Feeding Care & Support
Feeding your baby can be an absolute minefield of information and mothers often find it a great source of worry and stress. Whilst breastfeeding is considered “natural” it can also be quite complex. Learning to feed your baby is a skill and will require practice and patience and a lot of self-belief and support – this can sometimes feel quite challenging in the beginning.
By having the right support, who understands what you need for you and your family can be invaluable to get you off to the best start!
As an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), I can offer you support on your feeding journey by providing you with accurate, evidence-based information and compassionate family-centred care, either before or/and after the birth of your baby. I will listen to what you are hoping to achieve in a non judgemental way. There is no one way to do this, and what is right for your own mother’s journey is individual to you and your family.
An antenatal feeding visit is a great way for you to prepare for feeding your newborn, It can help you to develop a better understanding of how breastfeeding works, understanding what normal breastfeeding behaviour looks like, we can discuss what is meant by mixed feeding, how it can be incorporated into your feeding journey, the possible impact of mixed feeding, and, if this is how you want to feed your baby, when it would be optimal to consider introducing it. We can discuss: bottles, dummies and nipple shields, safe bottle feeding, pumping and pumps and milk storage, AND what to expect in the first few weeks of life with your new baby.
I can help you to create a plan and we can discuss your personal feeding goals.
Once your baby is here you may find a feeding lactation appointment helpful if you are experiencing any issues with your feeding journey.
All feeding support appointments will include:
- A full pregnancy/birth and feeding history assessment, as it is important to consider if there are any factors that may have had an impact or contributed to the issues faced when feeding your baby. It can be a really good opportunity to tell your pregnancy and birth story.
- Next, we will explore your current feeding positions and unpick the information you have been given so far. I would like to observe a feed so I can offer you support with latching and attachment.
- As well as being an IBCLC I am also a tongue-tie practitioner and so am able to offer your baby an oral examination to assess the oral and motor functions of the mouth and tongue. If it is identified that there is an oral dysfunction then I can either support you with a referral to another trained health care professional body work (if this appropriate). If tongue tie is identified, is causing a restriction and division is recommended I am able to provide this service for you immediately or as a follow up appointment.
After the appointment you will receive:
- A copy of the full assessment from your appointment
- A feeding plan
- An ongoing plan for support, and
- Remote follow-up support for 4 weeks after the appointment.
Common reasons for feeding issues and why you might want to consider booking in a feeding support appointment:
- Sore, damaged nipples or painful latching
- Slow weight gain in your baby
- A baby who’s unable to latch or is struggling to latch
- Assessing the baby for tongue-tie
- Concerns that the baby is not getting enough milk or never seems satisfied
- Feeds which you feel are taking too long
- Breast refusal
- Oversupply and/or over-active let-down reflex- although I much prefer to think of this as an ample supply
- Flat or inverted nipples
- Premature babies or babies with special needs
- Boosting milk supply
- Weaning off of formula/ bringing a baby back to the breast
- Pumping and/or combination feeding
- Returning back to work
- Re-lactation or induced lactation
Whatever your feeding journey I can support you to help you navigate the next steps.
It might even just be that you need someone to confirm all is well and you are doing a great job.
Breastfeeding positions
Cross Cradle Breastfeeding Position
Laid Back Breastfeeding Position
Cross Koala Breastfeeding Position
Good Breastfeeding Latch
Feeding support services
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Lactation consultant feeding support sessions (with a qualified IBCLC)
COST = £350 for the initial appointment (normally lasts 2-3 hours)
This is a one-off feeding support assessment and review appointment. During this a full pregnancy/birth and feeding history will be taken and considerations will be made to see if any factors may have had an impact on the issues faced when feeding your baby.
There will be a comprehensive assessment of your feeding positions, support with latching and attachment. I can offer an oral examination to assess oral and motor function of the mouth and tongue. Referral to other trained health care professionals for further assessment and treatment should anything be identified following this.
You will receive a copy of the full assessment, along with a feeding plan, an ongoing plan for support and a remote follow-up check in.
If tongue tie is identified and division is recommended this can be performed on the same day or you can be referred into an NHS tongue tie clinic.
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Ad-hoc follow-up appointments
COST = £150 (normally 1.5 hours)
These appointments will be to review the feeding following on from your first initial assessment. I will look at how the feeding is going, reassess the positioning and attachment and will tweak or reevaluate the plans as needed.
You will receive a copy of the review, an updated feeding plan (if required), an ongoing plan for support and a remote follow-up check in.
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Feeding support visits block
COST = £750
This package includes a block of 5 visits to be used within 2 months of the first visit. The first visit will be as per the initial assessment detailed above and subsequent as per ad hoc visits.