Nicola Coles-Carr IBCLC

12/05/2025

La Leche League GB is launching a new free newsletter for healthcare professionals. it will be approx quarterly, and brief! You can sign up here if you’d like to receive it - you’re very welcome to share the link with colleagues:

http://bit.ly/LLLGBhcp

26/03/2025

Before pumps were invented, if you couldn't nurse, you expressed milk by hand (...) this method is still common."

📚The Art of Breastfeeding
9th Edition
(La Leche League International, 2024)

🧡 This sculpture - Idole de fécondité - from the 4th millennium BC is a wonderful depiction of a mother hand expressing milk into a bowl.

📨 Comment 'hand' to get the link to our Hand Expression article in your inbox.

📷 Photo (C) RMN-Grand Palais / Hervé Lewandowski

[Image description: sculpture of a seated woman with her hands on her breasts. There is a bowl balanced on her lap to collect the milk she is expressing.]

26/03/2025

Lovely client testimonial 🥰:

“Having had no struggles feeding our first baby, it came as a shock that it was such a different experience with our second little boy. He was fractious and distressed during and after feeding and had lost considerable weight. I had spoken with the GP, health visitors and also attended a feeding clinic before finding Nicola. Nicola came to visit us at home and helped us. She was incredibly sensitive, knowledgeable and listened to our concerns and preferences regarding feeding. Following Nicola’s visit, and with her ongoing support, we were able to achieve healthy weight gain and continue breastfeeding. We are enjoying watching our boy grow and thrive and this would not have been possible without her support.” Lydia

31/12/2024

31/12/2024

Important information for anyone breastfeeding and baby wearing 💕

😯 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.

Daisy 💚

Credit and thanks to for the wording and putting this post together 🙌🏻

09/10/2024

When out walking the dog I saw a mum walking down the road, baby in arms, pushing a pram with her free hand. Oh how I remember this, struggling along with the pram steering with 1 hand, trying to fully support baby with the other. By the time baby 2 came along I had a much more realistic attitude and didn’t even get the pram out of the roof space - I just walked with a sling / baby carrier.

Mums / Dads, please don’t worry if this is what happens when you go walking - this is NORMAL. It won’t always be like this. It will change. You will get to a time where your baby sits and looks out and you can chat to them and point out things and they may even fall asleep while you push them - yes this miracle will likely happen….. with time.

But your young baby - particularly in that 4th trimester phase - is unlikely to be happy with this situation. They are just biologically and psychologically not ready for long stretches out of arms yet. It’s ok. If that’s the case, a sling might work better right now, the pram can wait a little bit, or maybe keep the pram for naps in the living room?

22/09/2024

Preorders are open for the NEW Art of Breastfeeding – out in October!
SPECIAL PRE-ORDER price £15.99.
This new edition of our classic bestseller brings generations of wisdom to today’s parents, with up-to-date information, new illustrations, and stories from mothers, fathers, and grandparents around the world who share their own experiences. An essential for new parents!

By choosing to buy from LLLGB Shop you are helping to fund LLLGB's work supporting breastfeeding mothers, parents and babies. Any profit goes directly to LLLGB.

https://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/store/p258/Art-of-Breastfeeding.html

20/09/2024

Nicely summarised - thank you!! 💕

20/09/2024

Just spent an amazing two days at the LCGB conference!! Super amazing presenters and talks, great discussions and lovely meeting others passionate about all things lactation! 💕

02/09/2024