Urgent BF help needed for young mm in St Albans Herts please

[hobbgoblin]

I'm posting this quickly before I have to put children through bed and bath routine, so will post on local board too later.

Our babysitter has just given birth to her own baby girl. She is only 17 and is determined to BF. However, she has inverted nipples and is very sore due to stitches after a prolonged and difficult labour (induced as OD)

I spoke to her mum today who said she had resorted to formula as she was struggling a bit to BF. I don't have detailed info but think it's a combination of baby blues, soreness and the nipple difficulty. Her mother has bought her nipple shields today on recommendation from the community midwife. Her mum and I thought a pump would be better with the inverted nipples???

Anyway, I told mum to look up La Leche League, but she hadn't heard of them and is a bit in the dark on the whole idea of support beyond community midwife.

Is there anybody nearby who could help? Or do any of you have recommendations of BF counsellors in the area? Is it expensive? I don't suppose the mother has lots of spare cash given her age and circs. Thanks in Advance!

[Longtinsellyjosie]

Am on crowded train but yes I know someone who might help - will be back later this eve

[HappyAsASandboy]

I'm not loca; to St Albans, but wanted to respond about the nipple question. I had one flat nipple, but pumping has made it stand out nicely

I would definately try pumping to get it out before I'd try shields.

[thisisyesterday]

hey Hobb, my friend is an LLL leader in Luton... will PM you some contact details

[BellaBearisWideAwake]

send me a message if you want the name of the nct breast feeding counsellor in st albans

[wakeupeverybody]

I asked for help for my sister on here in late August/early September, do a search as there was lots of great info posted. In the end my sister was helped by a community nurse ?Mel something- her name is on that thread. There is also an NCT counsellor.

[wakeupeverybody]

Sorry, I meant to add- I was asking for help in St Albans- that is why it is worth searching for my thread!

[Longtinsellyjosie]

A friend found this place helpful - it's a drop-in down the road in Harpenden - Mondays 10-12 high-field oval cafe. Sorry don't know address but the website is harpenden-breastfeeding.co.uk

[AngelDog]

Yes, the Harpenden breastfeeding group is brilliant but it may be a while before she can get there. They also have a sling library which saved my sanity when DS was tiny.

Melanie Wedd is a nursery nurse who works with the community midwife teams and specialises in bf. She helped me a lot, and I'm guessing it was her who helped wakeupeverybody's sister. You just have to ask the community midwives to get her (or someone else) to come & sit with her and help with positioning & latching.

I had a few visits from various people on the midwife team - if you tell them you're finding bf tough, they'll do some extra non-routine visits to help you.

Kellymom has links on inverted nipples.

[AngelDog]

I mean links about inverted nipples, but you know what I mean.

[justbeme]

I just googled "Breast feeding help st albans" and came up with:
Drop in on weds at Childrens centre in Church Crescent - tel 01727 860132 1030 - 1230
there is also one on a friday in the Alban Way Childrens Centre
or NCT helpline 0300 330 0771 or 0870 900 8787.

I know in QE2 hospital the NCT was having breast feeding volunteers - Im sure if your babysitter calls her Midwife they will be able to help.

[hobbgoblin]

Hi

got caught up with stuff. thanks for details tiy! (have passed on)

thanks for other info everyone, i will email thread to mum of the mum!

[Lunachick]

A bit late to this; hope your friend has got some help by now. I was just googling for details of the new St Albans group, this thread came up, so I'll add them here for anyone's future reference:

Fridays, 1-2:30pm
Run by a Breastfeeding Network BFC

Alban Way Children's Centre
Fleetville Infant and Nursery School
228 Hatfield Road
AL1 4LW

A lovely room with loads of facilities and toys for babies through to pre-schoolers.


(Lovely to see the positive comments about the Harpenden group & sling lending library - I help to run it . QEII post-natal ward will hopefully have volunteer peer support rostered on whenever possible in the new year; anyone interested in training and volunteering, please contact Geraldine Gibson, the 'Infant Feeding Coordinator' [BFC] there)