AS a community pharmacist you play a significant role in infant care, often acting as the first port of call for identifying and managing newborn feeding issues like colic, constipation and reflux without the need for a referral. This means you frequently constitute the first face-to-face interaction parents have with a healthcare professional when seeking advice.

At Nutricia Early Life Nutrition we are dedicated to helping healthcare professionals support parents during the first 1,000 days and beyond. To showcase some of the educational and scientific materials available to you on the frontline of care for parents, we have collated a list of five key resources that relate specifically to infant nutrition.

From what Over the Counter (OTC) medication you’re able to provide pregnant mums to advice on which foods are considered unsafe during pregnancy, this detailed evidence-based guide provides you with a myriad of important information on maternal nutrition.

The guide also provides information on how much water a pregnant woman should drink and the best supplements tailored specifically for pregnancy. In addition to running through important topics around maternal nutrition, this guide also includes a helpful checklist to ensure the essential topics of pregnancy and breastfeeding are covered off alongside the NHS Choices guidelines.

Pregnancy often leads to many questions from mums and their partners, and it can be difficult to remember all the areas to address during an interaction, but with this helpful guide you can walk parents through each step with ease. READ MORE.

A clear and practical handout that you can give directly to mothers, The Power of Maternal Nutrition offers sound and actionable advice that covers the three golden rules for food and drink in pregnancy, the importance and effect of a variety of nutritional supplements, a visual guide to a healthy, balanced diet, and invaluable guidelines to inform mothers’ diets when breastfeeding. READ MORE.

We have a number of useful e-modules designed to support your knowledge in infant nutrition and common feeding problems, as well as developing conversational skills to empower your dialogue with parents. There are seven in total which can be completed at any time and anywhere. The modules cover Infant reflux and regurgitation, Breastfeeding and formula feeding, Colic, Constipation, Cows’ milk allergy in infants, Lactose Intolerance and Weaning. Each is CPD accredited and upon completion we issue certificates in order for you to update your records. READ MORE.

In this guide we highlight the crucial role nutrition plays in the management of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in infants. Approximately 30%¹ of infants under 12 months old experience regurgitation and it can be an incredibly stressful time for parents of babies suffering from FGIDs. From highlighting the recommended NICE guidance on regurgitation to showcasing how to support parents when their child is suffering from colic, you will find this practical guide useful when trying to manage infant feeding problems. READ MORE.

This is a clear, concise factsheet designed specifically to aid you in helping parents understand the benefits of vitamin D — and working towards addressing the fact that the average toddler is receiving only 27% of their reference nutrient intake of vitamin D from food. Aside from getting vitamin D from the most obvious source — i.e. sunlight — this resource also outlines the foods and drinks rich in vitamin D, as well as laying out a framework for dietary supplements. READ MORE.

All of the scientific-based materials above are designed to help healthcare professionals support parents during the first 1,000 days, but if you still need assistance, at Nutricia Early Life Nutrition we have two carelines with two dedicated phone numbers; one for your patients to call directly, and the other specifically for healthcare professionals. The Nutricia Early Life Nutrition healthcare professional helpline is staffed by people who understand what it’s like to be on the frontline of healthcare. Our team has over a hundred and fifty years’ cumulative experience, including hands-on experience in midwifery, as well as paediatric and neonatal nursing.

Our free healthcare professional helpline is open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. Just phone 0800 996 1234 for expert advice on infant feeding and nutrition, including common infant feeding problems such as cows’ milk allergy, colic, constipation and reflux.