Recommend a good breastfeeding/lactation consultant please? Post Reply

[leapyearbaby]

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.

[KatherineHepburn]

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.

[stayathomemuminsw11]

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.

[boysmum]

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!

[Pod]

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

[Htheh]

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!

[higsterkate]

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!