"Breastfeeding support"

This is about my third child, who is nearly 6 months old now.

However, previously, I have re-lactated and fed my second child from 9 weeks of age, despite being told it was nearly impossible from various health visitors in 2016. With the help of Helen in 2016 I successfully re-lactated and breastfed my second child.

Anyway, after having my third baby at home I was determined to exclusively breastfeed him. I asked the midwives in attendance if his latch seemed OK and they were happy with it. He was very drowsy at the breast and not interested in feeding so I was hand expressing and syringe feeding him colostrum. I saw a midwife support worker on day two/three who helped with positioning and latching, but we were still struggling. On day five I made an appointment to see a midwife and it was not my regular midwife as she was on leave. Instead I had the misfortune of seeing someone else. They weighed my son (who was born 12lbs), looked at his latch then told me I should “go home and give him a bottle of formula” as it was clear to her that I was not giving him enough by exclusively breastfeeding him. I left in floods of tears and feeling like an absolute failure, because, try as I might I could not master breastfeeding and getting his latch correct.

At absolute despair I then remembered, thankfully, I still had Helen’s number from 2016. I rang up and left a message, completely self referred and saw her the next day.

She took time out, to show me exactly how to feed my son.

Because of her, and her absolutely amazing knowledge patience and wisdom we have now made it to almost 6 months of exclusively breastfeeding. He has not had one drop of formula, and he will not accept a bottle of expressed breast milk!

If I had have listened to the midwife that day this would not be the case.