What’s the course all about?

The Preparing to Feed My Baby course aims to give you a good understanding of how breastfeeding/chestfeeding works, how to prepare to breastfeed/chestfeed and how to get feeding off to the best start.  Parents should be able to make informed decisions around infant feeding choices and the course aims to provide you with current, evidenced based information to support you to achieve your feeding goals.

Who is the course suitable for?

The course is suitable for anyone thinking of breast/chest feeding, combi-feeding or pumping, whether this is your first or you have breastfed before. You can participate in the course at any stage during your pregnancy, but we generally suggest from around 20 weeks onwards. 

What does the course cover:

• How breastfeeding/chestfeeding works including supply & the mechanics of a breastfeed.
• Recognising feeding cues & normal infant behaviour.
• How to get feeding off to a good start following your birth.
• Where to access qualified support.
• How to position baby and attach baby for a feed.
• How to tell if breastfeeding is going well.
• What can partners do to support the breastfeeding parent?
• Antenatal colostrum harvesting, hand expressing & pumping.
• Feeding in public.
• Common feeding problems.
• Mindfulness techniques to support your feeding journey. 

Bonus Course Content:

• Access to the Digital Workbook which has a huge variety of feeding resources for you to refer back to including Feeding Plans.
• A reserved place for our postnatal support course – Mindful Parents Connection.  
• A unique discount on any further feeding support for the duration of your feeding journey with the baby or babies you are expecting when you book the course. 
• A few exciting course surprises!

What have previous attendees said about the course?

“I was extremely impressed with Libby’s knowledge and how supportive.  a person she is. I know that if I encounter any problems I will be able to reach out to her and feel fully supported.  She made the course really enjoyable and interesting and really engaged with everyone on the course.  I now feel fully informed and ready for breastfeeding my baby.” Rebecca

“It was a brilliant course, thoroughly enjoyed it. Libby is a brilliant teacher and clearly knows her stuff, so glad to have completed the course.”  Kate

“I just want to say a huge thank you to Libby.  I didn’t know how I felt about breastfeeding at first and my knowledge on breastfeeding was little.  Libby has explained all aspects of breastfeeding, and it has helped my understanding of why we breastfeed  how to do it and all in between.  Now I feel I undesrstand breastfeeding and I feel confident in whatever I do will be right for. my baby. I cannot recommend enough.” Laura 

“For someone who knew very little about breastfeding other than what other mums had struggle with, Libby’s course was not only informationve and helpful but I also came away feeling empowered and determined. Libby provides information on all types of feeding, not just exclusively breast, so I would highly recommend this course for any mums-to-be looking to be armed with some knowledge before baby’s arrival!” Mummy K 

How long does the course last?

This is a comprehensive antenatal feeding course, comprising of 3 sessions. Each session lasts around 1.5 hours.

Can my partner/support attend with me?

Yes!  Your course fee includes a space for you and your partner/supporter.  We very much encourage your supporter to attend the sessions too. 

When is the next course?

Dates for the next course are; 14th, 21st & 28th July and the course will take place virtually.  

The course will start at 7.30pm each week, and will be recorded if you are unable to join for one of the sessions.

Further dates for 2021:

• 15th, 22nd & 29th September

Pricing

The course costs £45.

You can book the course by clicking here. 

The Milk Hub Relaxation Club takes place monthly and is an opportunity for all parents to take some time out. It doesn’t matter how old your babies are whether they are 4 months, 4 years , 14 or 24!  All parents very welcome. 

Each session lasts approximately an hour, during which we complete two guided relaxations.  We also look at a variety of mindfulness tools such as breathwork, affirmations and journaling.

There’s a great opportunity to connect with other parents too.  

Relaxation Club will take place on the first Wednesday of the month, the dates for 2021 are at the bottom of the page.

Investment is £5 per session, and the class will take place virtually for now.

2021 Dates:

• 7th April
• 5th May 
• 2nd June
• 7th July 
• 4th August 
• 1st September
• 6th October
• 3rd November
• 1st December 

Book your spot at Relaxation Club by clicking here. 

What is a Beyond Birth class?

Beyond Birth is an exciting new group session for parents with babies of any age up to 12 months, which The Milk Hub proudly runs in collaboration with holistic sleep coach & parenting expert Lizzie Noble from Parenting Explorers. 

The Beyond Birth classes focus on supporting parental mental health and well-being in the postnatal period, using a combination of mindful and wellbeing parenting tools.

The sessions provide support for parents as they transition to life with a new baby.  Together, we explore different ideas and strategies which have been expertly blended by professionals to support your mental health and wellbeing with life as a new baby.  The transitional period when a new baby arrives is one of the most challenging and transformative times in our lives, and with the support of the tools discussed in the class – we will help you to build resilience to help you cope with the challenges and enjoy the feel-good moments in parenting.

Bonus Content!

You will receive the following bonus content when you book a Beyond Birth course:

• A Beyond Birth Gift at your very first Beyond Birth session.
• Access to bonus sessions on infant sleep and infant feeding.
• Access to recordings of the guided relaxations to use throughout the course.
• Be part of our Beyond Birth community in the accompanying Whats App group which is just for parents attending the same Beyond Birth course.  Meet other new parents, and access specialist support on a range of parenting issues, all within your ‘phone!

How does each session work?

The sessions will take place in person with all necessary Covid security precautions taken.  Each class will last between 60 and 90 minutes. 

The September Course will take place outside (Beyond Birth – In Nature),  at Belfairs Woods.

The November Course will take place inside at St. Michael’s & All Angels’ Church in Daws Heath.  The Church is in a beautiful setting and forms part of the Essex Wildlife Trust’s ‘Belfairs & Daws Health Living Landscape’ area. It  is located 10 minutes west of Belfairs Woods, the postcode is SS7 2UW. 

What are the course dates and times?

You can book either our September or November Courses at the moment.

The September Course Dates

• 8th September at 10.00am
• 15th September at 10.00am
• 22nd September at 10.00am
• 29th September at 10.00am 
• 6th October at 10.00am 
• 13th October at 10.00am

The November Course Dates

• 1st November at 9.30am
• 8th November at 9.30am
• 15th November at 9.30am
• 22nd November at 9.30am
• 29th November at 9.30am
• 6th December at 9.30am 

How do I book the course?

You can book the course as a block booking for all 6 sessions, which costs £65.

You can also book on a ‘pay as you go basis’ per session too.  PAYG places for virtual sessions are £15 each, and are subject to class availability, please contact us to book a PAYG session. 

Demand for these sessions is high, so if you would like to be notified when the next course dates are available, please contact us.

What is Nurture in Nature?

Nurture in Nature is a unique class which caters for both parent and child alike, run by Libby Barnes from The Milk Hub, and Lizzie Noble from Parenting Explorers. 

Combining forest school activities for your child, with the opportunity to connect with yourself and learn mindful parenting techniques to improve your own mental wellbeing.

The class is suitable for children who are confident walkers up to school age.

Can siblings attend the course too?

Younger siblings who are not yet on the move (e.g. babes in arms), are welcome to attend the session at no extra charge.  The session will be catered to your older child.

For mobile siblings who would like to attend (e.g. twins/triplets or a toddler and a pre-school aged child), we charge a 50% sibling discount on a second place.  We have limited availability of sibling spaces, so please contact us in advance of booking to discuss.

How does each session work?

Sessions will take place outside each week.  We will start and end each session together as a group, using the opportunity to build attachments and practice mindfulness techniques with our children.

During the session, the children will have the opportunity to access a variety of forest school activities created and run by Lizzie who is one half of the Beyond Birth team and a Beyond Birth Mental Wellbeing Practitioner.  Lizzie is also an Outstanding Rated Ofstead Forest Child Care provider, as well as being a early years play and development expert and holistic sleep coach.

Whilst the children are exploring the variety of activities on offer Libby who is a mindful parenting, infant feeding practitioner and Beyond Birth Mental Wellbeing Practitioner, will offer a variety of mindfulness activities for the parents such as guided relaxations, mindful parenting tools, journaling activities and much more.  This is an opportunity for parents to connect with themselves, take a moment for self-care and learn skills to help navigate the rollercoaster of parenting life.

Children will be nearby to their parents the whole time, and there will be no pressure for children to join the forest school activities if they feel more comfortable remaining with their parent.  This is a relaxed session.

When is the next course?

You can currently book both our September and November Courses.

The September Course Dates

September classes will take place outside at Belfairs Woods, starting at 10.00am each week and lasting approximately 60 minutes.

• 7th September
• 14th September
• 21st September
• 28th September

The November Course Dates

November classes will take place outside at St. Michael’s & All Angels’ Church in Daws Heath.  Each session will start at 11.30am and last for approximately an hour.

The Church is in a beautiful setting and forms part of the Essex Wildlife Trust’s ‘Belfairs & Daws Health Living Landscape’ area. It  is located 10 minutes west of Belfairs Woods, the postcode is SS7 2UW. 

• 1st November 
• 8th November
• 15th November
• 22nd November 

How do I book?

You can book the full course using this link.  The cost is £12 per session, so a total of £48 for the whole course.