JC Lactation Consultancy

09/12/2025

I have an exciting joint venture in the pipeline for 2026.
keep reading my posts to find out more…

08/12/2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feeling incredibly grateful today…

⭐️⭐️⭐️ We have had a great experience with Jane as our Lactation consultant. She was willing to see us quite last minute and her specialist knowledge and support enabled my wife to continue exclusively breastfeeding. She has also gone above and beyond in her support to us outside of home visits and we couldn't
recommend her more highly. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jane was absolutely fantastic, we had a phone call to review my 10 week olds feeding issues which resulted in being diagnosed with a tongue tie - which I wouldn't have realised without Jane's help and guidance. Very much recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️

These beautiful words remind me exactly why I do what I do 💜
Supporting families through their feeding journeys – whether that’s in person or over the phone – is such a privilege.

Thank you to these amazing parents for trusting me with your feeding journeys and for taking the time to leave such kind feedback 🤍

If you’re struggling with feeding, you don’t have to do it alone. Support is always available.

JC Lactation Consultancy
Ensuring a positive parenting experience💖

03/12/2025

Last week I had the pleasure of joining the mums attending a Mum’s Christmas Retreat Day delivered by Sam- Bump, Birth & Bond to do a little presentation on weaning. We spoke about baby led and puréed food weaning, types of foods to offer/avoid when to introduce cows milk in cooking and as a drink. Looked at the safety aspect of weaning and much more.
It was a lovely interactive group.
If you would like advice on weaning from the breast to bottle, weaning off breast completely and introducing solids then please reach out for support.

02/12/2025

🌟 Infant Feeding Support for Every Family 🌟

As a Lactation Consultant with a Health Visiting background, I’m here to support you with all aspects of your baby’s feeding journey — whether you’re breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or a combination of both.

🤱 Breastfeeding Concerns
🍼 Bottle Feeding Questions
🥄 Weaning Guidance — including when to start, how to begin, and most importantly, how to make it fun and positive for both you and your baby!

I provide holistic assessments tailored to each family, ensuring you feel confident, supported, and informed every step of the way.

If you have any feeding worries or would simply like some guidance, please feel welcome to reach out.
✨ You can contact me via my website using the online callback request form — I’m always happy to help. ✨
www.jclactationconsultancy.co.uk

You’re not alone on this journey — support is just a message away 💛

I am a Lactation Consultant in Kent offering breastfeeding support, baby massages, and in-home consultations. Call 07359 758716 today!

30/11/2025

🌿 Should We Wear Our Babies in a Sling? 🌿

Babywearing is a beautiful way to keep your baby close while supporting their emotional and physical wellbeing. Like anything, there are positives and considerations — here’s a simple breakdown for parents and caregivers.

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✨ Benefits of Babywearing

👶 Promotes bonding
Keeps baby close, supporting regulation of heart rate, breathing, temperature, and emotional security.

👐 Hands-free convenience
Daily tasks become easier while meeting baby’s need for closeness.

🤱 Supports breastfeeding
Baby is close enough for you to notice early feeding cues, and some parents find feeding more comfortable with frequent contact.

😴 Helps soothe and settle
The gentle movement and warmth often reduce fussiness.

🦴 Encourages healthy hip development
Ergonomic carriers keep baby’s hips in the recommended “M-position.”

🍼 Helps babies with reflux/colic
Upright positioning can reduce discomfort after feeds.

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⚠️ Things to Consider

🔒 Safety first
Incorrect positioning may affect baby’s airway. Baby should always be upright, visible, and close enough to kiss.

💺 Fit matters
A poorly fitted sling can cause back or shoulder discomfort.

🌡️ Risk of overheating
Dress baby lightly and be mindful of warm weather.

🚫 Not all carriers are ergonomic
Choose carriers that support baby’s hips and spine.

🧶 Learning curve
Some slings, especially wraps, need a little practice to master.

💰purchasing slings can be expensive and you may find your choice uncomfortable or not user friendly. Accessing your local sling library will enable you to hire slings before you purchase and also offer correct fitting advice. Check out where your nearest sling library is and pop
Long.

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💛 Overall

Babywearing can be incredibly beneficial when done safely and comfortably. Follow the T.I.C.K.S. safety guidelines:

Tight
In view at all times
Close enough to kiss
Keep baby’s chin off their chest
Supported spine

Keeping baby close while supporting safe positioning is key.

23/11/2025

🌸 Ni**le Shields – Yes or No?
There’s a lot of mixed advice about ni**le shields. Some practitioners say avoid them, while others say if it helps feeding, use it!
The truth? Ni**le shields can be incredibly helpful when used correctly and with support.

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💗 Why Might a Ni**le Shield Be Suggested?

They may help when:
• Baby struggles to latch
• Ni**les are flat, inverted or very sore
• Baby is premature or has a weak suck
• Engorgement makes latch difficult

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✅ Pros of Ni**le Shields

• Can help baby latch when they otherwise can’t
• May protect very sore or damaged ni**les
• Useful for premature or weak-sucking babies
• Helpful short-term while underlying issues are addressed

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❌ Cons of Ni**le Shields

• May reduce milk transfer if the size isn’t right
• Some babies become reliant if used long-term
• Can affect milk supply if breast stimulation is reduced
• A bit more fiddly to use
• Poor fit can cause slipping or reduced effectiveness

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🍼 How to Apply a Ni**le Shield
1. Warm or moisten the shield with a little breast milk
2. Turn it halfway inside out to help it draw the ni**le in
3. Place the tip directly over your ni**le
4. Stretch the shield base outward so your ni**le centres inside
5. Guide baby to latch onto the whole shield
6. Look for deep, rhythmic sucking and milk visible inside the shield after feeding

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✨ How to Clean a Ni**le Shield

After every feed:
• Wash with warm, soapy water
• Rinse well
• Air-dry on a clean surface

If baby is premature:
• Sterilise once daily (steam, boiling water or steriliser), following manufacturer guidelines

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💬 So… Should We Encourage Them?

Yes — if they support feeding and are used with the right guidance.
Ni**le shields shouldn’t replace skilled support, but they can be a valuable temporary tool to protect feeding while the root cause of latch issues is addressed.

17/11/2025

🌟 Why Is the Golden Hour After Birth So Important? 🌟

The Golden Hour refers to the first uninterrupted hour immediately after birth where baby is placed skin-to-skin on the mother’s chest. This time is more than just bonding — it plays a powerful role in both physical stability and emotional connection.

✨ Why it’s important:
• Promotes bonding: Releases oxytocin, strengthening the emotional connection between mother and baby.
• Regulates baby’s temperature, breathing and heart rate: Your chest acts like a natural warmer and stabiliser.
• Supports breastfeeding: Baby’s instincts are strongest in this early period. Many will self-attach when left uninterrupted.
• Reduces stress for both mum and baby: Skin-to-skin helps lower cortisol and promotes calm.
• Encourages early milk production: The hormonal response during this time supports colostrum flow and ongoing supply.

✨ What the Golden Hour involves:
• Immediate skin-to-skin contact with baby placed chest-to-chest on mum.
• Baby is dried but not bathed, and may just have a thin blanket across their back for warmth.
• Uninterrupted time — delaying non-urgent checks or procedures when safe.
• Allowing baby to use their natural instincts to crawl, nuzzle, and latch.
• Keeping lights low, voices calm, and distractions minimal.

💛 A gentle acknowledgement:
The Golden Hour is a beautiful and beneficial experience — but it’s not always possible. Sometimes mum or baby may need immediate medical care, and that is always the priority. When either or both are medically stable, skin-to-skin and bonding should be encouraged as soon as it is safe to do so.

16/11/2025

🌟 What Is Paced Bottle Feeding? 🌟
Paced bottle feeding is a gentle, responsive feeding method that slows the flow of milk and allows baby to stay in control of their feed. It closely mimics the natural rhythm of breastfeeding and helps support healthy feeding cues.

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🍼 How to Do Paced Bottle Feeding

1️⃣ Hold baby upright
Keep baby in a more vertical position so they can better control the flow.

2️⃣ Keep the bottle horizontal
Hold the bottle almost flat so the teat fills partially—this stops milk from rushing.

3️⃣ Let baby latch onto the teat
Gently tickle the top lip and wait for a wide-open mouth, just like breastfeeding.

4️⃣ Follow baby’s lead
Allow baby to draw the teat in, rather than pushing the bottle into the mouth.

5️⃣ Pause often
Every 20–30 seconds, tip the bottle down or remove the teat to give baby a natural break.

6️⃣ Watch for full cues
Slowing down, turning away, or relaxed hands mean baby is done.

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🕒 When Should You Use Paced Bottle Feeding?

Paced feeding is great for:
• All bottle-fed babies
• Babies who receive both breast and bottle
• Babies who struggle with fast-flow teats
• Preventing overfeeding
• Supporting a smooth transition between breast and bottle

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💛 Benefits of Paced Bottle Feeding

✨ Helps prevent overfeeding
✨ Reduces wind, gassiness & reflux
✨ Supports breastfeeding by mimicking natural feeding patterns
✨ Promotes responsive feeding based on baby’s cues
✨ Encourages better digestion
✨ Makes switching between breast and bottle easier

10/11/2025

💬 Tongue Tie Dilemma!

👶 What is a tongue tie?
It is a condition that is present in babies at birth where a thick or tight band of tissue called the lingual frenulum restricts the movement of a baby’s tongue.
This is the thin tissue located under the tongue.

🍼 Babies need good tongue function to effectively latch to the breast or bottle feed.

If you suspect your baby may have a tongue tie, please get support from a professional as a division may not always be required.

It may be the reason why mum is experiencing sore ni**les due to an ineffective latch.
It may also result in slow weight gain in newborns, frequent crying, and fussing at the breast or bottle teat.

🤱 Please seek advice and support from either your:
✨ Local breastfeeding peer supporter (found in breastfeeding support groups)
✨ A breastfeeding counsellor
✨ Or an IBCLC Lactation Consultant

⚠️ Not all Tongue Tie Practitioners are Lactation Consultants and often don’t give you the support you need with feeding after the procedure.

💛 Hope this helps!

09/11/2025

🌸 The 4th Trimester – What to Expect 🌸

The 4th trimester is the first 12 weeks after birth — a time of huge change for both mum and baby. It’s a period of healing, bonding, and adjustment as you both get used to life together 🤱💕

👶 For Baby:
Your baby is getting used to the world outside the womb. Everything is new — light, sound, touch. During this time, your baby needs:
✨ Lots of cuddles and skin-to-skin
✨ Warmth and gentle comfort
✨ Frequent feeds for nutrition and connection
✨ Calm voices, rocking, and closeness

You are your baby’s safe place 💛

🤱 For Mum:
You’re recovering from pregnancy and birth, adjusting to new routines, and experiencing big emotional and hormonal changes.
Be gentle with yourself — it’s normal to feel tired, emotional, or unsure at times.

💗 Take time to rest when you can
💗 Accept help from others
💗 Eat nourishing foods and stay hydrated
💗 Trust your instincts – you know your baby best

This season can be intense, but it’s also full of beautiful, bonding moments. You’re doing better than you think 💕

03/11/2025

🌼 What Is Colostrum and Why Is It So Important? 🌼

🤱 Colostrum is the first milk your body produces during pregnancy and in the first few days after birth — often called “liquid gold” for a reason! ✨

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💛 Benefits for Baby

👶 Helps protect your baby from infections — it’s packed with antibodies
🧠 Supports healthy brain development
🩷 Helps baby’s gut mature and pass their first poo (meconium)
🌱 Provides all the nutrition your baby needs in the first few days

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💗 Benefits for Mum

🤍 Encourages bonding through early skin-to-skin and breastfeeding
🩸 Helps your uterus contract after birth, reducing bleeding
🌿 Builds confidence with early hand expressing before baby arrives

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🕐 When to Harvest Colostrum

You can begin hand expressing from around 36–37 weeks of pregnancy, but always check with your midwife first 💬

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❄️ How to Collect & Store

💧 Express by hand into a clean container or syringe
🥶 Store in the freezer at –18°C or colder, clearly labelled with date and time
🧊 Defrost in the fridge or warm gently in your hands before giving to baby (never microwave!)

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💬 Why It Matters

Having some colostrum ready can be especially helpful if:
🍼 Baby may need extra feeding support after birth
💉 You have diabetes in pregnancy
🏥 You expect a caesarean birth or baby may need special care

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✨ Colostrum – small in amount, mighty in benefit! ✨