What kind of infant feeding problems can you support?
As an IBCLC/"Lactation Consultant"/Infant Feeding therapist, I support families who exclusively breastfeed &/or bottle feed.
Common infant feeding issues I see involve:
Common maternal issues I support are:
I consult within the areas of Preston, Greensborough & Surrounds
Common infant feeding issues I see involve:
- Feeding refusal & fussiness
- Taking too long to feed and feeding too often
- Feeding too quickly & having tummy upsets
- Excessive crying & settling difficulties
- Coughing, gagging, milk spillage, difficulty co-ordinating sucking/swallowing/breathing
- Slow weight gains
- Weak suck
- Sucking too strongly
- Parent's needing to clear their baby's mouth of food that they are unable to swallow
- Lip & tongue ties
- Low muscle tone or high muscle tone
- Medical challenges such as heart or breathing issues, cleft lip/palate, Down's syndrome
Common maternal issues I support are:
- Recurrent blocked ducts
- Painful latch
- Mastitis, thrush
- Suspected tongue & lip ties
- Sore, damaged nipples
- Insufficient milk supply
- Excessive milk supply
- Emotional difficulty coping with challenges of feeding infants with feeding difficulties
I consult within the areas of Preston, Greensborough & Surrounds
What is usually involved with a lactation & infant feeding consultation?
We are experienced at consulting with baby's present & know that baby's don't like waiting to be fed & take time settling, so we work around you & your baby as best as we can.
We also know how families work - we know that mum's can't always access childcare for siblings & we know that mum's can't always leave their home for appointments. This is why we can either visit you at home or siblings are welcome to use our educational toys to entertain themselves whilst we have our consultation. (NB. Home consultation not available until further notice)
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
I will email you to an online pre - attendance:
I will also need to know who your GP, Maternal & Child Health Nurse are for example, so I can offer you referrals to extended support services & liase with your health care providers in facilitating these referrals.
DURING OUR CONSULTATION
Because you will have sent us the completed background online forms, it means that we can get straight into the swing of feeding your baby - as babies are often hungry a lot of the time & often don't want to wait for us to chat. To keep your baby as calm as possible, we work as much as possible around your baby.
During our consultation, I will need to ask you questions about your pregnancy, birth, postnatal history, family, medical & feeding history.
I will:
I may also demonstrate oral myofunctional & infant feeding therapy techniques for you to take home & help enhance your baby's feeding development. These are techniques are customised according to the needs of your baby
TOWARDS THE END OF OUR APPOINTMENT
I will have a good picture of what is going on & summarise my assessment findings with you in order to address your concerns
We will discuss any queries you may have & I will provide you the education & information that you need with regard to this.
Together, we will make a holistic plan, which is orientated towards helping you achieve your goals successfully.
You will be emailed a copy of your plan on the day of our appointment.
If needed, we can arrange a review consultation to enable you some time to put your plan in action & then reassess the progress of your plan.
At our review consultation, we can make any further adjustments as necessary or go over a few things that you still need help refining.
If you would like to arrange a booking or ask us more about our infant feeding consultation, please click on the tab below
We also know how families work - we know that mum's can't always access childcare for siblings & we know that mum's can't always leave their home for appointments. This is why we can either visit you at home or siblings are welcome to use our educational toys to entertain themselves whilst we have our consultation. (NB. Home consultation not available until further notice)
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
I will email you to an online pre - attendance:
- Intake & Consent Form (except for online consultation)
- Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Screening form
- Covid-19 Screening Form
- It is important you return these forms ASAP, no later than 48 hours prior to our appointment
- What is involved in our consultation
- Our professional boundaries are
- & so you can also let us know what kind of treatment you are & are not comfortable with
- We also need to know who your family & supports are, as well as how you are coping with your current situation
- I need to know this so that we can begin to personalise your care.
I will also need to know who your GP, Maternal & Child Health Nurse are for example, so I can offer you referrals to extended support services & liase with your health care providers in facilitating these referrals.
DURING OUR CONSULTATION
Because you will have sent us the completed background online forms, it means that we can get straight into the swing of feeding your baby - as babies are often hungry a lot of the time & often don't want to wait for us to chat. To keep your baby as calm as possible, we work as much as possible around your baby.
During our consultation, I will need to ask you questions about your pregnancy, birth, postnatal history, family, medical & feeding history.
I will:
- Perform a physical examination of your baby to assess any functional or structural findings which can impact on the advice I provide
- Need to examine your breasts to help rule out any breastfeeding/lactation problems
- Whilst your baby is feeding, I will be assessing your baby's levels of comfort & feeding performance which may be impacting on effective feeding
- Also be assessing your interactions with your baby, how you are coping & handling your baby
- Fine tune any positioning & latching techniques to help improve your feeding concerns
- Point out any variations identified on your assessments
- Inform you of how these impact on your concerns & what you can do to address them
I may also demonstrate oral myofunctional & infant feeding therapy techniques for you to take home & help enhance your baby's feeding development. These are techniques are customised according to the needs of your baby
TOWARDS THE END OF OUR APPOINTMENT
I will have a good picture of what is going on & summarise my assessment findings with you in order to address your concerns
We will discuss any queries you may have & I will provide you the education & information that you need with regard to this.
Together, we will make a holistic plan, which is orientated towards helping you achieve your goals successfully.
You will be emailed a copy of your plan on the day of our appointment.
If needed, we can arrange a review consultation to enable you some time to put your plan in action & then reassess the progress of your plan.
At our review consultation, we can make any further adjustments as necessary or go over a few things that you still need help refining.
If you would like to arrange a booking or ask us more about our infant feeding consultation, please click on the tab below