"Breastfeeding Support"

Maureen at Breastfeeding Support Group in Coatbridge provided me with so much support and advice that I strongly believe I would not have managed to continue to breastfeed my baby beyond the 4-5 week mark.

I started going to Group when my son was 5 weeks old. I knew I wasn't coping, and I walked into that class being the most vulnerable version of myself I have ever been, and Maureen was so welcoming. I actually burst into tears trying to introduce myself, but I quickly learned that I was in a safe environment and that everyone there wanted to support one another. Maureen would constantly give reassurance and confidence-boosting advice, and it really encouraged and helped me continue to breastfeed.

I also hugely struggled with the confidence to breastfeed in public, and couldn't even feed at group in the beginning. With hindsight, I can see just how much this had a negative affect on me, as I stayed at home a lot, and would put pressure on  myself to express milk if I did have to go out - which was just impossible some days.

Maureen helped build my confidence week by week, and provided my first safe environment to feed outside of our home. As the weeks passed, I would look forward to telling the group about where I managed to feed in public, and it really encouraged me. Maureen installed a level of confidence in me where I knew I had the right to breastfeed my baby, and the fear of being challenged gradually left me. This opened my world back up, and had a positive impact on how I was feeling and coping. I started to feel normal again.

She even supported me as I returned to work. My son was 9 months old when I went back to work, and I assumed I would have to stop, but Maureen gave me some invaluable advice and guidance that meant I was able to continue breastfeeding until my son was 15-months.

Maureen offered help and support that really made a difference. I did have support at home, but too often the ‘quick-fix’ is to stop,  but I didn’t want to stop breastfeeding, no matter how much of a struggle I found it to be. I wanted to be supported to continue to breastfeed. This is exactly what I got from Maureen, and the group, every single week. The encouragement and support to continue for another week, and another, and another….until one day, it got easy! We had both learned, and got past our issues, and then breastfeeding became really easy and enjoyable.

Maureen's breastfeeding support group played an invaluable role in our journey, and I am so grateful.