Breastfeeding support – the value of exclusively breastfeeding

You will find relevant information to support your breastfeeding journey here. All staff alongside the Infant feeding team are dedicated to ensuring that we support our mothers with being confident in their breastfeeding. If you have any queries/worries/concerns please discuss with your Midwife initially and we as an Infant feeding team are an additional support for both staff and parents.

Please see below two useful breastfeeding resources:

Feeding support for you and your baby (opens in new window)

Supporting babies, mothers and families Unicef UK  (opens in a new window) 

Video support/Information sessions in the comfort of your own home

Antenatal services offered

Antenatal Responsive Parenting and Infant Feeding 21/2 hour Zoom sessions for all parents, partners, grandparents and friends.

These are held twice a week every Tuesday and Thursday from 2pm-4.30pm and can be booked at your Antenatal clinic reception at both hospitals in person or via phone. Once an appointment is booked, you will receive a text the day before your session with  your Zoom meeting ID and password.

Have you had previous breastfeeding/lactation challenges or have concerns around previous breast/nipple procedures?

You can ask your Midwife or Doctor to book an appointment for a one-to-one with a member of our friendly Infant Feeding Team.

Postnatal infant feeding support sessions:

The Infant Feeding Team offer one-to-one video and face to face consultations to support parents with feeding challenges.

Please note that these video consultations are only for feeding support and not for tongue tie referrals. 

These consultations are available every Tuesday and Thursday between 9am-1pm and can be accessed via Attend Anywhere, a secure video calling platform that is used by the Infant Feeding Team at the Trust. 

You can access this functionality via: 

• Laptop with Google Chrome 
• iPad/phone with Safari

To access Attend Anywhere please click this link: https://nhs.vc/esth-infant-feeding.  This link is also found on the inside cover of your baby’s Red Health Book.  You will receive a text on discharge from hospital and on transfer to the Health Visit around day 10 with this link.

Once you access the above link you will be enteredinto a virtual waiting room and then into a private session with a member of the Infant Feeding Team. Please be aware that you may have to wait depending on how many parents are trying to access a video consultation at the time. You will be supported by midwives and your health visitor team when you go home and video consultations are an additional support if feeding challenges do occur once you leave our hospitals.

 

Support in your local boroughs

• Sutton
• Merton
• Croydon - more infromation on virtual sessions here:  Virtual infant feeding sessions in Croydon [pdf] 160KB
• Kingston Hospital
• Community health care
• Central Surrey Health - CFHS wesite
• Facebook resources in Surrey

 

Voluntary associations Sections

La Leche
Trained breastfeeding counsellors (Known as LLL Leaders) having all breastfed their own babies, provide support for breastfeeding families via meetings, phone calls and social media.

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (ABM)
A group of trained volunteers dedicated to supporting breastfeeding families.

The NCT 
The national charity for pregnancy, birth and early parenthood.

Kelly Mom
Kelly Mom has a range of resources and information on breastfeeding including common challenges and managing expectations.