"There was no safe space to discuss anything"

I attended the NHS Lanarkshire Breastfeeding Support Group in Rutherglen a few weeks ago for the first time. I had previously attended an other group and had a fantastic experience so I had a fair idea of what to expect.

However my experience of the Rutherglen group was not on par with that. The group is held in David Walker Gardens, which is a care home. This is fine as I appreciate that rooms can be shared use etc. I arrived at the time that the group was supposed to start to find the room in darkness and no one else there - not great for someone's first time. Finally, other people arrived and the NHS worker appeared and set up the room and briefly introduced themselves.

Then one of the care home workers brought one of the residents in - again ok, as I thought this was just until more people arrived and the group would start. Unfortunately more and more residents came in and the NHS worker just seemingly sat on their phone. This was coupled with visitors to the care home popping their heads in and also staff from the care home coming in. The residents were left in the room as well so it then felt like I/we had an obligation to engage with and entertain them. After an hour, the NHS worker just left - there had been no attempt to engage any of the mums in any conversation, about breastfeeding or otherwise.

I attended the group for breastfeeding support, and both the environment and lack of facilitation meant that there was no safe space to discuss anything about breastfeeding and it therefore just became a social gathering.

Alternatively, groups I have attended elsewhere provide an environment where the group is properly facilitated, and everyone is given a chance to speak about their wins and/or challenges, and there is advice given if there is something you are struggling with.