Liz and Harriet

When my little girl was born in 2011, I desperately, desperately wanted to breastfeed her.   While she could latch on straight from birth, she just didn’t get how to suck.  I started pumping and cup-fed her, then moved to a bottle.  At this point, getting really desperate with no support, we were lucky enough to meet Sarah via the Breastfriends group at Soham Children’s centre.  She told me that there was no question that we would manage it in the end and I believed her.  Over several private home visits, we talked through a pumping schedule to establish a supply and worked through strategies to get Harriet to feed directly from the breast.  After 4 weeks, the miracle happened and we began to be able to breastfeed properly.

At this point, again, Sarah was on-hand to help devise a transition schedule for moving from bottle to breast.

Harriet has always been small and it was the reassurance and support that we received from Sarah that made me sure of my conviction that we did not need to supplement with formula.  Sarah also supported us through maintaining feeding on my return to work at 6 months.  We are now at 19 months and still breast-feeding.  Before I gave birth, I just assumed that breastfeeding just happened but having come through our own challenging journey, I realise that it is not necessarily instinctive and that there is a real need for empathic trained support and advice.  We were lucky, we found that in Sarah and for that we both will always be profoundly grateful.  As well as helping us as a Lactation Consultant, Sarah has helped us navigate baby-led weaning and gentle sleep techniques in her capacity as a health visitor.  It is so reassuring to receive advice from someone who understands attachment and gentle parenting techniques.  Thank you so much for all you have done for us.

Liz & Harriet