The Breastfeeding Medicine Clinic

This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week 💜

"Evidence suggests that autistic people may experience aspects of breastfeeding differently to non-autistic people" - National Autistic Society

If you're a health professional or peer supporter, you may want to check out our post on supporting autistic women with their breastfeeding goals.

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/ways-to-support-autistic-breastfeeding-women/

For more information on autism and breastfeeding, go to: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/physical-health/breastfeeding

www.neurodiversityweek.com

Happy IBCLC Day!

Going into another year of being an IBCLC, I'm still super proud to be one. It's such a privilege to be part of the network of IBCLCs in the UK and across the world. And I absolutely love being part of the feeding journeys of the families that I support.

It takes a lot of work to be able to call yourself an IBCLC...

First you need:
* 1000 hours of breastfeeding support experience
* 95 hours of lactation specific education
* Be a registered health professional OR complete 14 health science courses
Then, you need to sit and pass a 4 hour exam.

And the hard work doesn't stop there... IBCLCs are also required to undertake 75 hours of continuing education in order to recertify every 5 years.

If becoming an IBCLC is something you are interested in, visit www iblce.org for more information. I also offer 1:1 phone/video call sessions (£20) where I can talk you through my experience of becoming an IBCLC and answer any questions you may have. Please get in touch for more information or to book a session.

Where you can get breastfeeding support this festive period. If you’re struggling, please reach out to them for help.

There’s an article online at the moment that is promoting the idea of the ‘best’ formula milk for your baby. It’s basically an advertising piece and includes some of the most expensive formulas suggesting they are better for your baby.

I’m not going to link to it (and am 😵‍💫 it’s been published under advertising laws) but wanted to remind anyone who is worried that they can’t afford the ‘best’ formula for their baby or is feeling pressure to afford it, that there’s simply no evidence that more expensive milks are better for your baby.

All infant formulas suitable from 0 - 12 months are nutritionally equivalent and there’s no evidence that any provide better nutrition or outcomes compared to the others. They are all regulated to have very similar ingredients and the ones on sale for £9 (or whatever the lowest price is this week) will support your baby in the same way that the ones double the price will.

When you look at the ingredients list of different priced formulas they are very similar. The companies openly admit in published research to targeting different worries in their advertising of their products ie making parents think that some milks are more scientific and developed than others even though they know that this isn’t true.

Please buy whatever milk suits your budget, is most most easily available or even suits your kitchen colour scheme - which is more relevant than any advertising claims are!

It’s fantastic to see role models normalising breastfeeding beyond infancy and in pregnancy. This is anthropologically NORMAL but our W.E.I.R.D. society has forgotten (aided from aggressive formula company’s marketing) what our species has always done.

Did you know that mammals feed their babies until their mature teeth come through? For humans that is equivalent to age 5 - 7 years! This is what normal looks like breastfeeding 🤱🏾

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/us-celebrity-news/pregnant-rihanna-breastfeeds-son-sizzling-30666275?fbclid=IwAR2s5SMd88RLhWC45esmUcuMxG5kb0Yk-osZ39lmKkOqMlzNsReDYOeLzUw_aem_AfHllmXBTPKXMgPv9KV7X1pFkY8mPlMWQ9mUCfWXg9GOtV8vlWK-vDnPrDcIItAGIGU

Pregnant Rihanna breastfeeds son in new sizzling shoot for maternity underwear Pregnant Rihanna has shown off her blossoming baby bump while breastfeeding her 15-month-old son, RZA, in new a sizzling new shoot for Savage X Fenty's new maternity range

***NEXT SESSION 16TH AUGUST AT 7.OOPM***

Free, online antenatal infant feeding webinar run by Kim, Infant Feeding Practitioner and IBCLC - 1.5 hours with time to ask any questions you have.

For all families across Bristol, South Glos, North Somerset and Gloucestershire who are waiting for a little one to arrive!

Book here: https://families.barnardos.org.uk/services/growing-together

Keep your children rear facing until at least age 4 (but ideally to age 6)!

It drastically reduces their risk of permanent brain injury, spinal injury or death when in a car crash.

❓ Why choose rear facing? ❓

Because in a crash a forward facing car seat can put 180-200kg of force on your child's delicate neck head and spine. This amount of pressure and force on a child's neck is extremely dangerous and puts them at huge risk of internal decapitation (spinal cord snapping) which can be life threatening.

Have you already turned your little one forward facing and have now learned it’s much much safer to be rear facing? Do not worry! We have successfully turned lots of 1, 2, 3 and even 4 year olds back rear facing even if they have been forward facing for years!

Knowledge is key, acting on that knowledge makes you powerful.

YOU as a parent, are the advocate for your child’s safety. They cannot dictate what is safest for them at such a young age, you need to make the correct and safest decision.

SAFE IN THEIR SEAT
UK BASED CAR SEAT SPECIALIST & RETAILER 🇬🇧

1:1 Appointments available throughout the week https://families.barnardos.org.uk/services/infant-feeding

**Spaces still available for Growing Together online feeding course on Saturday!**

This is a totally free, half day course run by the fabulous Kim IBCLC. Partners or other supporters very welcome.

To book your spot click here: https://families.barnardos.org.uk/services/growing-together

I was sitting drawing with my 6 year old yesterday.
He got really frustrated that his drawing hadn't turned out how he wanted.
I must confess, I wasn't fully focused, I was doing some work too. I told him he didn't need to feel sad, it was ok, I  really liked his drawing, he'd tried hard and that was what mattered.

Well this made the tears fall. It WASN'T what mattered!
He wanted it to be how he wanted, and it wasn't.  And even worse, it was like that even though he'd tried hard. He wanted to like his drawing, it didn't matter if I liked it.
It wasn't fair.

In saying what I thought would help, I'd actually completely missed the point and belittled his feelings along the way.

This can be what happens with breastfeeding too, when it ends before we were ready, or we have a traumatic experience. People try to make us feel better, tell us that we tried hard, that we did X long and that's great, that we should be proud of what we have done.
And yes, it IS great and we may well be proud, but that often doesn't make us feel better.

What we might need, is for someone to say that it's not fair, they know it's not what we wanted, and that it's ok to feel sad about it.
Because it is. It's really f*cking sad when we don't reach our feeding goals.

So if you need someone to tell you it's
s**t, this is me telling you that it's s**t. It really isn't fair. And I'm so sorry.

Happy Mothers Day to all!

We need your help! Over half of the parents families in our survey said they weren’t given advice on how to co-sleep more safely by a healthcare professional. Please help us get this vital, life-saving information out. Tag any new / expectant parents you know, and share this post far and wide!
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Checklist: Preparing your bed to co-sleep more safely
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🔴 Keep pillows & adult bedding away from baby
🟠 Mattress should be firm & flat
🟡 Sleep baby on their back
🟢 Do not let additional children / pets in
🔵 Ensure baby can’t get trapped, wedged or fall out
🟣 Never leave your baby unattended

Reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), or cot death, is rare. Find out how you can reduce the risk even further.

✨TOP TIPS for supporting partners with breastfed babies ✨
#2. Taking on the ‘late shift’ or the ‘early shift’ as often as you can
Coming in next was this one and how it looked varied for each family, but the gist of the idea was that dad/ partner/ family take on either a ‘late shift’ in the evening to give mum/ parent a solid block of sleep first up or the ‘early shift’ where they would take baby after their wake-up feed in the morning and keep them occupied to allow mum some solid sleep.

With the late shift, typically, people said they fed baby until satisfied and then handed them over to whoever was on duty (awake / asleep) and that person would cuddle, babywear, entertain until baby clearly needed their next feed and then take them into mum.
People reported this was particularly good if their partner was a night owl, or sometimes it was flipped because the breastfeeding parent was the night owl, in which case, the other parent went to bed early and then they took the early shift.

SPECIAL NOTE: If you’re taking a late shift and you’re at risk of falling asleep with your baby, PLEASE have access to a prepared shared surface (firm, flat, clear mattress). Partners falling asleep on couches/sofas with baby asleep on their chest is a big risk and one we need to have a plan B for.
✨Where’s your safer location?

For the ‘early shift,’ this varied if toddlers/ older kids were also in the family and how late baby liked to sleep, but dad (or whoever is running support) was on with anyone up early and did all the morning things, or even took the kids out to give the breastfeeding parent a lie in. Many reported this being a weekend ritual and one that helped them get through a weary week, knowing this was coming.

✨TIP 3 coming tomorrow ✨

📸 Mel Fryer-McLaren

https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2023/02/08/default-calendar/launch-of-the-2023-lancet-series-on-breastfeeding--including-the-influence-of-commercial-milk-formula-marketing

Launch of the 2023 Lancet Series on Breastfeeding, including the influence of commercial milk formula marketing WATCH LIVESTREAMJoin Richard Horton, Editor in Chief of the Lancet and a panel of experts for a live event at the Royal Society of Medicine, as they unpack a new three-paper Lancet Series which explores how the value of breastfeeding is wasted by government and public health, and exploited by the fo...

𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐰𝐨 - 𝟏𝟎 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬.

There is no point in me sitting here and telling you that everyone can save money by breastfeeding. Until there are systematic and societal changes in the UK (and most of the West) then all that happens when we talk about the amazing parts of breastfeeding is we exclude those who have been unable to meet their goals, which breeds feelings that breastfeeding is elitist, breastfeeding supporters are judgemental, and forces people to seek information from sources which may not be reputable. So, this post is going to talk about some ways you can keep costs down while using formula. Not all of the tips will apply to everyone, but please believe me when I say there is NO judgement here and I won’t tolerate it in the comments, either.

1. Remember that breastfeeding isn’t all or nothing. ANY breastmilk you can feed your baby will begin to reduce your formula costs. Even if that’s one feed a day.

2. Research informal milk sharing. You might find that someone local to you has a freezer stash of human milk going unused.

3. Powdered milk is cheaper than the pre-made kinds.

4. In the UK, all infant formula is bound to tight regulations, and as a result are all very similar. A supermarket own brand is likely the same as the premium ones. You can look at First Steps Nutrition Trust to compare the ingredients in different brands.

5. Milk preparation machines are not recommended due to safety concerns. However, they are also an added cost both in purchasing them and the required filter changes, but also in electricity usage.

6. Your baby may not need as much milk as the tin suggests. Use paced bottle feeding and watch baby’s cues closely for signs that they are full. Monitor weight gain and nappy output for reassurance that they’re getting all they need.

7. Remember – you can make up extra milk if it’s needed, but pouring away unused milk is literally money down the drain.

8. NEVER water down formula to stretch it. This can make your baby sick. If you’re struggling to get hold of the milk you need, talk to your HV or GP.

9. You shouldn’t be able to get formula from food banks (Lots of ethical and health reasons I won’t get into here) BUT you can use food banks to feed yourself, freeing up money for formula. You will usually need to be referred by a health professional, social worker or Children’s Centre. You may also be eligible for Healthy Start Food Vouchers, which you can use for stage one formula, or for YOUR food, freeing up money.

10. Cold Water sterilisation is usually cheaper than steam or boiling methods as it uses no electricity or gas. You can get off-brand versions of Milton from Boots and Home Bargains (and probably other places as well!) and you don’t need an official sterilising bucker – just a standard container with a lid is fine, as long as it’s big enough.

I love this infographic. So true. If we can’t get the basics right, how are mums expected to get through difficulties and succeed at breastfeeding?!
Milky Business- Kate Visser IBCLC

If you want to read more about the barriers that women and trans folk face which prevent them from having successful breastfeeding experiences I can recommend these books by Professor Amy Brown - Breastfeeding Uncovered, Kimberly Seals Allers and Trevor MacDonald

***Trigger warning for talk of su***de.***

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐲. What does that have to do with breastfeeding?

Su***de is one of the leading causes of death in the postnatal period. In turn, depression rates are higher in mothers who struggle to breastfeed, or who don’t meet their breastfeeding goals. (Dennis & McQueen, 2009, Brown, 2015)

This topic is incredibly complex and it’s impossible to explore properly in a social media post. What I want to say though, is this:

When I work with parents who are overcoming grief and shame about not breastfeeding, we focus a lot on finding evidence that they’re good parents, and that their baby loves them. During these sessions I see:

- Responsiveness to baby’s cues
- Close, physical contact between parent and baby
- Baby seeking mum when she steps out of sight

An innate understanding of the baby’s personality, likes, dislikes and needs. (“This is her favourite toy.” / “He loves it when I hold him like this.”)

I can promise you – as someone who works with parents and babies day in and day out, that no matter how bad you feel like things are right now – your little one loves you. You are a good parent, and you deserve to feel better.

As someone who has overcome suicidal ideation myself, I can also tell you that it gets better. At my lowest point I thought about ending things constantly. Now I’m so, so pleased that I didn’t go through with it. It’s not just me though, when researchers interviewed people who survived su***de, every single one of the survivors said they were glad they made it. (Medium article “A lesson from 29 Golden Gate Su***de Attempts”, 2019)

Please seek support from your local or national services. Help is out there and you have every right to access it.