This is my second pregnancy. With my first son, I mixed fed. Our first son was born at 38 weeks but weighed just 5lbs, and after his final health visitor weighing, I was told that I needed to mix feed in order to help him gain more weight. By the time he was 9 months old, I rarely offered the breast … [Read more...] about My Pride and Joy at Breastfeeding my Baby
Black Breastfeeding
Natasha’s journey – breastfeeding mother to LLL Leader
When I was pregnant with my son Theo, I was asked by my GP at my first pregnancy screening appointment if I wanted to breastfeed. My answer to my GP was “I’m not sure”, to which I got a quick, “oh but you should, it’s hard but good”. This response became a familiar one with the idea that “Breast was … [Read more...] about Natasha’s journey – breastfeeding mother to LLL Leader
In pursuit of equitable breastfeeding support
Racial disparities in healthcare are evident in the UK, and the world of breastfeeding support is sadly no stranger to systemic racism. Not only are maternal and infant mortality rates in this country shockingly higher among Women of Colour than among White women, but there are also structural … [Read more...] about In pursuit of equitable breastfeeding support
First Impressions
At the top of my to-do list when I was pregnant with Amaya, my second child, was to find a breastfeeding group. I stopped breastfeeding my son when he was four months old due to the challenges I faced with a lack of support. I was the first person in my family for three generations who breastfed … [Read more...] about First Impressions
Recreating the ‘lying-in’ month
I took a fascinating class at university called 'Childbirth in 17th Century England', which looked at the history of childbirth and the transition from traditional women-led births to a medicalised and male-led birth process. Apparently, a midwife was called, husbands weren't allowed in the room, … [Read more...] about Recreating the ‘lying-in’ month