Rachel Alred - Listening Doula

22/12/2025

Wishing you all a merry Christmas and see you in the New Year 🎄❤️

It’s time for me to take a break from this page and enjoy some time with my family and friends over the next couple of weeks.

What a year 2025 has been with welcoming H into our family 🥰 and C starting school. I feel so very lucky and have so much gratitude for all the highs and lows we have experienced this year and getting to experience the rollercoaster that is postpartum for the second time.

I can’t believe that my maternity leave is almost at an end and H will be settling into nursery at the start of the new year. I don’t feel ready for that, but do you ever? It’s another milestone to embrace and navigate.

That saying is so true how the days and nights can feel long but the years feel short. How will H be 1 in Feb?!

For now I am going to just try to be as present as I can, try to rest a bit and enjoy our first Christmas as a family of 4 ❤️

Hope you all can take some time for you over the festive period and enjoy time with those you love.

Rachel x

16/12/2025

Please be aware that although we will be open over the Christmas and New Year period, there will be a few changes to our normal opening hours:

December 24th: Telephone support using the on call number (07903 174 429) only from 12pm. The infant feeding drop-in at Farcliffe will not be running on this day.
December 25th and 26th: CLOSED
December 31st: Telephone support using the on call number (07903 174 429) only from 2:30pm. The Farcliffe drop-in will be running as normal.
January 1st: CLOSED.

Remember that The Breastfeeding Network (UK) has a helpline that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They can be reached on 0300 100 0212. You can also DM them - look for on Instagram or Facebook.

04/12/2025

MNVP is recruiting!

The Bradford District and Craven Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership is looking for a Neonatal Engagement Lead!

The Neonatal Engagement Lead will join the Partnership to help us develop and improve neonatal care based on the views and experiences of families at Airedale Hospital and at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

The Neonatal Engagement Lead role will work a minimum of two days per week focused on Airedale NHS Foundation Hospital Trust and a minimum of two days per week focused on Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This could be one person operating across both hospitals, or two people, each focused on a single hospital but working closely, sharing learning and insight. The role will be fixed-term for a maximum 6-month period ending no later than 30 June 2026. The role is remunerated at £150 / a day, and it's important to note that this is a self-employed position, which means the post-holder will be responsible for managing their personal income tax responsibilities.

Want to know more? See the full job description and details for applying: https://bradfordvcsall-my.sharepoint.com/.../IQCLg52wIcr7...

Deadline: End of day, Wednesday 10 December 2025.

The role is also listed on Snicket - Pathway to employment: https://snicket.org/jobs/neonatal-engagement-lead-with-mnvp/

Please share with anyone you feel may be interested in this role. Thank you 😊

20/11/2025

It's cold out there this week! If you wrap up warm and brave the weather this Friday, we will be waiting for you at The Rockwell Centre from 10am -12pm.

We had a lovely session for Baby Week last week, and are looking forward to welcoming you all again this week. There will be warm drinks, toys, and good company! No need to book a place or commit to coming to a number of sessions - simply turn up.

If you have any questions, please give us a ring on 01274 287 968.

10/11/2025

❤️9 months of Breastfeeding Henry❤️

Today I got my ruby b***s 🥰

It feels like a lot has happened since I got my silver b***s (6 months) as we have navigated some hurdles that could have impacted negatively on our feeding journey including surgery for my gall bladder removal. I actually think my recovery was aided by the fact Henry was breastfeeding, thank you oxytocin!

We have also had teeth coming through and position changes as a result, alongside managing biting, ni**le twiddling, pinching, pulling down and pulling off (mostly in public), juggling feeds around offering solid food as well as illness.

Henry is still fed responsively, fed to sleep mostly and still wakes to feed during the night. We have no plans to stop anytime soon and I’m just embracing the journey 🥰

Oh how grateful I am for it all and I will always be thankful for the intensive support we received at the start as well as continued support from friends, peers and colleagues.

I had to draw on that support recently as I had a solo trip with some of my oldest friends which meant 4 nights away from my boys. Henry had a freezer stash as well as some ready made formula and he had started eating his solids but I totally underestimated the impact it would have on me physically and emotionally.

It was so wonderful to have some quality time with friends but I could not fully relax and enjoy it as the pumping, uncomfortable b***s waking me up at night and hand expressing into public toilets did take its toll.

I’m lucky I have a good supply and although there was a noticeable dip when I got home, it quickly resolved and Henry was immediately back on the breast ❤️

Wherever you are at on your feeding journey I’m celebrating you today too! 🥳

If you are struggling or yet to start please seek out the support that’s available in your area. My DM’s are always open and I can signpost you in the right direction 😊

Swipe for photos of a recent feed, a feed on day 1, 9 months out compared to 9 months in 🥰❤️

15/10/2025

Hi Friends and Followers 👋🏻

⭐️Can you help? ⭐️

The Eldwick School Association (ESA) is looking for Raffle Prizes for the Winter Fair.

The ESA are a registered charity and raise vital funds to support with the Children’s learning, development as well as fun activities that the children enjoy.

If you are able to please message me or email eldwickesa@gmail.com 🎄

Many thanks ❤️🥰

14/10/2025

13/10/2025

There are so many lovely things about the changing of the seasons, but alongside the leaves changing colour, pumpkin patches and cosy nights with warm drinks comes a big downside: colds.

You can, of course, catch a cold any time of year, but there's no denying that they seem to be everywhere at the moment! And if you're breastfeeding, there are a few important things to know before you reach for the medicine cupboard.*

💊If you need pain or fever relief, it is safe to take paracetamol or ibuprofen at normal adult doses. You should not take pain relief containing aspirin and should not take codeine.
💊Decongestant tablets, powders, and drinks are not recommended when breastfeeding. Taking these can reduce your milk supply, so step away from the Lemsip!
💊You can, however, use decongestant nasal sprays. These work locally in your nasal passages, so have no effect on milk supply. Another good alternative is steam inhalation - this can help provide temporary relief when you are congested.
💊Check the ingredients in cough syrups carefully, as some of these are okay to take while breastfeeding, but others, such as Bronchostop, use thyme herb extract, which may affect milk supply. You can refer to The Breastfeeding Network's Drugs in Breastmilk Factsheets for more information on specific ingredients.
💊It is not recommended to apply vapour rubs to your chest if you are breastfeeding.
💊Throat lozenges, sprays, and pastilles are considered safe to take while breastfeeding.

If you are currently fighting off a cold, we hope you feel much better soon!

*The information presented here is from:
https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/factsheet/cold-remedies/ -relief
The Breastfeeding Network's factsheets are evidence based and the service is run by registered pharmacists. We encourage you to read the full fact sheet, and to consult a registered health professional if you have any queries or concerns.

10/10/2025

❤️World Mental Health Day❤️

H turned 8 months old today 💙
8 months of being a mum of 2 boys 🧒 👶
8 months of breastfeeding 🤱
8 months+ of little sleep 😴

I’m going to be vulnerable and share that the last few weeks my mental health has taken a bit of a dip (photo 2 taken a couple of weeks ago).

Anxious thoughts crept in, tearful episodes brought on by the smallest thing and feelings of low self esteem and confidence.

Postpartum hormones, breastfeeding, lack of sleep and a poorly baby have had an impact that had me questioning whether the postnatal anxiety I felt after C was born was returning.

In hindsight I think I have been really lacking any time for me and in need of rest and decent sleep.

I’ve experienced what it’s like to have poor mental health in the past and I know my early warning signs and when to seek help.

Even if it’s just having the conversation with my husband about how I’m feeling, I know I need to share and not keep it bottled up. I’m lucky to have a whole network of friends and close family I can reach out to and I also know where I can access additional support if needed.

Parenting is hard. It’s overwhelming and exhausting. It’s full of the most incredible highs but the lows can be so low you can’t always see how you are going to get through it. But you do, you can and you will.

Today is world mental health day, a day to bring awareness but mental health is something that we need to look after everyday. It doesn’t have to be something big. Just something every day that you enjoy and that’s for you ❤️

Today the universe aligned and myself and H were able to attend a meet up which was exactly what I needed (photo 1). I actually wore “proper clothes” (photo 3) and shared space with other parents, have the deep conversations even though a couple of us had only just met and feel a sense of unity and community along with lovely food and drinks and a great place for all the children to play. My cup has been filled 🥰

If you are struggling please reach out to someone whether that’s friends, family, GP, Health Visitor or any of the following;