Breastfeeding support in Brent - your views and experiences

[LocalEditorBrent]

Breastfeeding is in the headlines today again after a long-term study has pointed to a link between longer breastfeeding and intelligence.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31925449

While this news will certainly help raise awareness and promote the benefits of breastfeeding, the ultimate question is whether our new mothers who would like to breastfeed get an adequate support with breastfeeding in our borough?

My own experience back in 2008, as a first time mother, after a traumatic emergency C section due to preeclampsia at Northwick Park hospital, was grim.

We would love to hear your stories and suggestions

With my first child I didn't feel there was enough support with breast feeding but I didn't access some of the hospital support either so I think it works both ways at times.
With my second son I made a much bigger effort to seek help in the early postnatal days and I think that really helped me be successful in feeding him for much longer than the first.
While I think there's a big funding problem which makes a large gap in services where midwives or breast feeding counsellors/peer supporters can help in the home, it's also up to the individual mum to seek out support and go to support groups. If you ask mums who were unsuccessful in breast feeding the majority will partly blame the lack of support to them in the early days but if you ask them if they searched online for a support group and actually went along to one in my opinion the majority will say they never sought out support.
Ultimately I think harrow provides a better bf suppprt network over Brent but I don't think we're doing too badly.