Vicki Marshall Doula

😉 ULTIMATE HOODY HACK! 😉

I shared this recently in my stories but thought it needed its own post!

🌫️ As its now hoody season, this is the ideal way to wear your carrier.

👍🏻 Thread the waistband through your hoody pocket! Means you have access to your pocket for cold hands and its a bit more flattering!

Why not try it yourself! Be sure to tag your hoody loving pals below too!

Laurna x

The Government’s response to tackling maternity inequalities fails to recognise that it is systemic racism not broken bodies that is the root cause of these disparities.

It is an insult to place the blame on women and birthing people for the unequal outcomes they face, rather than recognising the racism that is driving these disparities and responding with a tangible, deliverable and fully resourced plan to improve Black maternal health.

Women and birthing people have a right to access maternity care that fully respects their bodily autonomy and self-agency, free from discrimination, coercion and violence. 

s alth

It's now easier to email Vicki Marshall Doula

Today sparks the beginning of Black history month.
As a parent and as a Birthworker looking back and learning from my past, from my parents generation and from my ancestors is important to me.

Our history is everyones history

Our history is powerful

Our history is emotional

Our history is empowering

So during October my mouth will be wide open ( not like it isn’t anyway but hey 🤷🏽‍♀️) and I will be talking about my experiences and those of my peers, parents, and ancestors.

Sharing knowledge of those that went before us with those that are with us on this journey and those that will walk in our footsteps and surpass us is important.

What does Black History Month mean to you?
What would you like to know/ talk about this Black History Month?

It's Black Breastfeeding Week! This year's theme is The BIG PAUSE and we are joining the hosts of Black Breastfeeding Week to help bring honor and awareness to Black Breastfeeding and the power of rest as a revolution for Black communities.

Breastfeeding Stress reduction is key, as your milk supply depends mostly on your mood. When a mother is anxious, her breast milk supply usually decreases dramatically. Breastfeeding is calming and has been proven to reduce the incidence of postpartum depression.

To learn more about ways you can reduce breastfeeding stress and make life easier for you and your baby, check out these tips: https://breastfeeding-problems.com/breastfeeding-stress/

is hosting a FREE Babywearing & Bodyfeeding event on Aug. 31st for

Register below:
nurturely.org/bbw

Today I would like to talk about the black and brown uk based people doing the work, educating their peers, providing lactation education and informing parents, sometimes providing free or subsidised information and services to black and brown parents

Tirelessly every day, every week, every month they stand up and are counted.

I SEE YOU
WE SEE YOU
WE APPRECIATE YOU

Let’s uplift these amazing individuals.
Let’s celebrate them and all their efforts.

Name a black / brown lactation professional that you know, have used, plan to use, follow, respect.
Too many times I get asked for melanated lactation professions in xyz area….

Let’s share their names so they can be found easier by those needing their services
I will share some of my go to professionals/ pages sharing knowledge and supporting the community 🤱🏿🤱🏾🤱🏽



co

Black Breastfeeding Week was founded in 2013 to help address the racial disparity in breastfeeding rates.

Kimberly Seals Allers, Kiddada Green and Anayah Sangodele-Ayoka who created Black Breastfeeding Week wanted to raise awareness of the disparities in Black Breastfeeding rates, address the high Black infant mortality rate, high rates of diet-related disease, lack of diversity in the lactation field and cultural barriers among Black women.

Many Black women still negatively associate breastfeeding with their historical role as wet nurses. Slave owners would purchase Black women to nurse their babies, very often forcing these Black women to stop breastfeeding their own babies.

Here are some links to excellent resources

https://www.121doula.co.uk/services/breaking-breastfeeding-barriers-uplifting-education/?fbclid=IwAR0EqSOYqom4dCioAfDiT05dZPLgMxK-a9aXCeBxZHIF41zjvAx31PKqkSI

https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/guest-blog-by-ruth-dennison-why-black-breastfeeding-week/
https://abm.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/Mag13-Featured.pdf

Image Author - Unknown

Did you know that the World Health Organisation recommends breast/chestfeeding until 2 (and beyond...)?

The average natural weaning age around the world can vary from 2.5 to 7, although some children go longer!

Nursing past infancy is not only normal and natural, but it comes with many benefits.

Breastmilk continues to provide nutrition, immune factors, growth factors, comfort and security into toddlerhood.

I not only breastfeed my baby daughter, but also continue to feed my 2 year old son. It’s not always easy, it’s not always fun, but it’s so important to both of us. I’m proud of us and hope we can continue until he’s completely ready to stop 💛

World Breastfeeding Week focuses on how breastfeeding contributes to the survival, health and well-being of all and the imperative to protect breastfeeding worldwide.

Over the next few days, we will be sharing what we feel our responsibilities are as Breastfeeding Peer Supporters to our families we support.

We want to create a community of breastfeeding groups in Glasgow and surrounding areas to provide ongoing support where parents can get evidenced based and non bias information to help them in their feeding journeys.

As peer supporters, we are here to listen to parents with no judgement and to support them reach their feeding goals.

Vicki Marshall Doula updated their website address.

It’s World Breastfeeding Week!

It’s co-ordinated by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and will run from today until the 7th of August.

This year, will focus on how breastfeeding contributes to the survival, health and wellbeing of all, and the imperative to protect breastfeeding worldwide.

We need to remember that protecting breastfeeding is a shared responsibility!

It is time for all of us to inform, anchor, engage and galvanise action to protect and support breastfeeding. This will help ensure survival, health and wellbeing for children and their families, and is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, leaving no one behind.

is the foundation of life & a human right that needs to be respected, protected & fulfilled. This , let's work together to protect breastfeeding!

Our first sling library will be running at Ostara Yoga & Therapy in Kirkintilloch on Monday, 2nd of August, 12-1.30pm 🙌🏽
There will be a few different appointments to choose from:
💫 Sling Library - 15 min slot
💫 Mini Consult - 30 min slot
💫 Consultation- 60 min slot
Sling hire available at the current prices:
💫 £10 for two weeks
💫£20 for four weeks

The Sling library is a great place for you to try on carriers before you buy.
It ensures you’re not throwing money away on a carrier you don’t get on with

A sling/carrier is a personal choice for everyone, like you’re favourite pair of jeans, they may suit you but not your friend. 💗

☺️ To book, visit the link in the comments! 🙌🏽

Posted • Our first sling library will be running at Ostara Yoga & Therapy in Kirkintilloch on Monday, 2nd of August, 12-1.30pm 🙌🏽

There will be a few different appointments to choose from:

💫 Sling Library - 15 min slot
💫 Mini Consult - 30 min slot
💫 Consultation- 60 min slot

Sling hire available at the current prices:

💫 £10 for two weeks
💫£20 for four weeks

The Sling library is a great place for you to try on carriers before you buy.

It ensures you’re not throwing money away on a carrier you don’t get on with

A sling/carrier is a personal choice for everyone, like you’re favourite pair of jeans, they may suit you but not your friend. 💗

☺️ To book, visit the link in the bio! 🙌🏽

Next sling library!

💫Monday 2nd of August
💫12-1.30pm
💫Ostara Yoga & Therapy in Kirkintilloch

Booking link in comments! ☺️

Why does Black baby wearing week matter? 🙂

This is why 👇🏽👇🏽🔥

is not a trend, it is culture.
is not a fad it is our heritage.
is not division it is unity and equity.

🥰

🖤 BLACK BABYWEARING WEEK 🖤

This year again for Black babywearing week, I am giving my social platforms to Black Babywearers for their voices to be heard.

To kick off the week, we start with Lucy!
Be sure to show her some love!

I’ve always loved the feeling of carrying my babies, and when I found out I was pregnant with my last baby, I eagerly prepared for that feeling again. I knew what worked for me, so as pragmatic as that sounds, I got them again.
There was only one teeny fly in that ointment; Since my last Babywearing days, I had been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. This means I cannot carry for as long as I used to. It didn’t feature in the first few months, thankfully, as she was premature and very diddy! Having to do home learning for my other two and work meant my sling collection did come into its own.

A did catch up size-wise pretty quickly, and once she got too big for my front, I found it tricky to get her on my back due to my joints. I contacted Laurna, and we did a mini consultation over zoom, which was so helpful! A is now 13 months and 22lbs, so I do back carry or pop her in a ring sling on days my wrists can’t handle lugging our pram in and out of the car multiple times a day. For example, during our local elections, she was in my trusty little frog ring sling for me to vote. She enjoys uppies on my back if I need to dash into a shop.

My advice for anyone who has mobility needs is not to discount being able to baby or toddler wear, and I hope you would be able to find a professional to help you figure things out.

Lucy Benton

If you're sick of being told why you *should* breastfeed, but want more info on how to actually make it happen and how to reach your goals, this workshop is for you.

I work with my handy knitted baby and b**b, a bunch of up to date evidence based info, and zero bu****it or pressure.

With the code AUGUSTBABY you get 50% off!

Peer supporters are people, usually parents that have breastfed, that have done some additional training around breastfeeding, and importantly listening.
Most often they volunteer their time to support others at groups and online.
You can throw all the training and knowledge in the world at something, but often having another parent really listen and understand makes all the difference.

Peer supporters are wonderful humans. And everyday I hear such wonderful things from my clients about what a difference they've made.
Don't underestimate the difference going to a group can make to you!

We need to talk about Tommee Tippee.

Tommee Tippee supporting breastfeeding is as oxymoronic as an unethical logging company named Choppy VonAxeface supporting efforts to save the rainforest.

Tommee Tippee, as a company, are in direct competition with breastfeeding, especially breastfeeding directly from the breast. They sell pumps, bottles and formula preparation machines. They also, regularly, make deliberately misleading claims about their products. Their bottle teats supposedly are designed to be more like a breast and reduce the risk of bottle preference- not even a little bit true.

The fact is the more people who directly breastfeed from the breast the less money Tommee Tippee stand to make. Yes, there will always be some people who need to pump, use bottles or supplement with formula (I know, I'm one of them), but Tommee Tippee have a vested financial interest in increasing the number of people who rely on pumps, bottles and formula, and they regularly use unethical, underhand marketing practices to acheive that end.

Their latest advert is no different 'Oh, but it's lovely, it shows breastfeeding...'. Guys, if a logging company run an advert showing acres of intact rainforest would you suddenly start trusting them to preserve the rainforest? Or would you think "Hang on, these guys are a logging company. Where's the ulterior motive?'

Tommee Tippee's latest ad is just like that. They show breastfeeding so that breastfeeding mothers will watch it, so that it will be shared in breastfeeding groups, so that influencers who claim to support breastfeeding will share it...

It's all about the Tommee Tippee brand infiltrating breastfeeding spaces to make sure that breastfeeding mums have Tommee Tippee in their minds. Nothing more, nothing less.

Like the rainforest, breastfeeding is one of our greatest natural resources, and just like the rainforest, big businesses will always try to destroy it in the name of profit.