Polly Smith IBCLC

06/06/2025

So excited for Hayley, a lovely mum I supported, taking on this role. She will ace it 🤩

20/05/2025

New study for people who have experienced birth or breastfeeding trauma

I am working with Bournemouth uni to support a brilliant PhD into breastfeeding experiences and birth trauma. Abi has been looking at experiences of birth and breastfeeding and how birth trauma and breastfeeding experience can intertwine.

We've shared earlier findings around how a good breastfeeding experience can sometimes help heal a difficult birth, but also that sometimes women feel pressure not to breastfeed even when they want to (and vice versa some feel pressure to breastfeed when they don't want to).

For this part of her PhD she is interested in exploring the experiences of those who wanted to breastfeed after birth but felt that this was not understood or dismissed by health care professionals.

This might include reasons such as not understanding how important it was to you, thought they were doing the right thing by not putting 'pressure' on you, or there simply not being the time to sit and talk things through to make a plan.

The aim is to understand how women feel in these situations and develop some recommendations for training around supporting breastfeeding when women really want to do it. even if there are complications or challenges.

Abi is hoping to conduct a few more interviews. If you gave birth between 2018–2023 and felt your wish to breastfeed was dismissed, she would love to hear from you.

Eligibility criteria include:
• Mothers aged 18+
• Gave birth between 2018–2023
• Wanted to breastfeed (including mixed feeding) but felt unsupported or dismissed by healthcare staff

What’s involved?
A short, confidential interview with the lead researcher to discuss your experiences.

Interested?

Email Abi Wheeler at awheeler@bournemouth.ac.uk

Thank you!

19/05/2025

LIVE! Join me and my LactaLearning co-founder Barbara Robertson on Mon. May 19 at 7 pm EST as we answer your question about becoming a board-certified lactation consultant. To receive a link to our Zoom call, email barbara@lactalearning.com. Hope you can make it! :)

16/05/2025

What could you win in the raffle?

A free 40 minute Zoom Consult on a breastfeeding topic of your choice with Polly Smith IBCLC. International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, providing breastfeeding support. Southampton area and via Zoom.

02/05/2025

New study. Looks interesting 🙂

24/04/2025

WIN TICKETS to the ABM Conference in Birmingham!

We’ve teamed up with First Steps Nutrition to give away FREE tickets to our in-person conference- a day packed with inspiration, learning, and community!

To enter:

Share this post

Tag a breastfeeding advocate in the comments - each tag = 1 entry!

Please note: Winners must be able to travel to Birmingham, UK on 28th June 2025 to attend.

Competition closes 20th May 2025— good luck!

23/04/2025

Joining us for the first time this year, we're very excited to introduce Polly Smith IBCLC. As an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Polly provides baby feeding support across Hampshire. Come along and find out more about how she could support your family.

20/04/2025

Are you breastfeeding your baby in the Southampton area?

I'm applying to the Lottery to fund a new support group in Southampton City centre.

Please complete the link and/or share.

Thank you!

https://form.jotform.com/242602836912355

30/12/2024

Important information

😯 IT'S NOT HANDS FREE! 😯

Breastfeeding/chestfeeding in a sling is NOT hands free. Not what you want to hear?
When people want to breast or chestfeed in a sling, it's usually so they can do something at the same time so want their hands free.

It's not HANDS free, but it IS HAND free. You will have one hand free, and when you become a parent, you know how much you can still do with one!

Depending on the position you choose to feed in, babys head is not supported, this is why you need to do it. Babies head is the heaviest part of their body, and they cannot support it very well.

Covering babies head with the sling or carrier is NOT the solution either. This presses babies head into the breast/chest and doesn't allow them the movement needed to latch and unlatch. It can also be an asphyxiation risk.

When feeding in the sling or carrier, you must monitor baby at all times. Check if they have fallen asleep and resposition them high on your chest upright.

Babies under 4 months, premature, low weight or have medical issues are at a higher risk and it's important to get 1:1 support at all times in these circumstances.

If you do not feel you can monitor baby the whole time then do not try to do something else and stop to feed first.

If you want to learn how to safely feed in your sling or carrier get in touch.

(words copied from Coorie in with love as she said it so well, images from various babywearing consultants and collated by coorie in with love)

06/03/2024

Happy IBCLC day to all my awesome IBCLC colleagues 🤩🤩🤩💜

I've been an IBCLC for over 3 years now. So proud to be living my dream and helping parents to nurse their babies 😍🥰💜

12/01/2024

Love this 😀 ❤

How has your social life changed since having a baby? One of the questions new mothers often ask is how do I socialise with a baby – what have you found worked for you?

We would love to share your answers in our members publication Breastfeeding Matters to encourage others who might need inspiration, so please comment away if you are happy that we do that. And if you wanted to share a photo, please do!

[Two friends having lunch and laughing while they both breastfeed their babies. Text: How has your social life changed since having a baby?]