help for a new mum - which advisor is best?

[sleepdodger]

hi my friend had a baby 2 days ago but is struggling with feeding & now has cracked & bleeding nips; shes being discharged from hosp after emcs today and wants a support advisor to come & help out- who would you recommend most la leche or nct? east mids if it makes any difference
thanks

[tiktok]

Shame for your friend :(

'Support advisers' from NCT and/or LLL - actually called breastfeeding counsellors (NCT) or 'La Leche League Leaders' (LLL) - are all volunteers. They are few in number and may not even exist near your friend, and few will be able to come to help out in person, sorry. I am an NCT bfc (not in East Mids as it happens!) and I would find it hard to go and see someone in person unless they lived very near, though sometimes people come to me....not usually 2 days postnatal though.

Your friend will get home visits from the community midwife, though. There may be a local peer support programme with peer supporters who can visit - but difficult situations with damaged nipples are beyond their usual boundaries.

I think what I am saying is that home visits from the voluntary organisations can't be assumed to be available - so deciding which would be best might be academic!

She does need help though - she could try calling any of the bf helplines, as well as insisting the community midwife really helps her sort this out. Baby needs to be checked for tongue tie, feed needs observing start to finish, positioning amended if necessary....hope things work out.

[cocoachannel]

Your poor friend. I was in that situation two days after giving birth, but things got better very quickly thanks in part to the community midwife and health visitor's visits in week one, but in no small measure due to reading this forum on my phone in the wee small hours.

Oh, and Lanisoh, lashings of it.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I'm not sure which group is most strong in East Midlands - imo, BfN, NCT, ABM and LLL support volunteers are all generally lovely, and skilled people. It's best to call whichever one has the most workers in the area you're in.

If she's calling any of the helplines, if she calls in the evening (or over the weekend) and from a landline, she's more likely to a) get an answer and b) have the person be near her, and hence know about local support.

[sleepdodger]

Thanks ladies I will pass this on to her x