Midwife Keri

08/07/2025

Meeting a midwifery legend!

I met Caroline when I was pregnant with my first baby… and I got to meet her again pushing baby number 3 around!

She written a wonderful new book…. If you haven’t already please check it out!!!

17/01/2025

A Great Resource….

This is a great website for both parents and professionals about safe sleeping. There are info sheets available in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Japanese & Romanian!!!

Check out the link here…

https://www.basisonline.org.uk/basis-information-sheets/

16/01/2025

03/01/2025

What a tough few weeks!

This is my third baby, and third baby I have breastfed. BUT I’ve learnt that no matter how many children you have each one is entirely different! William had a tongue tie which has been snipped twice. We are now at 6 weeks old and finally feel that we have nailed it. But it’s been hard, really hard.

I want to share the reality of how hard it has been. It has hurt, been painful and there were times along the way that I was about to “give up” and give him a top up of formula. In the end I didn’t need to. I have learnt and want to tell all mums out there that there is never a right or wrong and never to feel like a failure if you do need to give a top up (sometimes it’s needed for your own sanity!)… I think the pressure was created by me. But it was the same pressure and determination that probably has brought me to where I am now!

Feeding your baby no matter what method is hard work, but what you need is reminding that you are doing an amazing job! Keep going!!!

I found that the amazing support from local groups, pages and one of my friends has really kept me going! I also have the most amazing health visitor… Michelle is so encouraging and relaxed it has made me more confident and given me the boost to get me through (especially when other health professionals were quite frankly flapping!!!)

My message today… get to know your baby and your own body, take it easy on yourself and be confident in whatever decision you make!!!

21/12/2024

Milk drunk! William is over 4 weeks old and I think we are getting to know each other in terms of our breastfeeding journey.

Be kind to yourselves on your breastfeeding journey… it’s hard work but I’ve found so much support out there ###

17/12/2024

~~~ Tongue Tie ~~~

We have been in our newborn bubble for the last few weeks and just battling a little as William had a tongue tie. We paid privately to have it snipped but didn’t see much improvement with his latching. We had lots of midwife, health visitor and breastfeeding support visits…. But after a trip to see the NHS tongue tie midwife, Jane (who is AMAZING!)…. I think we have turned a corner!

Poor William has had his TT snipped twice now but we have seen him poke his tongue out lots since the second snip!

I’ll try and do some posts about tongue tie and things to look out for, but if you think your baby has it please look at being referred as it can really impact breastfeeding!

04/12/2024

🪢 CORD KNOTS 🪢

Knots in cords are quite common and normally because of the formation of the cord they don’t get tight enough to cause an impact to baby. The cord is in fluid and itself is made up of a jelly like substance so a quite “springing”.

I’ve seen quite a few knots as a midwife, normally “true” knots but I don’t think I’ve seen one like William’s before!

Was there a knot in your baby’s cord?! If so send me a picture and I can do a collage of knots!!!

03/12/2024

Welcome to the world baby boy… introducing William Arthur. Now two weeks old!

My birth experience wasn’t entirely what I wanted as I didn’t get my home birth due to “staffing” reasons… so I was really upset that my choice had been taken from me - ironically something that I am always fighting for.

However, I did birth in the pool and it was lovely to have Jo, who I trained with as my midwife. His head was breathed out and 4 1/2 minutes later his body gently made its way out!

William had a cord around his neck and a whopper of a knot in it too…. (I’ll post a picture soon!)…

Both me and William have been in hospital too, him with low blood sugars and jitteriness and me with raised b/p. William also had a tongue tie that we have paid privately and had snipped, so now looking at learning out latching a bit better.

Now we are home and settling in as a family of 6!

🩷🩷🩷💙

16/11/2024

Homebirth Services

I’m sharing my personal story….

I currently live in Tameside after having all my care under Northern Care Alliance (Oldham), which is the area I used to practice in as an NHS community midwife. I provided care in community to those in Rochdale and sometimes covered Oldham and ROH birth centre.

At around 36 weeks our house sale finally completed and I moved just over the geographical border (an imaginary line!) into Tameside.

I’ve had my first little girl at home in the water (when I lived in Tameside)… Oldham midwives provided care throughout. My second little girl was planned for homebirth but born in hospital in the water (that’s another story!)

This pregnancy is always planned a homebirth and my community midwife was so supportive and was going to be on call for me throughout.

As soon as I moved my whole care plan changed…..

🙄 Oldham refuse to cover me as I’m out of area
🙄 Tameside say they offer a homebirth service but the reality is it’s a patchy service with no guarantee due to “staffing”
🤔 You need should have the same staffing ratio wherever you birth
🤔Tameside are saying my “choice” is that if I ring in Labour and no midwife to attend… I would be expected to get into a car and drive to their birth centre (an unfamiliar place where I don’t particularly want to give birth…. Home is my preference
🤰🏼I have requested they look at options including hiring bank or an independent midwife to cover the on calls (as other trusts in the U.K. have done)… they refuse to do this

I understand that staffing is an issue but this can’t be at the detriment of what midwifery stands for:women’s choice! Why not postpone other procedures… why does homebirth which is the most beautifully natural thing have to suffer?!

I’ve raised this and am now working with and to look at improving maternity services.

I have also raised with Heads of Midwifery (over 2 weeks ago!) of both trusts (not heard anything back directly from them)

My MP is also aware.

This shouldn’t be happening and links in with the rubbish way women are treated in a system which is failing them!

15/11/2024

Ready to make use of this soon 🤞🏼

I used with both of my girls as I donated my breast milk alongside breastfeeding them.

There are lots of brands and different types of pumps out there… my best advice is to research them!! This one works for me but it might not for others…. Sometimes it’s a bit of trial and error!

Different brands have different suction settings, speeds and lots more!

Have any questions about breast pumps?!

Post them below 👇🏼

Ps this is not a paid ad! It’s me buying a product and being open about how it worked for me!

29/10/2024

And it’s up!!!! Ready to go…. My calm space and the place I want to give birth!

💜💜💜💜💜

29/10/2024

🍹🌱Raspberry Leaf Tea🌱🍹

If you don’t particularly like it as a traditional “tea”… then try this….

Raspberry leaf tea bags x 2
Lemonade
Blueberries
Mint leaves
Demerara Sugar (optional!)

I’ve used Raspberry Leaf Tea bought from

Although there is more research needed, some smaller studies show that it can help strengthen your uterus, help with nausea and lessen bleeding after birth! And aside from that it’s full of vitamins and antioxidants and tastes pretty nice!