Cheshire Infant Feeding & Baby Support - IBCLC, CFT, Tongue Tie Specialists

After some time away we are back! 😃 some exciting changes happening with Cheshire Baby Support - watch this space!

Ni**le shields!

**leshields

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

There are not 2 types of breastmilk. Every drop of breastmilk is valuable and important for your baby!

The fat content in milk does vary depending on various things including time of day, and the interval of time since that breast was last fed from. It’s usually something your breasts will manage without us having to even think about it.

For a baby who’s not gaining weight as quickly as we’d like what matters is the VOLUME of milk they’re receiving rather than the make up of this milk.

Using both breasts frequently will mean the fat level is more consistent throughout the whole feed.

Keeping your baby drinking by watching for swallows, using compressions and switch nursing when the swallows slow are the most effective techniques for helping feeds to efficient and effective for your baby, increasing the calories your baby is getting, and stimulating your supply too.

If you’re struggling with breastfeeding please seek help and support.

Short version, for most people...forget about it!

source: P.S. It's A Mum Thing

Welcome back to Beehive Healthcare Amanda Brooks. A very warm welcome to Jennifer Johnson. Amanda and Jennifer are offering Tongue Tie Assessments and Division.

For further information and booking visit their website link below.
https://www.cheshirebabysupport.co.uk/

C A L O R I E S

In comparison to each other the calories in breastmilk and formula are pretty much the same.

Normal First Stage formula is not higher in calories than breastmilk.

If supplementation is necessary, breastmilk is always the preferable option if it is available.

(These are averages...it’s normal for calories to vary slightly in breastmilk)

Great news

Well, it took about 2 years to accomplish it, but I'm happy to announce that our paper entitled: "Objective improvement after frenotomy for posterior tongue-tie: a prospective randomized trial" was accepted in the biggest ENT journal - Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. With this paper, we were able to demonstrate in a randomized, controlled fashion that:

1) Frenotomy for posterior tongue tie results in objective changes in tongue metrics as measured by a Bluetooth-enabled bottle feeding system

2) The procedure results in improvements in infant reflux, maternal breastfeeding self-confidence and maternal ni**le pain using validated questionnaires

This paper would not have been possible without the financial contributions of those who supported the project initially. I sincerely thank those of you for contributing - this paper will have wide implications. It's the first paper to show that posterior tongue tie affects bottle feeding AND that it affects breastfeeding quality. The paper is strong in that it combines objective measures, validated subjective methods and does so in a randomized, controlled fashion. Once I can share the abstract, I'll post that here.

Slings for the win!

This!

Did you know its Breastfeeding Celebration Week in England this week?

No? Neither did we.

gave the breastfeeding organisations and infant feeding teams *1 WEEK NOTICE* that it was actually happening and released resources, which were quite frankly pretty lame, on FRIDAY for us to use starting MONDAY. When queried why the short notice they blamed covid.

Now I'm not a particular fan of Breastfeeding Celebration Week at the best of times. We get 1 week of PHE apparently trying to give a s**t (although from the above paragraph you can see its not really a priority!) when actually we need a total change of attitude and investment to ensure that breastfeeding support is available to all. Currently we have the worst breastfeeding rates in the world. It is a scandal.

And the results of these celebration weeks are usually "debate" in the media around "pressure to breastfeed" and "should breastfeeding in public be allowed?". And then the negative discussions start fuelled by generations of parents who have been failed by the system and to hide their pain will cite "Fed Is Best" and "Breastfeeding N***s" made them feel bad. Its a total s**t show and I just want to hide. But maybe the media won't have had time to get the memo this year either!

Anyway I would like to big up the people we really need to Celebrate during this last year.

Firstly the sheer grit and determination of parents to get through a very difficult period with minimal support available. Hats off to all the . You are superheros.

Secondly the volunteer breastfeeding supporters who have been left to plug the gaps and pick up the pieces. They have literally given up HUNDREDS OF HOURS of their free time supporting families when there was nowhere else to turn.

Thirdly those health care professionals who have stuck their necks out and advocated for new parent's care. Some have really gone beyond the call of duty.

When are we ever going to get a robust pathway of breastfeeding support in this country that is available to every single family who wants it? We don't need a week of visibility. We need societal change.

Rant over!

Infancy is a special time when the brain is extra sensitive to the environment.

In the first 3 years of life we have the opportunity for nurture to physically build the emotional brain, the stress system, neurotransmitter systems and gut health.

Our babies will leave infancy with a brain and body set up for stress resilience or not.

They will have what I call - Post Infancy Stress Resilience - OR - Post Infancy Stress Vulnerability OR something in between.

With Post Infancy Stress Resilience babies have the best chance at lifelong mental health. They can regulate stress, use their cognitive brain in school and work, navigate relationships, process emotions and access their full potential.

When babies are given freedom to be immature, dependent and needy they grow up to be mature and independent.

Expect your baby to need you intensely for at least 3 years. As Carly Grubb from says, “It’s that simple and it’s that hard.” And it is hard.

Especially now when our villages are missing. If you need support please ask for what you need. I’m here for you. I have resources and I will support you.

Please share in your stories to spread the word 💜🧠💜

⬇️🧡Show me your milk drunk littles 💙⬇️

....👀

Most babies do cry during the procedure...
It's a strange situation, someone you don't know putting fingers in your mouth whilst you sit under a bright light.

I'm not a huge fan of the dentist so totally get it (sorry to all my lovely dentist clients 🤐)

The good news is most babies don't cry for very long and generally stop crying around a minute after the procedure. We aim to get them back in your arms where they belong and having a feed during this time.

Occasionally you may have to put up with us rocking and singing to help soothe but, thankfully, most parents don't get to experience the joy of our singing 🤣

So much of the work of parenthood is unseen. So much of it is the mental load, the emotional load, the logistical load. Things that nobody notices unless they're not done. One of my friends calls this "Magic House" where it appears like these things just happen by magic--when in reality, somebody is keeping track and taking care of them.

There are SO. MANY. small details that parents are constantly keeping track of in their minds. This never-ending, revolving mental to-do list. It can be incredibly draining.

It can feel like the work you do is unseen and unappreciated. I see you, friend. I see you doing the mental gymnastics that keep the household afloat and maintain your daily life.

Do you feel like a lot of what you contribute to your family goes unseen? What feelings does that bring up for you?

*said no parent ever* 😂

What are your plans for half term??

Ours include paddling pools, lego, ice creams, the occasional tantrum and maybe some wine for me...

Your tongue acts as a rudder and support system through a fascial line that runs right down to your toes!

In nearly all my patients, I see poor tongue posture, and the links to bad spinal posture, breathing, and other issues are felt right throughout the body.

The simplest way we can see how the tongue is so influential is how it supports proper head posture. When the tongue is down and forward, forward head posture and mouthbreathing occurs.

Over time this associates with a narrow jaw, crooked teeth, and sleep disorders.

But… you guessed it, as always the mouth is a gateway for so many other systems in the body.

The tongue is an extremely complex muscular and fascial rudder system.

It guides all the structures of the myofascial continuity that runs from the inner arch of the foot all the way up through the middle of the body to the tongue and jaw muscles.

Isn’t that amazing?

Actually the tongue is potentially more important for core stability than turning on your actual core.

Our core begins deep under the arch with the insertions of the tendons from the lower leg, especially tibialis posterior.

To find its insertion, feel just under the inside arch of the foot, just underneath and forward of protrusion of the navicular bone you can feel a bit over an inch in front of your tibial malleolus on the inside of your ankle.

This point will respond to a soft-but-energy-rich touch that is held, and also to a more firm and direct fascial release. Pressing here can make a flow of feeling run up the fascial line.

So for better core support, spinal, hip and leg strength, you need to work on your tongue posture.

During exercise practice sealing the tongue to the roof of the mouth, this turns on the fascial rudder to the toes. It takes time and you need to work on making the BACK of the tongue connect to the soft palate. More on this to come.

💩POO💩

🖤 Days 1-2 - One or more per day.
Poo at this stage is called meconium.
It’s very dark green/brown/black and sticky.

💚 Days 3-4 - Two or more per day.
The colour changes and looks more green. These poos are called ‘changing stools’.

💛 Days 5-6 - At least two soft, yellow poos per day.

Whilst it is COMMON for babies to go longer without having a poo, it is NOT NORMAL.

If your baby is not having a poo every day, a feeding assessment is recommended

Support is key 💙

Tongue tie is a feeding issue. It can affect breastfeeding AND bottle feeding.

If you are struggling with bottle feeding there are several things you can try;
- changing the teat
- paced bottle feeding
- change the bottle feeding position

IBCLC's support with infant feeding, not just at the breast/chest feeding

If you are thinking about weaning there are severals ways to to do this.
The process may vary depending on the age of your child and the reason for stopping.

For older babies and children, 'don't offer, don't refuse' is a gentle approach to gradually reduce the number of feeds a day.
Distraction or offering a snack can also space the feeds out, gradually reducing them.

If you need to wean quickly or for a specific reason, seek support ☺️