ABOUT
My earliest memory around breastfeeding was a conversation I had with a friend who was training to be a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor when I was expecting my first baby. The passion with which she spoke about how incredible breastfeeding is, but how hard many mothers find it due to a lack of information and support, was very contagious.
I think I was hooked then and there!
Going on to breastfeed my own two babies until they were ready to stop (not without our own challenges at various stages) only deepened my love for breastfeeding, and I decided very early on that I wanted to contribute to a stronger support network for new mothers and babies, and help make breastfeeding easier for them.
Since 2014, I have been working as a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor and peer supporter for La Leche League GB and the Breastfeeding Network.
Keen to learn more and develop my skills, I took a Breastfeeding Specialist course in London in 2019-2020, and, driven by a desire to offer a deeper level of support to new families in the early days after birth, a Postnatal Doula course in 2020 and a Baby-Wearing Peer Supporter course in 2022.
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I knew from the start I wanted to obtain the IBCLC qualification to make feeding support my main focus and be able to offer that level of specialised care to those who need it. (Have a look at the information and links at the bottom of this page if you want to learn more about what an IBCLC is). So in 2024 I studied the required 14 health sciences and started working as a peer supporter at the Princess Anne Maternity Hospital in Southampton alongside the Infant Feeding Team to gain the required hours of clinical practice. I absolutely love being able to give new parents that time and attention in the early days (or even in the first hours!) after birth to give them the best possible chance of getting breastfeeding off to a good start and have a feeding journey with which they feel satisfied.
With this purpose in mind, I also helped set up and deliver a monthly face-to-face antenatal feeding workshop for the Breastfeeding Network in Southampton. To be prepared is half the battle!
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I feel really strongly that mothers, parents and families need different types of support at different stages of their journeys. So please get in touch with me if you want to discuss how I might be able to help you or if I can point you in the direction of the support that would be most helpful to you right now!
I am very keen to support any family under the rainbow, so please let me know if you have any specific needs and how I can adapt my services to suit your family's needs.
What Does IBCLC Mean & How Do You Qualify?
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An IBCLC (International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant) is a specialist in breastfeeding and infant feeding, trained to provide expert, evidence-based support for parents and babies. This internationally recognised qualification is the highest standard in lactation care.
To qualify, an IBCLC must complete at least 95 hours of lactation-specific education, plus 1,000 hours of supervised clinical practice. This ensures they have the knowledge and hands-on experience to support families with confidence and compassion.
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IBCLCs work according to the IBLCE Code of Professional Conduct and need to have full coverage professional healthcare insurance.