Leith's Lactation Consultants

27/07/2025

The family and I are moving to Plymouth next month and it's always a bit sad to move away. Lots of things change whilst much remains the same and as I make my list of things to do it strikes me how desite every human being born as babies, and how infrequently people move, oddly, the world is organised to embrace moving house but not having a baby.

I have to call the council tax people, the electric, the insurance people, the NMC, the GMC, the ATP, the DVLA, HMRC, find a new GP, get prescriptions sorted for the crossover, get referrals made for my more exciting medical issues, find a new place to dispose of sharps, fund out the new recycling schedule and the world is organised where all I need do for most of these is fill out a form that takes less than 2 mins. The information is clear, easily available and in one place and contemporary.

Now imagine you have a baby that is "fussy" and spitting up a lot. You speak to the hv, gp, or midwife and "as long as they are gaining weight..." No one cares. How insane is that. How reductionist. How wilfully ignorant. Your household crumbles as everyone is exhausted as now all that apparently matters is weight gain. Adults diet suffers, blood pressure increases, hygiene deteriorating cleanliness of the house and shopping goes downhill.

All you seem to do is laundry and carry your 'fussy' baby. You buy anything that promises sleep. The Amazon man waves at you now. You feel like you are failing and your GP asks you if you are "a new mum", with a sympathetic face as if it's your first time riding the bus alone and you feel pathetic. You cry, it's too much, you're tired, you've followed all the advice, you've tried all the magic potions in the pharmacy that 'might work'. You've tried all the overexpensive formulas for hungry babies, lactose intolerant babies, dairy allergic babies, refluxy babies, you have spent a small fortune experimenting on your baby with anything you think could possibly make a positive difference. Every so often your baby smiles at you and you fiercely love that baby. You're scared to tell anyone you're sometimes convinced they made a mistake letting you take this wonderful child home because you are sure you are getting it all wrong.

Your GP doesn't know any better than you. Your GP wants you to feel better. They may consult The GP Infant Feeding Network (UK) | A Website to Assist Primary Care Practitioners with Best Practice in Infant Feeding https://share.google/T0nYgKyYwtmTGNnhk they may suggest you delegate more and try to get some rest but you can't bear to think of someone trying to settle your baby and just having to comfort them even more overtired, or possibly, whomever you delegate to could be more competent, further confirming your fears you aren't good enough!

Your GP may suggest antidepressants. Is this the first step in you being declared an unfit mum?

As a midwife, a psychologist, an IBCLC, I want children's centres back. I'm reminded back when I was training as a midwife reading about how la Leche league started and how a new Mum was sure she was doing it wrong and called. The LLL leader invited her round with the baby. Her kids were all older and from being welcomed in to the choas of a household with children running about and veing installed at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, laundry mid sorting, all the machines running and one of the children always seemingly asking a question, she looked around in awe.

Motherhood isn't the same for any two mothers but child development is constant, tiring and challenging. Babies can't see pastel colours. Cream carpets are stupid. Anything that can't go in the dishwasher or washing machine is going to have to toughen up to survive. They had a frank conversation about the lore of having children compared with the reality. And if you have a child with additional needs, this hits even harder. You never see a hoist or NGT tube in a toy advert or on the adverts for Disneyland do you?

Where are the experts? What is daft "woo" you should steer clear of? What is myofunctional therapy? Why is all the guidance propped up by charities not a cornerstone of what the government provides?

Resources – Birth To 5 Matters https://share.google/rQY20vEYlOhTld91t

The Pregnancy Book | HSC Public Health Agency https://share.google/zenbTnTkNtqD3UFCT

Birth to five | HSC Public Health Agency https://share.google/ykkth7dJCRa4EgUWX

Infant milks for parents & carers — First Steps Nutrition Trust https://share.google/F92N5HojCzPxez1Hw

Sling Pages - find your local sling resources to help your carry your baby! https://share.google/pWou45uLjCGbgCRHs

A Website to Assist Primary Care Practitioners with Best Practice in Infant Feeding

16/07/2025

I am going to print this and put ut on the fridge!

08/02/2025

I'm finally feeling settled in Billericay. I've found a great place for local fresh produce and eggs and the pups have explored lots more parks!

26/11/2023

26/11/2023

Happy to be back to work :)

26/11/2023

As we head into "pass-the-newborn" season, here's a public service announcement: Our babies often respond to being held by people who have an unfamiliar voice or smell by protesting (crying) and then shutting down. Many babies sleep most of the time and don't eat much. And that might make this Friday a catch-up all- day nursing day. Possible solutions: babywear because you really have to invade personal space to even see the baby. Or, you can stay home if that works for your new, growing family (you can blame me!) If you are going to celebrate, make sure you smooch everyone who holds the baby- you know, so you can make secretory IgA against whatever illness they may have. Breastmilk is infection protection!
Have happy, blessed and secretory IgA -filled holidays!

14/05/2023

"Adults don’t “sleep through the night”

Around 70% of adults wake up to use the bathroom at least once per night. (Weiss, 2012)

It is widely accepted by scientists and sleep experts that adults wake at night between sleep cycles, but don’t remember this. Fitbit claim the average wake number is 8 – 11 times. Other sources describe 3 – 6 times per night as normal.

When we talk about a baby sleeping through the night, we actually mean they are able to connect their sleep cycles without support from an adult.

Remember, when you stir at night, you can grab a sip of water, adjust the covers, change your position, turn the light on if you’re scared... a baby can’t do these things.

There ARE things we can do to support babies with connecting their sleep cycles, though. Things like making sure they’re going to bed warm enough, using background noise, and responding to their cries for help, as well as exposing them to different sleep cues (So they don’t ONLY fall asleep on the breast, but sometimes in a sling, with another adult, or in a cot, for example.)

Above all though – it is NORMAL for all humans to wake at night. It’s just our little ones need some help getting back to sleep, and that is also normal. If you’re happy to feed, rock, follow safer bedsharing guidance, and contact nap then you are doing nothing wrong at all.

If you want to learn more about how to support your child's sleep in a holistic way, check out my pre-recorded webinar: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lucyruddle/e/124254

14/05/2023

There's a reason babies can be so very cute

4 months from the baby's point of view (actually can be anywhere between 3-6 mths)

You're over the first few weeks, breastfeeding is beginning to be a bit easier, baby is starting to stretch out their feeds a little at night, they are becoming more efficent in the day, the smiles are coming thick and fast. Life is good. I'm nailing this....

Then BOOM! 4 months hit. OMG. What is this about? Have I broken my baby?

I make it no secret that I find this age incredibly challenging myself, when I'm supporting families. Let me share with you my list of gripes.

The 4 month baby:
* I will only feed for 3 mins & 21 seconds to ensure this is not long enough to settle me to sleep.
* During these 3 mins & 21 seconds I shall come off the breast multiple times to smile, look at the lights, see what's on TV, oo there's a cat ...
* My mum has to find another way to settle me to sleep. No, I hate the buggy. Rocking, no don't be silly, ah the sling. But I will resist, resist, re..... zzzz
* Now I am asleep I will spend only 20 mins asleep before something wakes me up.
* I will then want another nano-feed to recover from the indignation of having succumbed to a nap.
* Now what, entertain me parent! No don't put me down. No I don't want that, I want that. Actually I don't want that can I have the first thing? No that's rubbish too, what else can I do? I would like to go over there but I can't. No don't put me down. Oh actually I can practice my rolling, yay aren't I clever? Oh I want to roll back. I can't roll back, roll me back. Now! Ah thats better. But I want to go over there. I will roll. Now I cant get back! Put me back! Maybe I better have another nano feed to recover.
* What do you mean its bed time? Oh no, I will resist, resist. I want to play. Oo look at that cat. Aw I love you mum. This breastfeed will. not. make. me.... sleeep.... zzzz
* Oh why am I in my cot? Help! Where are you? Oh you're just there. Need a feed. to. go back. to.....sleep.....zzzz
* Oh I'm sleepy, I want to roll over, thats nice I'm on my front.....
I DON'T WANT TO BE ON MY FRONT, I can't get back, turn me over NOW!! Ah thats better. Better have a feed to. help. me. back. to.....sleep zzz.

Repeat