Hello!

My own breastfeeding journey started in 2019. While pregnant with my first baby I was constantly asked 'are you going to try and breastfeed?' There was no doubt in my mind that I wasn't going to try and breastfeed, I was going to succeed at breastfeeding!​ I did everything 'right'. I read the books, I joined the facebook groups, I followed all of the accounts, I did the courses and I knew EXACTLY what I was doing. Then along came my baby with his own ideas! 

 

We battled a multitude of issues including a tongue-tie, reflux, nipple shields... you name it! It took us a lot of perseverance and a whole 6 months of stress, but eventually we nailed it and I exclusively breastfed him until he self weaned at 3.5 years. My second and third babies came with their own feeding challenges, and throughout all of my breastfeeding journeys I've experienced difficulty latching, birth related tension, three little but mighty tongue ties, reflux, oversupply, pain and nipple trauma, a NICU stay, feeding during pregnancy, tandem feeding, natural term weaning, parent led weaning and breastfeeding aversion... to name a few. Breastfeeding never came easy to me and there were many times when I couldn't quite understand why I was still so determined to persevere - but while it was challenging, it still felt SO important to me and I just couldn't give up. So when I tell you I get it, I really do get it!  

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When my little boy was 6 months old I trained as a Breastfeeding Peer Supporter, and then went on to complete my Breastfeeding Counsellor qualification. Since qualifying, I have volunteered for various organisations and charities, offering telephone support, web based support and support via social media. In 2021 I co-founded a small breastfeeding organisation alongside 3 wonderful friends, and now as a team of more than 20 we run regular face to face groups and offer social media support.

 

In 2023 I started preparing for the IBCLC exam. This involved upward of 95 hours of lactation education which I gained through Gold Lactation Academy, and 1000 hours of offering face to face support to families. I sat the four hour exam in April 2024 ​​​​(at 7 months pregnant!) and found out that I had passed in June, just a few days after giving birth!