Steph Richards IBCLC

11/06/2025

Couldn't have said it better myself Kathryn Stagg IBCLC - lactation consultant

05/06/2025

Lysozyme is an enzyme in breastmilk that kills bacteria, and also protects against viruses and fungi. It increases in concentration when your child is about 6 months old, and again after a year.

Both those milestones coincide with increased mobility, when our babies start to explore, when eeeeverything goes in the mouth, and when walking means reaching further away.

Our babies’ immune system is very immature at birth and takes around 6 years to become fully mature. There is emerging evidence that a baby’s immune system can become chronically inflamed if it is required to kick in by itself before it has developed sufficiently.

So the support of protective factors in breastmilk could play a role in the timescale of natural term weaning (when a child stops breastfeeding of their own accord, without outside interruption) which is anywhere between 2ish and 7+ years old.

References and further reading at https://human-milk.com

15/05/2025

24/04/2025

Go on, you know you want to enter!

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!

20/04/2025

Happy Easter!!

If you're boobin, don't forget it's the perfect excuse to have extra Easter eggs this weekend (not that you should need an excuse). Chocolate increases oxytocin.... Oxytocin is needed for milk let down, and makes it easier for baby to access the milk they need, baby removes milk more easily, more milk is removed, milk supply increases! Wahoo!

🥚🥚🐣🐰🍫🍫

05/04/2025

Breastmilk reduces the risks of developing cancer in breastfed babies and breastfeeding parents. What other cool facts do you know about breastfeeding?

Alpha-lactalbumin is the most common whey protein in human milk. It has pain relief and anti-microbial abilities, and anti-viral actions against HIV components.

Also, when Alpha-lactalbumin binds to oleic acid (also found in breastmilk), it changes shape to become what is known as HAMLET (Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made Lethal to Tumour cells).

HAMLET causes the death of cancerous cells when studied in the laboratory.

A protein in breastmilk called lactoferrin also has an anti-tumour effect and has been found to significantly inhibit the growth of some cancerous cells.

Lactoferrin also inhibits infection by Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Cytomegalovirus (Herpes family), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Adenovirus (causes the common cold), Poliovirus, Enterovirus (diarrhoeal virus), and others.

Your body is phenomenal. Follow your gut.

[Edit on Sat April 5th, 10am GMT, following some good questions in the comments:

Breastfeeding is known to reduce the risk of certain childhood cancers, leukaemia for instance. It is also known to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women. It's unfortunately not a guarantee, and the mechanisms that produce this reduction in risk is largely guesswork at this point. You can read more in the references linked below.

We would love to urgently see more research go into this. And alongside this, we call for much more support for women to breastfeed if they want to.]

Find the references and lots more incredible science of breastmilk at https://human-milk.com/pages/science-of-breastmilk

03/04/2025

Really great representation of why teat shape matters!

03/04/2025

Are you worried your baby is swallowing air or is suffering a windy tummy :) a feeding assessment can help to rule out unusual behaviours and lots totally fix some of those windy moments too!

So much worry about babies swallowing air, or passing gas, or feeding patterns.
Something to think about…

02/04/2025

Breastfeeding - not just good for baby, but good for mum/feeding parent too!

Heart disease is the #1 killer of women, so isn’t it wonderful that breastfeeding reduces risk of the most common heart problem later in life? This 2025 study concluded that for women at all income levels, more than 115,000 cardiac cases in China could be prevented if more women breastfed and nursed longer. Read more about it here:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11933698/pdf/43856_2025_Article_806.pdf

31/03/2025

Let’s talk silver cups!

Silver has a history of being great for wound care, so it makes sense to think silver cups might be the magic fix for sore ni***es, right?

There are some benefits—they create a barrier to stop bras and breast pads from sticking to cracked skin, and they feel nice and cool. But here’s the catch: I keep seeing parents struggling with ni***es that just won’t heal, even after splurging on expensive cups.

The big issue? Milk leaks into the cups, leaving ni***es soaking in moisture for long periods. And we know wet skin is unhappy skin - think of what happens if you leave damp socks on too long. Soft, soggy, peeling…(trench foot anyone?!) This breakdown can seriously delay healing.

If your ni***es are white, peeling, or just not getting better, consider giving them some fresh air instead! While some parents swear by silver cups (and that’s great for them!), a little air-drying might be a simpler, cheaper alternative.

07/03/2025

Fun Fact Friday!

As of January 2025, there are 971 IBCLCs in the UK. That might sound like a lot, but in 2023 alone, 591,072 babies were born. While the 2024 birth figures aren’t available yet, they’re likely to be similar, if slightly lower due to declining birth rates.

That’s just one lactation consultant for every 609 newborns. With 52% of families choosing to breastfeed to 6–8 weeks in 2023, each IBCLC could potentially be supporting 300 families in a single year—almost one family per day. But with follow-ups, ongoing support, and essential admin, that’s simply unrealistic.

Although IBCLC numbers are increasing year on year we need even more—to share the load, reach every corner of the country, and ensure every family gets the support they deserve. Of course, in an ideal world, those IBCLCs would be funded by the NHS so that all families had access to the expert help they need, regardless of where they live or their circumstances, but one step at a time eh?

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Some charities, like Breastfeeding Twins and Triplets UK , are doing amazing work by offering funded IBCLC visits, which is a great start in helping families who may face financial barriers to accessing trained breastfeeding support. Follow them to find out more.

If you’re in need of support, there are also some free options. The National Breastfeeding Helpline is available to support families 24 hours a day, providing valuable guidance for those navigating breastfeeding challenges.

05/03/2025

I am proud to be an IBCLC. I am proud to support families in need. I am proud to be part of their journeys, their celebrations, their story!

Has an IBCLC helped you? Tell me below!