Feeding Consultation
Need some feeding support?
We offer evidence-based infant feeding support, however you choose to feed and whatever stage you are in your feeding journey. We support parents who are breastfeeding/chestfeeding, pumping, expressing, tube feeding, feeding with an SNS or formula feeding.
What support can The Milk Hub offer?
The Milk Hub team offer a variety of expertise and specialisms, and you can choose your Feeding Consultant below depending on your query. The team have different levels of infant feeding specific qualifications from specialist peer supporter to IBCLC, so something to suit a wide variety of feeding situations.
How do the sessions work?
During this one-to-one session, we will work through your feeding questions and queries, presenting practical techniques to support your specific situation. Each session usually lasts approximately 60 minutes for virtual appointments, and approximately 90 minutes for home visits. Following our conversation, you will receive a number of resources via email to refer back to, which will be tailored to your feeding journey.
Where do the sessions take place?
Virtual consultations take place via Zoom. Home visits are also available across South Essex, please see further details below.
How much do sessions cost?
Our sessions vary in price, which is reflective of the different levels of qualification and experience of our Infant Feeding Practitioners and IBCLC’s.
Virtual Consultation: £45 – £117.50
Home Visits: £90 – £145
Libby, Laura and Jemma all offer home visits in specific areas which are:
- Libby – within 10 miles of the SS3 postcode
- Jemma – within 10 miles of the SS14 postcode
- Laura – within 10 miles of the SS6 postcode
Funded Support
We work with Parenting-on-Sea CIC to help offer partial or fully funded feeding support to families who would otherwise be unable to access feeding support. Parenting-on-Sea CIC has secured a number of funding opportunities to help support families in our local area. They are:
- NHS Health Inequalities Funding is applicable for families in the Basildon, Billericay or Wickford areas.
- National Lottery funding is applicable for families across South Essex, between Shoeburyness and Thurrock.
- Southend Community Fund and Yellow Car Charitable Fund, both administered by Essex Community Foundation have provided funding for families in the Southend borough.
Thank you to the funders for making specialist feeding support accessible for so many families.
Follow Up Support
NEW! We now include up to 4 emails of follow up support with an Infant Feeding Practitioner with all home visits. This option is available up to 2 weeks after your home visit.
The same follow up support is included with all IBCLC Virtual Consults. So, if you’re booking a Virtual Consult with Libby, Jemma or Kaya – we include follow up support with one of our Infant Feeding Practitioners.
Ongoing support is not included for clinic or virtual appointments, but support packages are available so please get in touch to discuss. 30 minute follow-up calls can be booked separately if required.
I can’t see any time slots available or I need an urgent appointment?
If you need urgent feeding support and can’t find a slot within the next few days, please do get in touch. In an emergency we will do our best to offer an appointment within 48 hours where possible. Emergency appointments are subject to a £35 surcharge. This is applicable for funded appointments too.
If you need immediate support, you can contact the National Breastfeeding Helpline who are open every day.
Meet the Team
Libby
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Libby is an IBCLC. This is the gold standard level in feeding support, which is globally recognised and means she can support families with complex feeding situations.
Libby can complete oral assessments and weigh your baby if appropriate to your feeding situation.
Libby is also a Mindful Breastfeeding Practitioner, so can support your feeding relationship with evidence-based tools which complement the biological feeding process. Therefore improving feeding outcomes, and parental wellbeing.
Libby covers a radius of 10 miles from the SS3 postcode, but additional areas may be covered subject to a travel surcharge, please see details above.
Jemma
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Jemma is an IBCLC, so holds the globally recognised, gold stand qualification in infant feeding support. Just like Libby, this means she can support families with complex feeding queries.
Jemma can also complete oral assessments if appropriate to your feeding situation.
Jemma is also a certified Newborn Behaviour Observation (NBO) Practitioner, which means that she can help you to understand the communication that your baby is able to demonstrate from birth up to 3 months.
Jemma covers a radius of 10 miles from the SS14 postcode, but additional areas may be covered with a travel surcharge, please see details above.
Kaya
Milk Hub Allergy Specialist International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Like Jemma and Libby, Kaya holds the gold standard qualification in infant feeding and is an IBCLC. This means that she supports families with the most complex feeding situations.
Within The Milk Hub team, Kaya is our Allergy Specialist. This means she supports families who are concerned their child may have an allergy, or have received an allergy diagnosis and are requiring support.
Kaya herself has had three very different feeding journeys, and since the birth of her third child who has 14 allergies, 3 of which are anaphaltic, she has chosen to offer specialised support to families who are dealing with allergies as part of their feeding journey.
All of Kaya’s consultations take place virtually via Zoom.
Kaya is available to book by request, so please contact us to arrange an appointment.
Laura
Infant Feeding Practitioner and Trainee IBCLC
Laura is trained to breastfeeding counsellor level in infant feeding support, and is training to be an IBCLC.
Laura can support families with a range of more complex feeding concerns, such as feeding with nipple shields, comb-feeding, thrush, mastitis and more.
Laura covers a radius of 10 miles from the SS6 postcode, but additional areas may be covered subject to a travel surcharge, please see details above.
Georgia
Infant Feeding Practitioner
Mindful Breastfeeding Practitioner
Georgia is trained to peer support level and can support parents with many feeding queries from positioning and attachment for painful feeds, introducing bottles and returning to work.
Georgia specialises in areas such as feeding toddlers, pre-schoolers and beyond. As well as night weaning and stopping breastfeeding.
Georgia is a Mindful Breastfeeding Practitioner, so alongside practical information, can support your feeding journey using mindfulness strategies if required.