After the birth of my first child in 2000, I began training as a Breastfeeding Counsellor with a national parenting charity in 2001.
The training was thorough and rigorous and focused as much on counselling and listening skills as it did on breastfeeding knowledge and information. After three years’ study, I qualified as a Breastfeeding Counsellor in 2004, a year after the birth of my second child. I have continued to practice on behalf of the charity, facilitating breastfeeding classes as part of their antenatal courses, and visiting hundreds of individual women in their homes to offer breastfeeding information and support. I am qualified in Counselling Supervision for the charity and work to support and develop my Breastfeeding Counsellor colleagues.
I deliver training and study days to other breastfeeding specialists, as well as offering training days on the skills that make a good breastfeeding support professional, such as listening skills and reflective practice.
I am a qualified Breastfeeding Peer Support Trainer and have trained many cohorts of enthusiastic and passionate women to support their peers as they navigate their own breastfeeding journey.
I host a weekly breastfeeding support drop-in in Horsham, open to pregnant people and parents of tiny babies. The drop-in is called Nourish and Nurture. Lockdown has meant the group is closed for now. Find details of when we might be able to re-start on my Facebook page (Horsham Breastfeeding) and on Instagram (@nourishnurturebreastfeeding).
I had my third child in 2007, then in 2010 began a further course of breastfeeding specific study, sitting the International Lactation Consultants' examination in 2011, qualifying as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). This has taken my practice deeper and wider and, I feel, allows me the unique perspective of offering person-centred support coupled with clinical lactation management expertise.
I am passionate about offering high quality, qualified breastfeeding support in my community, working from evidence and research. My priority is supporting you to achieve your breastfeeding goals, offering you compassion, kindness and support throughout.
Please get in touch if you think I may be able to help you with breastfeeding support or training and development.