Team QEH Infant Feeding

13/08/2025

Mastitis Information from The Breastfeeding Network (UK)

You can also contact The National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 for more support.

Read more from the link below
https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/BfN-Mastitis-Leaflet-December-22.pdf

13/08/2025

More advice from Lucy Webber Feeding Support - IBCLC around Mastitis.

We have had a few women that have Mastitis that are using the in bra wearable breastpumps.

What can you do to prevent mastitis

•Have a deep, comfortable latch!
The way that baby is positioned and latches has an enormous impact on how effectively milk drains from the breast.
Another reason latch is important, is that a shallow latch can cause the ni**le to be compressed. This can cause milk blebs (clogged milk in a ni**le pore itself). Milk then backs up behind and can lead to mastitis if not cleared.
It's worth going back to basics with positioning and latch frequently during the time you're breastfeeding, because as your little one grows things often change without us noticing.

•Check your pump fit.
If you're pumping for any reason, whether alongside breastfeeding or exclusively, the pump fit is important for ensuring the milk drains well.
Breast massage before and during pumping can aid milk flow too.

•Feed/express frequently.
Keeping the milk moving is really important, so frequent feeds are a great way of preventing problems. A longer gap between feeds than you're used to, or skipping a feed, can be a danger zone.

•Get well fitting bras.
Incorrectly fitting bras can cause restriction to filling breasts.
Also, bras and clothing that aren't well out of the way during a feed can cause a problem too.

•Check your sleep position.
Sleeping or your front, or potentially your side too, may put pressure on refilling breasts causing inflammation and blockages.

•Look after your ni**les.
Cracks and open sores in ni**les are an entry point for bacteria, which can lead to infection in the breast.

•Try and avoid oversupply.
Lots of expressing (through choice rather than necessity) in those early weeks can cause too much milk. Having an oversupply is a risk factor for blockages and mastitis. One piece suction pumps/let down catchers in the early weeks are causing lots of problems with this.

•Look after yourself.
We know mastitis rates are higher in people that are feeling run down. I know it's really hard, but try and look after yourself and keep stress to a minimum where possible. Eating well, resting, and avoid smoking.

13/08/2025

Great advice from Lucy Webber Feeding Support - IBCLC about engorgement & Mastitis.

11/08/2025

In the UK, a significant percentage of mothers stop breastfeeding before they initially intend to.
While 81% of women in the UK try breastfeeding, only a small fraction, 0.5%, are still breastfeeding at 12 months.
By six weeks, roughly half of UK mothers have stopped breastfeeding. Many women stop breastfeeding earlier than they desire due to various challenges.
Team QEH Infant feeding are here to support you 💜

Breastfeeding grief is real – and it’s time we talked about it

09/08/2025

Breastfeeding support from La Leche League West Norfolk on Monday

Our next meeting will be slightly different, making the most of the nice weather, like previous years, we will be hosting a garden meeting in Outwell. ☀️

Our meetings are open to anyone feeding human milk from pregnancy to weaning. 🌻 If you need specific support, or just looking to socialise with other mothers in the same stage as you, La Leche League is a safe and inviting space where you're guaranteed a warm drink, yummy snack and loving company. ❤️ Siblings are welcome.

This meeting is at a private residence and we therefore request you message to book in and recieve further information.

07/08/2025

Lastly the QEH infant feeding Team…!

We would like to thank all of our colleagues, and the families who we have supported and who have shared their stories and came along to our 🌎 Breastfeeding week Picnic last weekend!

YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!!! 🌟

“I love being part of a team that supports families with their breastfeeding journeys”🤱🏽

“We work together with families to Inform, Empower & Support them with feeding complexities!” ✨

“The infant feeding team are passionate in making women Believe in themselves!” ❤️

-Ruth, Rosie, Julia & Claire 🥰

07/08/2025

Our final story to share for world breastfeeding week 2025 is a lovely inspiring letter written by Danielle to her baby girl… 💖🌟

My darling girl,

As we begin your first week of weaning, I find myself holding both pride and emotion in the same breath. Because this week, during World Breastfeeding Week, we’re closing a beautiful chapter.

For six months, it’s been just me and you. No bottles, no formula, no food. Just my body, your trust, and an unshakable bond that’s grown with every sleepy latch, every quiet night feed, every moment we shared in the dark.

We did it.

Only 1% of UK mums reach six months of exclusive breastfeeding. Not because the rest didn’t try, but because it takes everything. Time. Energy. Resilience. Sacrifice. And love.

And we didn’t have an easy start. We struggled through the uncertainty of your tongue tie unsure if it would work, if it was meant to feel like that, if we’d ever find our rhythm. But we never gave up the fight. Not once. With the amazing support from the feeding team and with the loan of an electric breast pump, we gave it our all.

Somehow, we made it here together. You won’t remember these days, but I always will. The milk-drunk smiles, the comfort of your little body curled against mine, the way you’d reach for me like I was your whole world.

Now, you’re reaching for spoons, eyeing up toast, and ready to taste the world. And while breastfeeding isn’t over, everything is shifting and I just want to honour this moment.

To you, my girl: thank you for trusting me.
To me: I’m proud of you.
To us: we’re the one percent. And that means something.

Here’s to the next messy, magical chapter 🥣🍓

07/08/2025

Another lovely story to share for world breastfeeding week is Tori & Albies journey… ✨💙

I had my little boy in June last year - a first time mum. During my pregnancy I was unsure if I was going to breastfeed, formula feed or combi feed but was just sure that I wanted to do what worked for us. I harvested my colostrum during the last few weeks of pregnancy (which I would recommend to everyone!). When my son was born I wanted to try breastfeeding to see how it went, he latched on with no complications and our feeding journey began. My son had numerous feeds and we were sent home 6 hours after he was born. After a week or so I started to experience some pain, and feeding started to get harder and less comfortable for both me and baby. I was almost ready to give up but was so sad at this thought as I was really enjoying our feeding journey.
I reached out to the infant feeding team who were super helpful! I went into the hospital and saw Claire who spent around 2 hours with me - watching baby feed, helping me try different feeding positions and setting up both of my different breast pumps. She also found that my little boy had tongue tie which was having a big impact (this was then booked in).
I was so so grateful for Claire and the time she spent with me and my baby as if it wasn’t for her I think our feeding journey would have been as short as a couple of weeks. Thanks to Claire I left feeling empowered, supported and determined which led to a successful breastfeeding/pumping journey for a total of 11 months.
I will always be very grateful, it can be very daunting being a first time mum navigating a breastfeeding journey so I’m very grateful that I had the support from the infant feeding team!

07/08/2025

On Brancaster and Triage we support families in the antenatal period and in those precious early hours and days to help get breast feeding off to a good start!

Our new Brancaster ward manager Catherine said…

“We recognise the importance of supporting women with their breastfeeding journey on Brancaster” 🌟

Jess, our digital midwife shared…

“I loved my breastfeeding journey with both my babies!” 😊

The lovely Kim who works across Brancaster, Traige and CDS shared…

“After a tricky start to our journey on NICU, with support we made it to 13 months of breastfeeding” 👏👏👏

And Sarah who works as a maternity support worker and care for babies under NICU transitional care said…

“I did not have a great breastfeeding journey. 18 years ago the support wasn’t available as much as it is now. That is why I am very passionate about supporting women in our care with their own personal feeding journeys xx” 💖

07/08/2025

To continue our staff celebrations for 🌎 Breastfeeding week we spoke with the safeguarding and Mental health team and they enjoyed some biscuits! 💜

Breastfeeding and Mental health struggles can be linked- Adriana wanted to share the below information…

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER) or Breastfeeding aversion and agitation (Aversion)

D-Mer and nursing aversion are not often spoken about and still misunderstood, they can lead women to shorten their breastfeeding journey from their original plans and/or affect their emotional wellbeing, mothers do not often want to ‘just stop breastfeeding’ and this can impact on their mental health and bonding with newborn/infant.

Breastfeeding or Nursing Aversion (aversion) happens when breastfeeding triggers particular negative emotions, such as anger and agitation, skin-crawling sensations and an overwhelming urge to de-latch; women have also reported thoughts of pushing your infant off you or running away. It can occur at anytime in your breastfeeding journey, breastfeeding while pregnant again or when feeding an older infant.

D-MER is understood as an abrupt drop in mood/emotions just before milk release, it often only lasts a few minutes and is always associated with the let-down reflex. Women can experience negative feelings, such as range from feelings from sadness to hating oneself, often focuses on 3 themes: depression, anxiety and anger. Recent studies found the phenomenon can be relates to dopamine drop, oxytocin urge and mothers with D-MER had more often higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and previous severe mental health illness.

Support is available please reach out and check the resources below:
- https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/zainab-yate-nursing-aversion/
- https://www.breastfeedingaversion.com/copy-of-what-can-help
- https://laleche.org.uk/dont-enjoy-breastfeeding/
- https://d-mer.org/
- https://nestcollaborative.com/blog/dealing-with-breastfeeding-aversion/
- https://breastfeeding.support/negative-feelings-d-mer-aversion

Adriana shared that…

“Breastfeeding supports mum and babies bonding and mental health for mum and infant” 👶🏼🥰

07/08/2025

Today marks the last day of World Breastfeeding week, we hope you've enjoyed reading some of the lovely stories we have shared, here we have lovely Emily's next.

After giving birth to my 4th and final baby I decided that I really wanted to give breastfeeding a go. I’d never done it before with my first 3 children as they were so close in age and I just didn’t think I could. There was a 7 year age gap between my youngest and the new baby and I thought I had to try as she was likely to be the last and honestly it’s the hardest and best thing I ever done. I had no expectations and was just prepared to do it for the first week or so. After that first week I was so proud of us both I wanted to continue. I done endless research on Facebook, YouTube videos, books as I wanted it work so badly and wanted to educate myself the best I could. This meant I could teach myself and my baby how to breastfeed.

I was extremely lucky that feeding went quite smoothly for us once we had her tongue tie fixed. This wasn’t picked up on until a little bit later after we had seen Terri and Claire from the infant feeding team for some help with her latch. Their help was invaluable. She was treated for thrush before she could have the procedure and after that it was just so natural for us both.

6-8 weeks in I really struggled. The sleepless nights, the cluster feeding and having 3 older children to take care of I started expressing and giving bottles but she would refuse the bottle and we would end up exclusively breastfeeding for 10 whole months. I remember with every feed our bond getting so much stronger and every sleepless night was worth it even if it didn’t feel like it at the time! She started nursery at 10 months old and took to a bottle and our feeding journey came to an end but I am so proud of us both for getting as far as we did considering I had never done it the last 3 times! Looking through these pictures of one of her first feeds and one of her last it still amazes me that we made it that far. I would encourage any new mum to try if it’s what they want, even if it's not their first baby and ask as many questions as they need to and research. Having that knowledge really gave me that confidence and determination I never knew I had 🥰😍
Thankyou, Emily

06/08/2025

Our maternity triage and Day assessment unit see lots of women toward the end of their pregnancy and here’s how Leah supports them to get breastfeeding of to a good start…

“I make sure women are given antenatal hand expressing packs!”

Teighlor works across maternity triage and Brancaster ward and said…

“I enjoy supporting families with their feeding journey in their first days and I ask the infant feeding team for support when needed” 💜

Catherine is one of our fabulous Professional Midwifery advocates and used to be based on the Waterlily birth unit. She wanted to share…

“Seeing the birth-crawl when a baby starts feeding is awe-inspiring” ✨

💡 Did you know babies go through 9 stages after birth: Birth Cry, Relaxation, Awakening, Activity, Crawling, Resting, Familiarisation, Suckling and Restful Sleep!
There are some really good YouTube videos showing these and the breast-crawl!