Laura Kenny on the BBC discussing breastfeeding

I watched this mornings breakfast show on the BBC and listened to Laura Kenny discussing her experience of breastfeeding and the impact of the struggles she and other women face everyday with establishing breastfeeding.

There was nothing new in this story from others that have made the media in the past and what saddened me most is that in over 35 years in the profession women are still being short changed with advice, experience and support.

There are a variety of excuses given by those in charge of budgets and services, from lack of staff, underfunding, and impacts of situations, such as the pandemic, on maternity services. What is unforgivable though is the education that all NHS staff receive is in the basic standards of knowledge to ensure that trusts are 'Baby Friendly'. This does not equal expertise. This is simply not meeting the needs of families.

I know that as a new infant feeding specialist midwife employed in the NHS, I did not have the knowledge I needed to do my job well and truly support staff and women and their families. I managed to get funding to become and IBCLC and the rest is history.

I truly believe that if we are able to change the breastfeeding rates in the UK we need expert resources to be available to all women, not just those who can afford to go privately.

It is not good enough to say, just try this.... or you tried your best.... All women deserve one on one expertise to empower them to support their baby's breastfeeding and, just as importantly, to understand the 'why' when things do not go well.

We all gain experience from our own stories and journeys, but who is really listening to yours?

I do not charge for a phone chat so if you want to talk about your journey why not call me or perhaps see me in my new Peterborough Breastfeeding and Tongue Tie Assessment Clinic for that one to one?