Breastfeeding Peer Support Service

Peer supporters visit postnatal wards at Whittington Hospital (WH) and University College Hospitals (UCH) each day and phone all breastfeeding mothers on discharge to offer support.

Ongoing support is available by phone, video call and regular breastfeeding and social support groups. One-to-one support at appointment clinics or home visits can also be provided where necessary. Peer supporters provide valuable emotional support, as well as infant feeding support, to new mothers. 

Service updates can be found on the Breastfeeding Islington Facebook page, where parents can also contact the service, or via the Islington Council Breastfeeding Support page.

Infant Feeding Specialist Service

The Infant Feeding Specialist Service can help where there are particular concerns about a baby's feeding, whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. It is designed to support mothers and babies with more complex difficulties that have not been resolved with basic feeding support.

Following referral, the infant feeding coordinator will decide whether to provide a face-to-face assessment, suggest management, or refer to resources over the phone. It will also be decided if the case can be followed up by breastfeeding peer supporters with feedback to the infant feeding coordinator. Post-intervention information is not routinely provided. 

Breastfeeding support includes help for: 

• mums who need help with baby attaching at the breast
• mums having pain or sore nipples, engorgement or mastitis
• babies with difficulty gaining weight in early days
• babies (breastfeeding or bottle-feeding) with tongue tie or suspected tongue tie affecting feeding
• babies not wanting to go to the breast
• mothers with low milk supply 
• starting on solid foods
• weaning off the breast
• managing mixed feeding.

More complex problems include:

• milk supply issues possibly needing medication
• babies with growth faltering over period of time
• breastfed babies with symptoms of colic (usually related to effective attachment at the breast)
• breast or bottle-fed babies with symptoms of reflux (attachment at the breast or, for bottle-feeding babies, it can be bottle-feeding technique or constitution that needs to be checked)
• babies whose parents wonder if they have a cow's milk allergy but without blood in stool; the team can assess feeding first to rule out any feeding issues before trial of extensively hydrolysed milk 
• any other issues (e.g. helping mum feed after breast abscess) that are considered complex or that the GP would like the team as health professionals to assess first.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• babies and families residing in Islington.

How to Refer