Hello,
I highly recommend Sue, a breastfeeding specialist at the postnatal clinic in St George's hospital in Tooting. The clinic is in the fountain suite in the Knightsbridge wing
I went to see Sue weekly for the first 4 or so weeks and her support was invaluable. It was my second baby - and with the first I had had horrendous mastitis which ended in an operation (and a switch to bottle feeding). Sue's support was physical - showing me the best latch, different positions etc - and also emotional - encouraging me and telling me I was doing well and it would get better (it did - I am still breastfeeding baby 2 and he is now 5 months old).
Moreover, Sue is not one of the "breastfeeding nazis" who insist that only breastfeeding is good and mums "fail" if they bottle feed.
Hope this is helpful!

Another Clare B-C fan here. Agree with everything katherInehepburn says. She is truly reassuring and saved my sanity and my nipples! She was the only person who correctly taught me how to feed my first and after the pretty horrific treatment and advice I had had from various midwives, healh visitors etc. i needed her frankness and experience. I had latching problems that had seriously damaged my nipples, as well as supply issues due to 3 litre potpartum haemmorage and bneeding transfusions etc. So problems from all sides!

Goodenss I never realised this was such a hot debatable topic, hmm, just wish I could find someone who can visit me the day I give birth (hospital or home) to guide me so I get it right from the off, and then offer support or more home visits if necessary. I will def find out all I can at NCT, I will contact Katherine Fischer although she no longer does home visits, I have both Clare.B.C's books second hand so will read and decide on her, given differing opinions.

In the meantime thank you all for your thoughts and advice - it's great to get such an overview.

I will also check out Annette - thank you boysmum! x

Our friend Annette is a Lactation Consultant, Maternity Nurse, kids nurse with a vaste experience in all those areas. We met her during a rather serious stay in hospital 7 years ago with our daughter and have since befriended her and she helped me a great deal with my two boys later on! Have a look at her website http://www.annetzki.com/
Good luck and enjoy!

I think different approaches work best for different people, and I know lots of people who have had great success with Clare Byam-Cook, but for me, she TOTALLY missed something which Katherine Fisher spotted straight away!

I think Clare is great if you have no issues with milk supply or a physiological reason why you can't breastfeed, i.e. all my friends who have had success with her have had trouble with latching on/positioning which can be sorted.

leapyearbaby wrote:I really really really wouldn't go near Clare Byam Cook, or her book. She is not a friend to breastfeeding. She's too close to formula companies for one thing and extremely lacking in knowledge on breastfeeding. She's not even trained - she's an ex midwife, and basic midwife training includes very little breastfeeding training, if any, depending on when the person trained. .

No offence intended to your training, but I just wanted to point out that Clare's 30 years plus experience shouldn't just be written off because she didn't do the NCT or similar 2 year part-time course. An excellent course no doubt, but I'd rank years and years of experience with mums a tad higher than you seem to.

I'm also quite amused by the coke analogy. Considering that breast milk tastes like the milk left in the bowl after you've finished the Ricicles I wouldn't be surprised. The woman speaks her mind, but she's still bloody good at her job.

a decent breastfeeding supporter would never make a mum feel guilty.

we haven't all found it 'easy', most of us have had help and hence have gone on to help themselves, knowing how invaluable the help is.

the courses are far from 'short'. i really take offence at that. Like a therapist your training is ongoing, indefinately.

it takes one day of working with mums on the post natal ward to see and appreciate how hard it is for some. and how heartbreaking it is for those who don't manage it.

breast isn't best, it's natural. Formula can be a life saver. The companies that make it are something far from that, and any research into their behaviour would disgust all of you i'm in no doubt.

byam cook, compares breastfeeding over one year to giving a baby coca cola. that's how knowledgable that woman is. But i'm glad she's been able to help some despite this.

not all breastfeeding supporters are judgemental. Decent ones are far from it.

Another vote for Clare Byam-Cook.
I'd had a rotten time trying to breastfeeding my first. The midwives really hadn't helped, the NCT telephone helpline was next to useless sadly and after 2 weeks of trying I was ready to quit. She was my last call and should have been my first. It took her 20 minutes.
I hate the complaints of 'she's not even properly trained' blah blah blah. Perhaps not, but she has been teaching mothers to breastfeed for donkeys years and I'd trust her a whole lot more than someone who successfully breastfed themselves (and thus think it'll be easy for everyone!) and did a short course in it.
She polarises opinion because she is sensible. She doesn't believe that breast is best in all cases. She does advocate using formula if you're short of milk, especially in the witching hours. She doesn't believe that formula milk is the spawn of satan and she never, ever makes a mum feel crap or guilty.

And with that in mind. Best of luck with the feeding. When it works it's great. But if it doesn't, don't fret, it's not the be all and end all. Some babies will feed for Britain, but some are just tricksy no matter how hard you try.

Clare B-C seems to polarise optinion. A friend of mine recommended her and when I had problems getting my first son to feed, I called her. I'd been in St Thomas's. None of the midwives or lactation experts (and I saw at least a dozen) could get my son to feed and I had blistered, bleeding nipples. Within 30 seconds of seeing Clare, she had him latched and feeding successfully. Yes, she doesn't advocate 'breast is best' at all costs, but she gave me a realistic view when I was depressed and guilty at having 'failed' my son.

Sharon George via NCT was invaluable by phone. Claire Byam Cook introduced me to nipple shields after 6 weeks of my newborn not sucking and the horrors of expressing for that whole time. I had dozens on midwives, NCT people, drop in clinics and goodness knows what else prior to that. The nipple shield worked and I never looked back so I would recommend Clare big time!!!

I really really really wouldn't go near Clare Byam Cook, or her book. She is not a friend to breastfeeding. She's too close to formula companies for one thing and extremely lacking in knowledge on breastfeeding. She's not even trained - she's an ex midwife, and basic midwife training includes very little breastfeeding training, if any, depending on when the person trained. Everytime she's on some morning chat, the lines go crazy with complaints, and facebook goes crazy with complaints from the breastfeeding community.

personally i have issue paying for breastfeeding help. I know some people have to make money, but there are many of us out there, trained as supporters by the nct or bfn or LLL, and we do it voluntarily. There are loads of groups out there. Wandsworth's not too hot, partly because the breastfeeding rates are high, slightly less need. but if you go on the St Thomas's website, you'll find their link to breastfeeding groups in that area, and they are run by some extremely experienced and well trained breastfeeding supporters, many of whom are health professionals, and tongue ties can be diagnosed there, with speedy referrals. i'd really recommend them.

I used Beth Graham who is at the Portland but does outpatient there or at your home. She was fantastic, and helped both at the start, at three months, and then at seven months. I ended up breastfeeding for 18months, and couldn't have gotten over the seven month hurdle on my own. Beth is highly recommended. I agree re giving them an occasional bottle from early on, too.

The NCT drop in centre (as above), is brilliant. I went 4 times over 3 mths and each time they were super helpful. Sharon George, who is one of their consultants and gives NCT classes, also does private sessions. You can google her.

I have just given up breastfeeding after 6 mths, I strongly recommend you give your baby a bottle once a day every day from about 4 weeks. Either expressed milk or formula. I hd a nightmare trying to get our baby onto a bottle.

I used Clare Byam Cook and thought she was brilliant. If you want her number I can give it to you. CBC's book is possibly the best one I read too.

I whole-heartedky recommend Katherine too. Went to see her after posting on here for a recommendation and she diagnosed a tongue-tie which she was then able to deal with there and then, made a huge difference to me. Worth the trek to Croydon!