Chelwest Infant Feeding

26/02/2026

Introducing another member of our Community Infant Feeding Supporters!

Hi, I’m Lucy — a mum of three. I work within the Community Infant Feeding Team, supporting families at home once they’ve been discharged from hospital.

I’m also an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor, passionate about guiding families through their feeding journeys.

I understand how overwhelming feeding decisions can feel. I offer compassionate, evidence-based support without judgement.

My Mission

To empower women and families with clear information and gentle guidance, so you can feel confident making the right feeding choices for you and your baby.

25/02/2026

✨Celebrating an Incredible Milestone! 🌟

Today we’re shining a spotlight on an amazing member of our volunteer team, Linda, who has completed 1000 volunteer hours on our Postnatal Ward! 💛

Linda has dedicated her time to supporting new mothers and their babies with breastfeeding, offering reassurance, encouragement, and practical guidance during those precious (and sometimes overwhelming) first days.
From helping with positioning and latching, to simply being a calm and compassionate presence at the bedside, her support has made a real difference to so many families at the very start of their journey together. 🤱✨

Volunteers like Linda are at the heart of what we do. Your kindness, patience, and commitment do not go unnoticed , thank you Linda for giving your time so generously and for helping mothers feel confident and supported.

Here’s to 1000 hours of care, compassion, and community, and hopefully many more to come! 💐👏

20/02/2026

Now that we’ve introduced the Hospital Infant Feeding Team to the grid, it’s time to start with individual introductions to the Community Infant Feeding Team (seen group picture below ⬇️)

Let’s start with Emily!
✨

Hi, my name is Emily and I’ve been working in birth and baby feeding for about 6 years now, and have recently gained my IBCLC qualification. 

My passion for supporting feeding stems from my own experience- the postnatal period can often be so overwhelming and it can be particularly tricky to access clear and reliable information to help navigate this time. 
 
I love working with a range of families to help them to work towards meeting their own individualised plans and goals.  It is such an honour to be able to support new parents during this precious period!
 
My focus is on listening and ensuring parents have support which is personalised to their circumstances and rooted in evidence.  My job takes me out to the community where I support families in their own homes or on the phone, working closely with the community midwives.

15/02/2026

🧶Learning Through Craft = Learning That Sticks! 🧶

On our staff mandatory training, we explored breastfeeding education in a creative way by using hands-on crafts to upskill our amazing midwives and Midwifery Support Workers on various topics, such as constituents of breastmilk, BFI standards, updated protocols, and much, much more.

Why crafts?

✅ Boost engagement
✅ Improve memory retention
✅ Encourage collaboration

Learning became interactive, meaningful, and fun, all while strengthening clinical skills that support mothers and babies 💕

When learning is creative, confidence grows.

When confidence grows, care improves.

Let’s keep innovating in healthcare education ✨

10/02/2026

The Community Infant Feeding Team! 👏✨

If you are in Chelsea Westminster’s Community Midwifery catchment area, and you need Breastfeeding Support, then you may meet Lucy, Emily, Deborah, Rita, or Anna, our Community Infant Feeding supporters, who can help you.

They host a Infant Feeding drop in, every Tuesday:

When 🕦: 10am to 12pm

Where: 🗺️: Ground floor Riverside Market, Fulham Pier, Craven Cottage, SW6 6HH

(entrance via Thames Path through Bishops Park or Stevenage Road)

The drop in clinic is for babies and their families under 28 days old receiving postnatal care from Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

* please bring your red book*
* no appointment needed but no arrivals later than 11.30am*

09/02/2026

06/02/2026

Update from our previous post on the grid after new alert today from food.gov.uk!

⚠️ New product recalls: Aptamil and Cow & Gate first infant milk and follow-on milk.

Danone is recalling several Aptamil and Cow & Gate infant formula and follow-on milk products because cereulide toxin may be present in some batches.

Cereulide can cause rapid onset of nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. It’s unlikely to be destroyed by boiling water or cooking.
Even if your baby seems well, it is essential to stop using affected products. If the formula was prescribed by a health professional, consult a pharmacist or other medical professional before changing formula.

For a full list of affected products and batch information, visit: https://www.food.gov.uk/news-
alerts/alert/fsa-prin-05-2026

06/02/2026

Update from our previous post on the grid!

⚠️ New product recalls: Aptamil and Cow & Gate first infant milk and follow-on milk.

Danone is recalling several Aptamil and Cow & Gate infant formula and follow-on milk products because cereulide toxin may be present in some batches.

Cereulide can cause rapid onset of nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. It’s unlikely to be destroyed by boiling water or cooking.
Even if your baby seems well, it is essential to stop using affected products. If the formula was prescribed by a health professional, consult a pharmacist or other medical professional before changing formula.

For a full list of affected products and batch information, visit: https://www.food.gov.uk/news-
alerts/alert/fsa-prin-05-2026

06/02/2026

West Middlesex Infant Feeding Team runs 5 drop in groups per week! All our drop ins are free to attend, no appointment necessary - just come and see us when you need to.

We run the groups on:

✨ Mondays (10am - 12 Noon) at South Isleworth Children’s Centre

✨Wednesdays (9.30 - 11.30am) at Cranford Children’s Centre

✨Thursdays (2pm - 4pm) at Whitton Community Centre

✨Fridays (12.30 - 2.30pm) at Brentford Children’s Centre

✨ Saturdays (12.30 - 2.30pm) at Day Assessment Unit, QMMU, West Middlesex Hospital

Come and see the infant feeding team for free, practical, non-judgemental support 🌼

02/02/2026

🧠🤱 Neurodivergence & Breastfeeding: Listening Beyond What We See

At the Infant Feeding Team at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, supporting parents to reach their feeding goals, is at the heart of what we do. That means continually learning, reflecting, and deepening our practice to provide truly equitable care.

Recently, one of our team attended “Supporting Neurodivergent Birth” training facilitated by , and it offered powerful insights into how neurodivergent parents may experience feeding their babies.

✨ Some key reflections to share with you:

• Sensory experiences can feel overwhelming: from baby latching, strong letdown, wet skin, bras, pumps, or leaking milk
• Sounds matter too: suckling noises or pump sounds can be distressing
• Interoception (how the body feels things like letdown) can be very different for each person
• Sensations and Pain may be interpreted differently
• Language matters: we will be mindful of how we give guidance
• We won’t automatically assume that all is going well just because from our perspective things may look “fine”, because internally someone may be struggling
• Combination feeding and expressing can bring their own sensory challenges; let us know how we can support your specific needs.

📚 Research (Grant et al., 2023) reminds us that:
• Many neurodivergent people are highly motivated to breastfeed
• Sensory discomfort is common — reducing sensory load and using distraction can help
• Expressing (some or all of the time) can be an important route to maintaining breastfeeding when direct feeding is too uncomfortable

As infant feeding supporters on a busy postnatal wards, this training reinforced the importance of being curious, compassionate, and flexible. Everyone processes information, language, pain, and sensory input differently — and our care reflects that.

💬 Always listening.
💛 Always learning.
🌱 Always centring the parent’s experience.

01/02/2026

Aptamil First Infant Formula

Pack size 800g

Batch code 31-10-2026

Best before 31 October 2026

If you have the affected product, do not feed it to babies and return it to the shop where you bought it for a full refund (with or without a receipt).

Even if you haven’t noticed any ill health in your baby, stop using this product immediately. If it was prescribed, speak to a pharmacist or healthcare professional before changing formula. If you have any concerns, seek medical advice via your GP or NHS 111.

The Food Standards Agency has
confirmed that the contaminationnation originated from a third-party ingredient supplier.

The same supplier is also linked to a recall by Nestlé earlier this month so please see our other post on the affected batches from SMA. If you’re getting your formula from overseas, please be aware that this recall has affected 25 countries, including the brands NAM and Alfamino.

30/01/2026

The Community Infant Feeding supporters at Chelsea and Westminster have set up two Infant Feeding drop ins, available to families whose babies are up to 28 days old.

🗓️ Tuesdays, 10:00-12:00
Ground floor Riverside Market, Fulham Pier, Craven Cottage, SW6 6HH
(entrance via Thames Path through Bishops Park or Stevenage Road)

And

🗓️ Thursdays, 12.30-2.30pm
Masbro Centre, W14 OLR (entrance on
Masbro Road)

No appointment needed, but do arrive early!

Plus, we have an online feeding support group too! 🎉💻

Tuesdays, Online, register through Eventbrite

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-postnatal-feeding-support-group-tickets-1016623065957?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

If you have any questions about feeding your baby, whether breast, bottle or mixed, please feel free to drop by.