a passion for infant feeding to further develop specialist knowledge and skills, contribute to service innovation, and play a vital role in improving the health and wellbeing of mothers, babies and families across Somerset.