How can I support you?

After you’ve had a baby, you’re often left feeling adrift in a new and what can often be a stressful time.

Adjusting to the new role of a parent, while figuring out how to keep a little human alive and cope physically with the aftermath of birth is a challenge (to say the least)!

The start of a parenting journey with a small human and finding your way feeding them can be time consuming - Midwives in the NHS want to give you the support you need. But, as is often the case, constraints of the system can often prevent you from receiving the personalised support and care you need… this is where I come in!

I provide comprehensive support throughout the journey of feeding your baby. I can help you prepare pre-conception, or before the birth through to the days, weeks and months of your postnatal period.

My services include guidance on nutrition and preparation during pre-pregnancy, expert advice during antenatal stages, and practical support in the early (and late) postnatal weeks.

During the antenatal period, I assist expectant parents in understanding feeding options and what to expect. This includes information on breastfeeding, formula feeding, and combination feeding

During our time together, we’ll cover all areas including:

  • Your Goals - What are your goals for feeding your infant? What have you been exposed to regarding feeidng small humans? Have you any [complex] medical conditions we need to take into consideration to help you reach your goal?

  • Breastfeeding Basics: Techniques, positions, and preparations based on your clinical wellbeing and maternity care plan with support resources

  • Bottle Feeding Options: Types of milk, preparation, and specifics of effective and responsive bottle feeding

  • Combining Methods: How to integrate breastfeeding and bottle-feeding if that’s your intention or need

  • Normal Small Human Behaviours: Understanding the emotional and physical needs of a new small human

  • Infant Mental Health: How this is closely linked with feeding

  • Support and Community: Connecting you with local resources and support groups

Together, we will create a personalised feeding journey that aligns with your family’s goals and lifestyle, setting a positive foundation for feeding your small human.

the Specifics.

Meeting you - where you are

ANTENATAL CONSULTATION

  • A 2-Hour introduction to feeding, tailored to your feeding intention, history, preferences and, providing you with up-to-date evidence to support and discuss your choices.

    You’ll receive invaluable information, practical skills and advice relevant to you and your circumstances to help you feel prepares and confident ahead of meeting your small human.

    If you’ve had a previously traumatic feeding journey, this can be a valuable investment as we can spend time discussing and debriefing what happened last time, and help you feel ready for the next feeding journey you’re about to embark on.

    If you have a history of the following, it can be helpful to have an antenatal consultation to help manage your expectations, and appropriately plan your personal journey without stress: IVF Pregnancy / Assisted Conception, PCOS, Endometriosis, Previous Breast Surgery, Previous challenging breastfeeding journey, Complex medical health needs.

    During an antenatal consultation we can work through:

    • Any Previous Experience: If this baby isn’t your first, then you may have a previous experience which has given you reason to reach out. The reasons are vast and varied ranging from - you may have breastfed before, but had a complicated relationship with it or haven’t ever breastfed directly and so don’t know how to initiate breastfeeding or; you’ve had some changes in your life which may now impact your ability to produce milk / struggle to hold baby etc.

    • Milk Production: How your body makes milk

    • Newborn Behaviours: What to expect in the first few hours, days & weeks related to feeding, feeding cues, and growth and development of baby.

    • Hand Expressing: How to do this, why this is a useful skill to have buttoned down before meeting your little one (antenatal colostrum collection) and how helpful it is after the birth in reducing stress - regardless of how you meet your baby.

    • Breastfeeding: How to establish breastfeeding following all types of birth. How to initiate and maintain a milk supply, the Golden Hour, Position & Attachment and, how to avoid common feeding issues.

    • Expressing / Pumping: To buy a breast pump or not -that is the question I am asked a lot! How all pumps are not equal in use / efficacy, and which come most recommended and why (how to maximise the money spent on a second-hand pump / what to look out for tips) in addition to how to store breastmilk safely.

    • Combination or Bottle Feeding (for breast, donor or artificial milks): How to use the milk, how to effectively and kindly feed this to your small human with specific recommendations for positions for your baby and pace of the milk in the bottle. Recommendations for the shape of the teat and, how to protect breast feeding techniques if wanting to combine breast and bottle

    • Feeding Plan: If you’re already confident in your choice, we can work together to create a feeding plan for you and your birth partner to ensure you’re given the tools to start your feeding journey with your new human in the best possible way.

  • 2 hours

    In-person for optimum outcomes

  • £145* Face-to-Face or Online

Virtual Feeding support

  • An hour of dedicated support via Teams / Whatapp / Facetime/ Zoom (whichever is most accessible to you) to work through any feeding challenges or queries you have.

    Also, FYI… my skills are not limited to breastfeeding.

    If you’re combination or bottle feeding with expressed / donor or artificial milk and feel there is something not working for you or your small human, I’m here to help.

    Feeding your small human often comes with unexpected challenges, but with support, it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience.

    Whether you’re worried about sufficient milk supply, unsure which position works best for you and your breasts or, you’re struggling with your baby latching effectively or comfortably – I’m available to help you.

    We use the hour to talk through anything you feel you’d like clarifying or reassurance on which may include:

    • Working through and finding solutions for feeding challenges

    • Assessment of position and attachment (breast or bottle)

    • How to encourage your small human to take a bottle

    • Returning to work queries and management

    Followed up with a personalised feeding support plan, resources and information as and when you need it.

  • 1 Hour Session*

    *unless looking after more than one infant as this can be extended to 1.5 hours

  • £75*

    *£95 if support for multiples to tend to their individual needs

IN-HOME Feeding Support

  • During your 60-minute home visit (this can be adapted to include longer appointments or needs), I will carry out:

    • An in-depth history-taking of the pre-pregnancy wellbeing, pregnancy, birth and feeding that brings us to our appointment

    • A full and skilled feeding assessment

    • If requested and required, a full intra-oral assessment of your small human’s tongue functionality (this can lead to discussions around Tongue-Tie*)

    • Discussion around challenges you feel you’re experiencing

    • Answer your questions (utilising my 10+ years of midwifery and infant feeding experience)

    • We work together to figure out a sustainable plan that supports your feeding goals and your small human’s needs

    • I’ll then follow up with a personalised feeding plan, resources, information and any appropriate referrals.

    If 1 hour is exceeded, I charge a further £35 for each 30 minutes thereafter

    I’m more than happy to travel to you - I’m based in BD16 and if you’re more than 30 minutes (up to a maximum of 1 hour) from BD16, please add an extra £25 to cover my time and fuel travelling to & from our appointment

  • 1 hour session

    *to 1.5 hours if required for twins / multiples

  • £145*

    *in the comfort of your own home

    £165 if support is required for multiples to support their their individual needs

Return to work workshops

  • Are you on maternity leave now, and starting to plan your return to work?

    There is a complicated space between being on maternity leave and returning to work. You’re counting down the weeks often with a feeling of worry about:

    • Just about everything!

    • How to prepare for K.I.T days

    • What to ask for from work to support continued breastfeeding journey

    • How you’ll manage

    • The logistics of it all

    • Communicating your needs (with partner / family / childcare / work)

    • How you’ll continue to breastfeed AND return to work

    • How to protect yourself from mastitis / losing your supply

    • How much milk you will need to leave for your baby while you’re apart

    • How to store the milk

    • How to prepare the milk for the childcare setting

    • How to get your little one to take a bottle – does this need to happen at all?

    • How to manage your contact-napper

    • Potential myriad of other concerns

    This is where I come in

    I can review your individual current situation, what you’re transitioning to and support you with the how – which is usually the bit you’re not able to see while you’re in the thick of it all.

    How do you go about this?

    I’m always happy to do this in the way that works best for you.

    And, in many cases, as a group (up to 5) works well, because it’s always the case, that someone else will ask the question you didn’t realise you need the answer to!

    You’re likely to have made some friends at a massage class or postnatal yoga, so why not invite them?

  • 1.5 hours

    *If a group session, this can be extended to 2 hours to ensure everyone has their needs met

  • £95* Face-to-Face or Online

    I do offer a reduced price for group sessions - just contact me with your needs

Grandparent Childcare WORKSHOP

  • You’re a grandparent offering an invaluable and amazing support as childcare at a time when the small human’s parents are returning to work - this session is especially for you.

    It’s safe to say, most grandparents have been parents and done a great job with their kids.

    It’s worth noting that time and information is fast paced today and we have a wealth of current techniques and guidance that you won’t have been exposed to related to infant feeding, infant mental health and supporting sleep of small humans.

    It feels like it shouldn’t be a big deal – looking after your grandchild for a day or two a week, but when the responsibility is on you again and you are given instructions to follow from their parents, this can feel a little jarring if you’ve got confidence but you’re being asked not to do things that ‘back in the day’ were considered the norm.

    In this session we’ll review your current childcare knowledge – this isn’t to diminish the knowledge and experience you have, more to support your transition to more consistent childcare and align with up-to-based evidence and guidance.

    • Responsive feeding

      • techniques for preparing milk (Expressed and Artificial milk)

      • techniques and demonstrations of paced bottle-feeding (if baby takes a bottle)

    • Responsive parenting

    • Infant mental health

    • Sleep discussions

    • Baby-led weaning support

    • Baby-wearing techniques

    • Q&A of 2025 general looking after small humans

  • 1 Hour Session

    *unless working to transition to looking after more than one infant

  • £95 1 hour Face-to-Face

    £75 1 hour ONLINE

    Please feel free to be parent AND grandparent so I can support both parties in their communication of needs and ensuring expectations for transition to this model of childcare is gentle.

Post 4th Trimester Feeding Adjustments

  • Situation: You’ve been breastfeeding for a while, you’re not sure your supply is what it was / you’re wanting to express for the time when you’re leaving your little one.

    Or, your small human is:

    • fussy at the breast

    • distractible during feeds

    • feeding more at night and ‘snacking’ on feeds during the day

    • takes a bottle and not very well at the breast

    • not sleeping still / or as well as they once did!

    You’ve tried:

    • expressing / pumping and you don’t think you get ‘enough’ vs. your friend over on Instagram/TikTok who’s got a ‘freezer stash’

    • to drop a feed at night

    • combination feeding

    • stretching out time between feeds

    • introducing solids a little earlier as someone said your little one ‘looks’ hungry

    It feels like it shouldn’t be a big deal but there is so much ‘noise’ around infant feeding where everyone is suddenly an expert at the time when there’s no help needed, but nowhere to be seen when your partner has returned to work and everyone is getting on with life and forgotten you’ve still got a baby and you’re adjusting.

    I’m here with support, techniques and legitimate reasons for all the above, so you don’t have to go down the google ‘rabbit-hole’.

  • 1 hour session

    *or longer if required for twins / multiples

  • £125 In-person

    £75 ONLINE

Tongue-Tie (Ankyloglossia)

  • I’m well aware that Tongue-Tie can be divisive; in how people talk about babies and feeding, how you feel feeding is going, whether it you feel your feeding journey is hanging onto this to be the ‘fix’ and feeding will get better afterwards..

    The decision to determine if a tongue-tie affects feeding and if it should be divided comes after I take a thorough feeding history and assessment (watch a feed where possible).

    I am qualified to assess and divide a frenulum if we (together) decide it is the right outcome for you both.

  • An assessment includes:

    • A thorough history taking of information about the pregnancy, the birth, both the mother and baby's medical history and, the feeding journey to-date.

    • Where possible, I observe your baby breastfeeding or bottle-feeding (or via a video you’ve taken pre appointment)

    I’m a specialist in tongue-tie division WITH extensive clinical (and non-clinical) infant feeding experience.

    Your baby’s tongue movement is assessed to see if the tongue’s function is restricted and make an informed decision as to whether to divide there and then, or, if conservative management will be effective.

  • 1 .5 hour In-Home appointment

    £255 - With division on the day.

    or,

    £145 - Conservative Management with a plan to divide on the day £145 initially, (with a further £110 on the date of division).

    This may happen when we together, come to decide in the initial appointment that conservative management feels better for now, and is chosen as part of the journey towards division, we will meet for a further assessment and division of the frenulum in a specified time-frame that works for you.

    Or,

    £145 - Without division of Frenulum if we agree it is not clinically indicated / mis-diagnosed prior to meeting me / we decide upon conservative (non-invasive) management).

LGBTQ+ & LACTATION

  • I work with same-sex couples and non-binary people to support in achieving your breast/ chest feeding goals with elements such as induced lactation and effective use of equipment.

    I have successfully helped many patients to induce lactation for surrogate and adoptive babies, as well as help to re-lactate when one person has previously lactated.

  • Within my offering for induced / re-lactation / co-lactation, we need to talk.

    What I understand can be an annoyance or repetitive reminders to some, can lead to disengagement and increased disparities for LGBTQ+ Families and therefore, I need to work towards you trusting me to listen and hear where you’re coming from in terms of history and experience in order to effectively support you.

    Together, we’ll ascertain your specific needs and co-create a plan / schedule with your abilities in mind.

  • £400 for 9 months of support

    Example: 9 months working together to induce lactation

    • Introduction video-call (unless in-person is preferred) to introduce ourselves

    • Follow-up discussions focussing on expectations for the journey ahead and, experiences of your maternity care / access to care

    • I liaise with your GP to gain prescription if needed and follow up

    • Monthly virtual check-ins for updates and support

So that you get to know a little more about me (and what you’re getting when you access my support)…

I’m Rea. My pronouns are She/Her.

I’m hopeful that my offering and style of support resonates with you, your own experiences or aspirations.

My professional journey reflects a blend of challenges and achievements; which have helped to shape my unique approach and perspectives.

I offer non-judgemental evidence-based practice with plenty of humour (and on-the-spot drawings)!

With over a decade’s worth of experiencing working within the NHS; I’ve got experience within complex and diverse midwifery settings (and service providers) where I support families with breastfeeding, bottle feeding and everything related!

I’ve developed a unique model of care throughout this extensive practice which enables me to put your family at the centre, and you definitely feel that you’ve got my full attention during our time together.

Outside my work: 

  • A mother first and foremost to two spirited little girls. I breastfed both my daughters (who looking back, had posterior tongue-ties) and managed the hurdles that comes with them!

  • I’m an infant feeding, infant development enthusiast in nature and profession

  • Oh, and I bloody love a bit of yoga with a retreat thrown in here and there (now my small humans are less reliant on me)

If you want to have a chat and see if I’m the right person to support you - please do click below to read what other’s have said about time spent with me or, contact me direct.

‘About me’ blurb