With the beginning of the Covid Vaccination programme starting we are hearing lots of questions and concerns about safety and recommendations surrounding this and what this means for pregnant & breastfeeding mums.
As we aren’t medically trained ourselves, we can’t comment directly but have put together a selection of reputable sources to allow you to access further information. Remember this is a developing situation and as more research is completed guidelines may change. If you have any concerns about your individual situation, speak to your health care provider.
Current information from the UK government can be found here
Regularly updated information from The Breastfeeding Network (UK) is here
Theory from Dr.Jack Newman, respected Canadian peadiatrition and Lactation expert is here
As much as we might be enjoying breastfeeding, many mums will want at some point to introduce a bottle.
Perhaps we have a night out planned, dad/partner wants to help out or you just want a bit of a break. All great ‘reasons’ to want to express and give a bottle. However we’ve found many mums worry that giving a bottle will ‘ruin’ breastfeeding or cause problems. Or worry about the right time to do it.
So when is the right time?
We know when bottles are given too soon it can cause what we call ‘nipple confusion’. Babies can struggle to latch back at the breast and become fussy and reluctant to breastfeed. Leave them too late, and a baby that’s been exclusively breastfed for a few months may refuse to take a bottle at all.
It’s really about finding that ‘Goldilocks’ moment…..not to soon, not too late but ‘just right’.
When there’s not a clinical need to supplement via bottle, we’d encourage waiting around 4-6 weeks before introducing a bottle. At this stage we find the majority of babies have perfected their art with breastfeeding and are able to switch more successfully between breast and bottle. Bottle feeding is physically much easier- they’ll get a bigger reward (a quick full tum) for less effort, and after all they are just little humans and who doesn’t want an easier way?!
Babies also latch very differently on a breast than they do on a bottle. They don’t take the same big mouthful of the bottle- which is why many of the ‘closer to the breast’ bottles aren’t always accepted by babies. There’s no bottle that works better for a breastfed baby, it’s a bit of trial and error, but we’ve found a pound shop bottle often works well- so start off cheap!!!
By this stage, they are pretty efficient breast feeders, so less likely to get a bottle preference, but there’s still more we can do to help prevent it…
Paced bottle feeding-
Is something that’s been around a few years now and we love it! It just makes sense as a way to feed babies with bottles. It mimics some aspects of breastfeeding (the biological norm) so it’s how babies are expecting to be fed. It promotes secure attachment and helps prevent over feeding. It’s recommended for all bottle fed babies regardless of whether there is breastmilk or formula milk in the bottle. Watch the video for more on paced bottle feeding-
So, if we wait a little while and use a paced bottle feed, chances are baby will switch well between breast and bottle, just give them a little time to get used to another part of their breastfeeding journey!
Often one of the best assets new families have are the grandparents.
Providers of practical support, childcare and financial backing! What would we do without them?
We know that grandparents provide children with so much, and the relationship between new parents and their parents gives children their first insights into how families work.
The feedback we got from new families was that their own parents were a great source of support, but it was often difficult as much of the information had changed and parents were torn between listening to advice from their parents and wanting to follow the research based information given to them.
So BfT stepped in and developed our Grandparents Workshop!
Our workshop is focused very much on bridging the gap between the generations, because it’s all based on the latest research we can explain why-
Why picking your baby up every time they cry doesn’t create a rod for your own back (it actually helps their brain to develop and create a secure attachment)
Why we don’t give breastfed babies cool boiled water (your breastmilk will adapt to meet their needs for thirst as well as hunger)
Why we wait until 6 months to introduce solid foods (their digestive system just isn’t ready before then)
Why we don’t put babies to sleep on their tummies or sides (we know much more about the associated risks of SUDI now)
It’s not about saying what was done was wrong, but just what the latest research shows us…
After all, when we know better we can do better!
So if you are pregnant or have a newborn, why not book the new grandparents onto our online session and help them to help you on the exciting journey of being a new parent!
Our next session runs on the 22nd of November, click here to book, or for details of other future sessions click here.
You might remember back in June, Breastfeeding Together were named as recipients of The Queens award for Voluntary Service!
We had really hoped that by now we’d be able to receive the award in a lavish ceremony, and throw a huge party for all our wonderful volunteers.
Yet as with so many things in 2020, that wasn’t meant to be and in the end it was a simple affair, as yesterday our directors officially accepted the award from The Queen’s representative.
And here it is!
Our silver lining of 2020
Our Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service- Signed by Her Majesty herself, in recognition of the amazing work we do, and the impact we have had on our community.
So, although we can’t have the celebration we really want, it doesn’t make this any less special. We are overwhelmed all over again, just as we were back in June. We cannot thank our volunteers and all of those who have continued to support and believe in us enough, we couldn’t have done it without you!
On the back of World mental health day yesterday, and as this week (October 9-15) is Baby Loss Awareness Week, we are honoured that Abigail has chosen to share her story with us.
This one comes with a trigger warning, as it discusses baby loss.
And if you do read on, make sure you have tissues close to hand!
Thank you to Abigail and Francis for sharing, you are truly inspirational.
When I was pregnant I knew that I wanted to “at least try breastfeeding, but I wasn’t going to get hung up over it if I couldn’t do it”. But as soon as my baby, Francis was born in June 2019 I became obsessed with all things breastfeeding. I think it was due to all the amazing support I had from the hospital, Breastfeeding Together and family that got me through those tricky first few weeks and made breastfeeding such an amazing experience. I would breastfeed anywhere and everywhere, and I loved every second of it. Francis was born with a Congenital Heart Defect, and I knew that breastfeeding was giving him the best possible chance in life. However, at just 6 months old my baby boy suddenly and unexpectedly passed away in my arms due to his heart condition.
Within only a few hours I was full again, ready to feed him. I told my son’s consultant who had come to speak with us, sent for a Midwife who appeared with a breast pump. I’d never used a pump before, but she showed me how to put it together and I was able to express. She told me how to slow my supply over the next two weeks and offered me medication to help. But I asked her if it was possible to donate my milk. I’d seen something about it on instagram a few weeks before but I wasn’t even possible if it was something that happened in this country, let alone in Wigan. She went away and got a phone number for the North West Milk Bank who my mum called once we were home. She recommended only doing it until my milk dried up, but I felt like this was a new calling for me.
Particularly in those early dark days, expressing milk was the only thing that gave my life any meaning. I had to eat for the milk. I had to drink for the milk. I had to get out of bed for the milk. I couldn’t turn to drink and drugs as so many people in that situation do because of the milk. I donated to the North West Human Milk Bank until Francis was 9 months old (and then slightly longer to help with COVID milk supplies) and since then I have donated to three other babies through Human Milk 4 Human Babies. Getting to see these babies grow up is such a privilege for me and my husband and is helping to keep Francis’ legacy alive. These children will grow up knowing about Francis, and as Francis’ Mummy and Daddy that is all we can ask. Today (10/10/2020) marks 16 months of breastfeeding. From feeding Francis nearly 12 hours per day in December I am now expressing just twice, once in the morning and once at night. Like I have with every other feed, I will continue to listen to my body and cut down as and when I feel ready.
I can’t thank everyone involved in our feeding journey enough. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that breastfeeding has saved my life.
We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded funding from the government’s National Lottery Community Fund, to allow us to continue provision of some our essential services and also introduce some new ones! Watch this space for full details in the coming days!
Thank you to everyone who continues to support us!
Our online store stocks a wide range of items, from our own branded merchandise to handmade items from local small businesses and every purchase support Breastfeeding Together!
If you are a peer supporter, you can come to us to buy your kit- we have knitted boobs, nappies and tummy balls, to help you demonstrate!
Thanks to the ‘hookers & clickers’ of Yorkshire, we have what is possibly the best selection of crocheted baby blankets in the Northwest.
Breastfeeding fiddle/teething necklaces that look the part- no problem, we have those too.
We are saddened that our commissioned service providing hospital support and home visits to breastfeeding mothers in Wigan Borough ended earlier this month.
10 years ago Wigan Borough was forward thinking and invested money in a service that would change thousands of women’s and families’ lives. It’s devastating that such an essential support service has ended for families both now and in the future, who won’t receive the non-judgemental support from our highly skilled and knowledgeable peer supporters.
We are an award winning charity with 65 volunteers and we want to help and support local families but funding is no longer available locally to allow us to deliver any services in Wigan Borough. We did everything we could to try to continue, but ultimately, we chose not to put up a fight. It was clear that the priorities for Wigan had changed and we weren’t included in those future plans. We had to accept that it was time to let go and move forward while we still had the drive and passion to do so.
We are so sorry that the excellent service we have been providing for nearly the last 10 years, is now not considered worthy of local funding, which would have enabled us to continue at least some of our work here. We’d like to take this opportunity to say ‘Thank You’ to everyone who has helped and supported us since our service started in Wigan Borough in 2011. Our success has always only been possible because of you all!
However, as anyone who has met any of us from BfT knows, we are a group of passionate and positive women who want to continue to support and empower other women. We always went above and beyond to provide far more than the services we were commissioned to provide, and we are pleased to announce that for the moment we can continue to provide a selection of our essential services (see below for details). In the meantime we will be taking time to plan our future and apply for external funding to allow us to continue these services in the longer term and add more in the future. We may have been down, but we are certainly not out!
It’s a sad old week here at Breastfeeding Together.
Our agreement with WWL NHS Foundation Trust finished at the end of July so we will no longer receive details of women living within Wigan Borough who are providing breastmilk on discharge from hospital. Therefore no new breastfeeding mothers will enter our service after the 30th of July. If you have been discharged on or before this date, we will continue to provide help and information to you up to our contract end date of the 5th of August 2020.
If you are discharged from hospital or have delivered at home after the 30th July please contact the Infant Feeding Team on 01942 778557. This is an answer machine but the team aim to respond within 24 hours. Mobile number 07917580276/ 07384459308.
We will continue to deliver a thorough and professional service in Wigan Borough up to our contract end date of the 5th August 2020.
As always thank you for your continued support and encouragement we really do appreciate it!
