Your Midwife UK

22/07/2025

Ready for another fantastic day in my clinic at . Info and bookings on www.yourmidwife.co.uk

19/07/2025

Once a tongue tie has been identified (often by the lactation consultant you’re working it) it’s often recommended that the tissue forming the frenulum be clipped, revised, or released. This it’s not always a magic wand to fixing all of the breast-feeding or bottlefeeding issues that a baby is experiencing. There are three components that need to happen for a baby to be able to effectively feed: strength, range of motion, and coordination of the muscles of the lips, tongue, and cheeks. For a baby that has good strength and range of motion of the tongue but the tie is restricting the ability for the tongue to move in all directions, having the tongue immediately released often is an overnight miracle cure to many of the issues seen with feeding. However, for those babies that also have a head turn preferences, low tone or high tension in the body, reduced strength and difficulties coordinating their mouth muscles, just having the ties released alone is not an instant fix. Some may even find that feeding gets worse before it gets better. Other therapies and specialists may need to be seen in order to be able to get feeding back on track and optimal. This may include chiropractors, cranial sacral therapist, physical and occupational or speech therapist as well suck training or oral motor exercises. Make sure whoever you are seeing who feels like you baby is tied is making the appropriate referrals and setting up realistic expectations based on what your baby can and cannot do.

01/07/2025

Just because a bottle “looks like a breast” doesn’t mean it works like one.
That tea that promises to double your milk supply? It might just double your bathroom trips.
And that pump marketed to “boost supply”? If only it were that easy

The baby industry is a multibillion dollar machine—and it thrives on your worry, your hopes, and your late-night Googling. Everyone wants your dollar bucks, and the promises can be really convincing when you’re tired and just trying to do your best

That said—some products are great. Tools like well-designed pumps, bottle warmers, or milk collection cups can be game-changers if they support your feeding goals and don’t just add more clutter (and confusion) to your counter. The key is balance: buy what works for your family, not what the algorithm insists you need

And if something you’ve bought isn’t working like it promised? Don’t keep pushing through—seek help from an IBCLC. We can help troubleshoot before frustration takes over or supply dips.

✨You don’t need every product. You need support, solid info, and a setup that works for you.✨

’tFallForTheMarketing

15/06/2025

07/06/2025

❗ REMINDER: How to prepare powdered formula safely

It’s and the theme is putting science into action, as science can help us prevent diseases from food

We’re proud to have collaborated on the study “The safety of at home powdered infant formula preparation: A community science project” led by Swansea University

The study explored the safety of infant formula preparation practices compared to NHS guidelines. Around half of the 143 parents (74 people) used infant formula preparation machines, while the remaining 69 parents used kettles to boil the water for infant formula preparation.

85% of the 74 infant formula preparation machines tested by parents in UK homes did not appear to produce water that would be hot enough to kill any harmful bacteria in the infant formula powder, and could pose a serious risk to infant health

For the 69 parents in the study who used a kettle to heat the water used to prepare infant formula, 22% reported water temperatures that were not hot enough to kill any harmful bacteria in the infant formula powder

Remember: the safest way to prepare a bottle of formula is to use water that has been boiled in a kettle and is still at least 70 degrees

This and other infographics developed by the study team can be found here: https://www.firststepsnutrition.org/making-infant-milk-safely

01/06/2025

🧡 Giugno è il Mese Mondiale della Consapevolezza sull’Infertilità 🧡

Ma per milioni di persone, l’infertilità non guarda che mese è.

È ogni test negativo che distrugge la speranza.
Ogni sorriso finto che indossi quando qualcun altro annuncia una gravidanza.
Ogni ciclo che finisce con il cuore spezzato.
Ogni “rilassati e accadrà” che ti fa venir voglia di urlare.
Ogni viaggio solitario verso casa dopo un altro appuntamento.
Ogni sogno che hai seppellito silenziosamente dentro al petto.

E l’infertilità non è sempre solo “non riuscire a rimanere incinta”.
A volte è il bambino che hai perso prima ancora di poterlo tenere tra le braccia.
È quel battito che prima tremolava… e poi non più.
È la nascita senza vita che ha cambiato per sempre chi sei.

A volte l’infertilità è già avere un figlio e sentirsi dire che dovresti “solo essere grata”,
come se l’amore che provi per uno potesse cancellare il dolore di non riuscire ad averne un altro.
L’infertilità secondaria è reale.
E fa male in un modo che è difficile spiegare, a meno che tu non lo abbia vissuto.

L’infertilità non è solo medica. È emotiva. Mentale. Spirituale.
È un trauma.

Quindi, se qualcuno che ami sta percorrendo questa strada,
non dirgli di “restare positivo”.
Non offrire consigli vuoti.
Non presumere di sapere cosa sta provando.
Semplicemente, resta accanto.
Semplicemente, abbi cura.

E se sei tu a camminare su questa strada:
non sei rotta.
non sei meno di nessun altro.
non sei sola.
E, indipendentemente da ciò che dice il mondo, tu sei una madre.
La tua forza è senza pari.
Il tuo cuore è impavido.
E la tua storia non è finita.

L’infertilità non ti definisce.
Ma il tuo amore?
La tua lotta?
Il tuo coraggio nel continuare ad andare avanti?

Quello sì, ti definisce.

14/05/2025

Did you know that a third of babies won’t have slept all night by 12 months?

It is too easy to compare yourself and your baby to others. But every baby is different, and this means their sleep patterns differ greatly too.

The truth is, babies wake up for their own safety. Encouraging your baby to sleep longer or deeper than their stage of development could be dangerous, and may increase the risk of SIDS.

Every baby is so different – so don’t compare yours to others, or feel like you’re doing something wrong. Remind yourself, this Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, that you, like all of us, are doing the best you can.💛

Learn more about baby sleep patterns 👉 https://bit.ly/41CMWGV

23/04/2025

Getting vaccinated while pregnant helps protect you and your baby. ❤️

Speak to your maternity team, or visit our website to find out more:
www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/maternity-information

25/03/2025

Our second WBTi report found many gaps in the high-level training standards for nurses, doctors, dietitians and pharmacists (this would be the required minimum knowledge for those qualifying).

The red squares indicate that breastfeeding/infant feeding topic is not required in their training standards. Yellow indicates it is unclear or partially included. Green means it is included.

So many of our health care professionals have little to no training around infant feeding.

Midwifery training has a strong cluster of breastfeeding knowledge and skills, as do BFI accredited health visitor university programmes.

We recommend that all health visitor university training should meet BFI standards, and that other health professions should address the gaps in their requirements.

Read all about it in our new report (see also Part 2 for more details)

https://ukbreastfeeding.org/wbtiuk2024/

22/03/2025

18/03/2025