I have a variety of support and education options available in your own home or online.
What does an IBCLC Home Visit Involve?
I have an online booking system, so follow the link, book the best slot, and fill out my contact form. This has a section in which you can write a brief history. There’s also a link to my consent form, which you should read and agree to.
I’ll arrive at your house & take off my shoes. Please show me into whichever room you are most comfortable. I’ll ask to wash my hands. Bathroom or kitchen is fine. Please don’t worry if there’s washing up in the sink.
If baby is calm you can tell me why you need my support, what concerns you have, anything in your health or birth that may be relevant, anything health professionals have suggested, baby’s weight, any other questions you may have. I’ll use this to assess what is going on.
I’ll ask to see the baby feed. This is the most important part of the consultation. It can be a good idea to try to feed baby an hour or two before the consultation time so they will be able to be roused easily & persuaded to feed. You can choose any position. I may suggest some others you can try. You can also ask to try different positions. We may use some of your cushions if needed but I will support you to also breastfeed without these.
I will watch baby latch and give you some tips on how to make the latch better if we need to. I’ll talk to you about what to look for, how to tell baby is feeding well, newborn baby behaviour, what to expect in the next few weeks, how to move towards your feeding goals, how to incorporate different feeding tools you may need.
I will do an oral assessment if I feel it is necessary. I will describe what I find. I may weigh baby. We will discuss referral to other services if we feel it’s appropriate. This can include tongue tie services, osteopath, GP or health visitor.
I will either write in baby’s red book or email notes late with a feeding plan if necessary and support you in moving forward with your feeding journey to hopefully meet your goals.
You can contact me for further support if you’ve got any questions. I offer 2 weeks of ongoing support via Whatsapp. We can make a follow-up appointment if you feel you need it, either at your home or at our breastfeeding group.
*NB Sometimes this all goes “tits up” & I arrive to a screaming baby desperate to feed or a sleepy, just fed baby. No worries, we’ll adjust! And please don’t worry about the mess! You have just had a baby! And it’s likely tidier than my house.
Post Codes in which I offer face to face support are as follows:
HA (discounted),UB, WD, NW (please check if outside Brent), W (please check). I will sometimes go further afield, please message me before booking on 07719312795 to check, there may be an additional travel cost.
For emergency visits please text 07719312795 and I will get back to you ASAP.
How do I Make The Most of a Breastfeeding Support Videocall?
Videocall support is actually very effective. We got lots of practice over lockdown and really honed our skills. You can do almost everything vis videocall than you can with a home visit.
Make sure you have a list of things you would like to talk about. Other topics will likely pop into your head during the session. Make sure I am aware of any underlying health issues, either for you or baby, that may affect feeding. Having your baby’s red book nearby can be useful But you could also photograph the weight charts and list of weights and send to me if this is relevant.
It is OK to have baby with you. If you prefer it is also OK to have someone keep an eye on the baby so you can concentrate. Either option is fine!
Babies are not always up for latching during a videocall. And sometimes it can be a bit difficult to see. We can absolutely latch baby during the session and I can give you some tips live! But what can also be useful is to send some videos in advance of baby latching and feeding. You will need another pair of hands to be a camera-person. Film from the side of baby’s face as they go onto the breast. Then film for around 1 minute to allow for the let-down reflex to happen. A wide angle shot can also be useful to assess positioning. Then send through to me on Whatsapp explaining who you are! My number is 07719312795. We can then discuss the videos during the session. If I need to assess the latch and you have not sent through videos, we can do it live, but sending through some after the videocall can be useful for ongoing support.
We will discuss all the issues and make a plan. Ongoing support via whatsapp is available for 60 min and intensive package appointments.
Options for Breastfeeding Support
Home visits are available in Harrow and the surrounding area, see above for post codes. Check my Services page for pricing and availability. I may be able to go further if I am available but may need to charge more for travel and travel time. Please drop me a message to discuss.
Follow up appointments are available, or come to our group clinic, see below
Videocall breastfeeding support is available in three different options to suit your budget and level of need.
I have my Intensive Breastfeeding Support Package which includes 1 x 60 minute videocall and 2 x 30 min follow-up calls over the course of a month with ongoing Whatsapp support throughout the process. Parents fill out info form on booking, parents can ask questions and make notes. I will also use AI Companion to make detailed notes of the sessions, proof read and email these on afterwards so there is a written record of our discussion.
There are two one-off videocall options available. A 60 minute videocall for more in-depth support, and a 30 minute option which is good if you just have a few questions or as a follow up from the 60 minute call.
To find booking information, pricing and availability, please go to my Services – book here page.
Breastfeeding Debrief videocall to discuss you current or last breastfeeding journey. Maybe you are expecting another baby and want a different outcome or to understand what happened with your first baby, or you may just want to talk through your feeding journey.
Stopping Breastfeeding videocall . Whether you are just wondering if your toddler will stop on their own, or you need to stop for some reason, or perhaps you are experiencing some breastfeeding aversion and want to know how to cut back, this is the session for you. How to stop gently, respectfully and maintain connection.
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IBCLC in your pocket: Whatsapp breastfeeding support via text (not videocall) for 2 weeks, videos of baby latching can be sent, I will guarantee to respond with 24 hours, in reality it will be much sooner, I will not respond between 10pm-8am – available in my website shop
GROUP SUPPORT
– The Stables, Eastcote House Gardens, High Road, Eastcote, HA5 2FE
– Fortnightly -Fridays 12:30-14:30
ONLINE WORKSHOPS
Introducing solids workshop
Baby around 3-6 months? Are you starting to think about introducing solid food? Confused by all the different advice and suggestions?
Our workshop covers when to start solids, why this is important, how to start solids, what to foods give and what to avoid and where to give it. We will discuss Baby Led Weaning, purees, how to continue with milk feeds alongside solids (both breast and bottle), bust all the myths and give you evidence based advice.
Returning to Work Breastfeeding
Interactive workshop discussing concerns around returning to work and continuing the breastfeeding relationship. This is a small group workshop and we will support you in your particular circumstance. We can discuss whether to pump, whether to combination feed, whether baby is old enough not to need milk in the day, how will baby settle for naps without the breast, how will work affect the breastfeeding relationship.
Our Zoom workshops cost £30, £24 with early bird booking discount
GIFT VOUCHERS
Would you like to buy post-natal breastfeeding support, or an ante-natal/post-natal package for a friend or relation? Gift vouchers are available in my shop. The perfect gift for any expectant mum that will be truly appreciated.