Infant Feeding & Tongue-tie Clinic by Birth, Baby & You

Infant Feeding & Tongue-tie Clinic by Birth, Baby & You Tongue-tie Assessment, Procedure and Infant Feeding Support

10/04/2025

“If we are brave enough to listen, our children tell us exactly what they need. And it’s simple.⠀
▫️⠀
They need us. They need connection. They need contact. They need security.⠀
▫️⠀
And if we’re being honest, we need the exact same things…we’ve just been taught to bury our feelings. To doubt our instincts. To deny the very customs that make us human.⠀
▫️⠀
We are, after all, social mammals. We’re a carrying species. We’re designed for social sleep.⠀
▫️⠀
It’s biologically normal to nurse a one, two, three or four-year-old to sleep (and through the night).⠀
▫️⠀
It’s developmentally appropriate for an eighteen-month-old to wake multiple times a night.⠀
▫️⠀
It’s physically and psychologically healthy for a mother to fall asleep at 7pm with her child (and as socially inconvenient as it may be, to not want to trade that for going out).⠀
▫️⠀
And yes, it’s hard. But, no it doesn’t make parents “sleep props”. It doesn’t make breastfeeding a “bad sleep association”. It doesn’t make responsiveness a “sleep crutch”. And it doesn’t mean our children have “sleep problems”.⠀
▫️⠀
It means they’re sleeping like babies, not like adults. It means they’re staying in lighter stages of sleep, as nature intended, to naturally protect them from SIDS. It means your nighttime breastmilk is a source of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone that helps babies fall asleep. It means your touch is regulating their physiology, stabilizing their heart rate, modulating their temperature and stimulating their breathing. It means you’re following the path our hunter-gatherer ancestors laid out and parenting through the night in the way your baby needs.⠀
▫️⠀
Because parenting isn’t a set of strategies, it’s a relationship; whether it’s light outside or not. Nighttime parenting, by definition, is half of that relationship. How could different rules apply based on the setting of the sun?⠀
▫️⠀
Before the sun goes down, we respond. After the sun goes down, we ignore. Nonsense.”⠀
▫️⠀
- ‘Nighttime parenting isn’t a set of sleep strategies, it’s a relationship’.

Beautiful image by ❤️

Did you know that there are certain foods that might be worth avoiding, in high quantities, if you are looking for a goo...
10/05/2024

Did you know that there are certain foods that might be worth avoiding, in high quantities, if you are looking for a good milk supply?

Surprisingly, parsley, sage and mint, can negatively impact milk supply for some people (give the mint tea a miss!)❗️

➡️ However, foods that are said to support your milk supply include:

Alfalfa, almonds, anise, asparagus, barley, basil, beets, black seed, borage, caraway, carrots, chaste tree fruit, cherries, chicken broth/soup/stock, chickpeas, coconut, coriander seeds, cumin, dandelion, dill, fennel, fenugreek, flax seeds, garlic, ginger, goat’s rue, green beans, hibiscus, hops, lemon balm, lentils, lettuce, moringa, marshmallow root, millet, molasses, mung, mushrooms, nettle, oats, papaya, peas, pumpkin, quinoa, red clover, red raspberry, rice, sage, seaweed soup, sesame seeds, shatavari, spinach, sunflower seeds, sweet potatoes, thistles, turmeric, and vervain.

In the early days with a new baby, it's important to focus on ONE feed at a time, or even ONE whole day if you must, but...
07/05/2024

In the early days with a new baby, it's important to focus on ONE feed at a time, or even ONE whole day if you must, but there is no need to look past this first week and you definitely do not need to look to the months ahead and weaning...yet!

In my consultations with parents (often in the first few weeks of the baby's life), parents are frequently looking to the future when it comes to feeding and worrying about returning to work and/or weaning.

In order to support your feeding journey, it’s sometimes important to just focus on where you are at the moment.

Newborn babies should be feeding frequently and feeding 8-10 times, or more, in 24 hours is normal.

In this first week, if the baby doesn't seem satisfied, you can try switching back and forth between breasts and use breast compressions to help.

It’s often worth changing a wet nappy in between changing sides, as this will wake the baby up if they are getting sleepy.

Encourage them to keep feeding until they don't want to feed anymore and avoid using formula because the baby is 'still hungry'.

FEED FEED FEED.

The more you feed in this first week, the easier things will be in the weeks to come.

If you are concerned about your baby's feeding or their weight gain, our Lactation Consultant and Infant Feeding Coaches are here to help - Get in touch today.

⭐ We have an online course for parents called 'Infant Feeding and The Fourth Trimester' which is full of useful information about setting up milk supply, learning how to hand express and collect colostrum before the baby arrives, as well as a lot of short films, helpful info on positioning and attachment. DM for details or follow link below.

https://www.birthbabyandyou.co.uk/online-feeding-course-for-parents/

The Infant Feeding Survey tells us that 63% of women wanted to breastfeed longer, but didn’t..... is this something that...
18/03/2024

The Infant Feeding Survey tells us that 63% of women wanted to breastfeed longer, but didn’t..... is this something that you have experienced? 💖

Or did you find the support you needed and continue to breastfeed much longer than you had originally planned? 💖

I would love to hear your stories and hear how long you breastfed your baby for!💖

Happy International Womens’ Day 💛Today and everyday let’s celebrate the incredible achievements, resilience and strength...
08/03/2024

Happy International Womens’ Day 💛

Today and everyday let’s celebrate the incredible achievements, resilience and strength of women worldwide. 💫

Tag a woman below who inspires you and let them know how amazing they are! ⭐

For beautiful mamas with larger breasts or a higher BMI, breastfeeding may come with unique challenges.💛 Women with a hi...
07/03/2024

For beautiful mamas with larger breasts or a higher BMI, breastfeeding may come with unique challenges.

💛 Women with a higher BMI may face delays in lactation initiation and lowered prolactin responses, and women with larger breasts may face extra challenges in finding a good position for the baby to latch correctly.

💛 Positions need to be adjusted for the shape of mum and baby - It’s not a case of one size fits all!

💛 Expressing may be necessary in the early days and weeks, whilst you and your baby get the hang of things.

With the right support, breastfeeding can definitely work for both you and your baby, so reach out and contact us if you would like any support getting it right.

🌸 The desire to breastfeed your baby is strong, with 81% of mothers initiating breastfeeding at birth. 🤱 However....... ...
28/02/2024

🌸 The desire to breastfeed your baby is strong, with 81% of mothers initiating breastfeeding at birth. 🤱

However....... the last UK Infant Feeding Survey reveals a worrying trend in sustaining the breastfeeding journey.

Data shows...

Only 17% of mothers exclusively breastfeed at 3 months,

Only 1% of babies are breastfeed for the recommended 6 months.

Do you think this a reflection of the UK’s views on breastfeeding in public? What barriers have you found to continuing your breastfeeding journey?

Not all feeding problems are a result of tongue-tie and not all tongue-ties require a procedure to correct them, so it’s...
26/02/2024

Not all feeding problems are a result of tongue-tie and not all tongue-ties require a procedure to correct them, so it’s imperative that a tongue-tie is correctly diagnosed by a qualified practitioner, and a frenulotomy is only performed if it is going to be of benefit to your feeding journey.

If you have been told that your baby has a tongue-tie and require a consultation with a tongue-tie specialist with over 20 years of experience, do get in touch today via DM or details in bio.

In certain circumstances, ni**le shields can be a useful tool to support you in continuing to breastfeed. But should be ...
23/02/2024

In certain circumstances, ni**le shields can be a useful tool to support you in continuing to breastfeed. But should be used with caution, after you have sought feeding support from a qualified breastfeeding supporter.

Here are some tips that may help if you are using, or thinking of using ni**le shields:

⭐Choose the Right Size: -It is important to select a ni**le shield that offers a snug fit without causing compression or instability. The size of the shield is based on the size of the ni**le, NOT the baby’s mouth.

⭐Clean the Ni**le Shield: - It is very important to clean all feeding equipment correctly before and after use. However, if you need to use one in a hurry, washing up with hot soapy water is enough, ensure you sterilise at least every 24 hours.

⭐ Moisten the Inside: - Moistening the inside of the ni**le shield with water or breast milk can really help with the comfort of the shield.

⭐ Position the Ni**le Shield: - Centre the shield over the ni**le,. If the shield is oval then ensure it is lined up with the baby’s mouth. NOT in opposition! This is a common mistake, that I see.

⭐ Hold the Shield in Place:- Hold the shield in place with one hand—snug but not too tight.

⭐ Latch the Baby - Guide your baby to the breast, encouraging a deep latch covering both the shield and a portion of the breast.

⭐ Observe Comfort and Milk Flow:- If the baby appears content and is sucking effectively, it indicates a properly fitted ni**le shield.

⭐ Seek Assistance if Needed: - Get advice from a Lactation consultant, if difficulties or pain arise.

I hope these tips are useful, but ALWAYS seek advice from a qualified lactation consultant or Infant Feeding Coach if you are experiencing any difficulties in feeding your baby.

Did you know that it’s perfectly normal for babies to lose 5-7% of their birth weight in the days following birth, and t...
21/02/2024

Did you know that it’s perfectly normal for babies to lose 5-7% of their birth weight in the days following birth, and this is nothing to worry about?

If baby is feeding well, this weight will soon be gained back (and more!) 💛

If you have any worries about the amount that baby is feeding or would like any extra support with feeding technique, please do get in touch as we can offer support in getting to grips with the best way to feed your baby - and trust me when I say - every baby is different, and every feeding journey is unique!

Drop me a DM today if you are looking for feeding support - we’re here to help!

Address

Tunbridge Wells (TN4 0ER) & Brighton (BN2 8DR)
Southborough
TN40ER

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+447754020143

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Infant Feeding & Tongue-tie Clinic by Birth, Baby & You posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Infant Feeding & Tongue-tie Clinic by Birth, Baby & You:

Shortcuts

Share

Category