• Babies, Children & Families
  • Breastfeeding
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  • Long term conditions
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  • Support for mums and babies
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Breastfeeding

Who are we?

Shropshire Community Health Trust

The Trust has recently achieved Stage 2 of the UNICEF (UK) Baby Friendly Initiative Award. We are aiming to be awarded Full Accreditation in 2013. This award provides assurance that all staff employed by Shropshire Community Health who are engaged in supporting antenatal and postnatal mums have had the necessary training and information to support mums comprehensively with infant feeding issues and information.

For more information about the Baby Friendly Initiative please visit www.unicef/babyfriendly.org.uk

Our services

Lactation clinics

In Telford and Wrekin, there are two weekly lactation clinics run by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants who are also midwives and or health visitors. Your health care professional will refer you for an appointment with a lactation consultant if they encounter a more complex breastfeeding problem that they are unable to help you with.

Telford and Wrekin

In Telford and Wrekin, there is a dedicated breastfeeding team integral to the Health Improvement Team which provides specialist services and training. The team works closely with health visitors and Children's Centres to provide a high standard of services to ante-natal and post-natal mums. The team is also keen to ensure that formula feeding is done as safely as possible and are happy to talk to mums about this and how to make up feeds safely but do not give advice about individual brands of milk.

The Telford and Wrekin Breastfeeding Encouragement and Support Team (BEST) helpline is operated from 09:00 to 22:00, seven days a week. This is a service for mums to use for support and information about basic breastfeeding issues, groups and services in the Telford & Wrekin area. It is operated by volunteers who may be at work or busy with their own child, so please leave a message if the phone goes to voicemail and the volunteer will get back to you as soon as possible.

There are also Breastfeeding Support Groups in Telford which are supported by health visitors who have been trained to support breastfeeding mums and help them with breastfeeding challenges. These groups are also attended by volunteer breastfeeding peer supporters. For more information, visit the Healthy Telford website.

All under 1s Children's Centre Groups are supported by breastfeeding peer support volunteers and Early Intervention practitioners who have been trained to support breastfeeding mums.

Shropshire County

In Shrewsbury, BURPS (Breastfeeding Understanding and Reassurance Project) runs two walk-in clinics, one at the Meole Brace Children’s Centre Area Base, Meole Primary School, on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 10:35 and one at Honeysuckle Lodge, Martin Wilson School, New Park Road, Castlefields, Shrewsbury on Thursdays from 10:30 to 12:00.

In the rest of Shropshire County, breastfeeding support and information is available in many localities:

• Oswestry, at the Woodside Children's Centre on Tuesday from 13:00 to 14:00 and via the Health Visitor advice line, on 01691 663608.
• Ellesmere, at the Children's Centre on Tuesdays, 11:00 to 12:00, and via the Health Visitor advice line,on 01691 663608.
• Wem, at the Children's centre on Wednesday, 12:30 to 13:30, and via the Health Visitor advice line, on 01939 232981.
• Market Drayton, at 'Bumps to Babes' at Market Drayton Infants school Children's Centre on Thursdays, from 100:00 to 12:00, and via the Health Visitor advice line, 01630 692929.
• Bridgnorth, a breastfeeding support group is held at The Cinnamon Coffee house, on Tuesdays, 11:30 to 12:30, and via the Health Visitor's on 01746 711952.
• Craven Arms (covering Ludlow, Church Stretton, Bishops Castle and Clun areas), all have local Children's Centre services and the Health Visitor advice line is 01588 676321.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a good publication to prepare for breastfeeding?

Ask your midwife for your free copy of The Mothers and Others Guide. This has everything you need to know to get breastfeeding off to a good start. Remember to pack it to take into hospital if you are having your baby in hospital.

I would like to come to a support group, do I need to book?

No, just turn up. You can choose your closest venue by looking on the Healthy Telford website, and for Shropshire County accessing the www.servicesaroundyou website. Alternatively you can get support at any Under 1s Children's Centre Group.

Should I try a feeding routine?

It is not advisable to try and get your baby into a feeding routine. This is detrimental to both short and long term milk production and will reduce your chances of successfully breastfeeding your baby.

What's best when it comes to breastfeeding?

Frequent and unrestricted breastfeeding should be encouraged, ensuring that the baby is correctly positioned at the breast to enable effective removal of milk. Your midwife, Health Visitor or local breastfeeding supporter will help you in the early days. It is normal for newborn infants to feed very frequently as their stomachs are the size of a marble and can only hold small amounts therefore frequent feeding is normal human infant behaviour.

Some babies are sleepy in the early days. If your baby is sleepy just keep your baby close and enjoy long periods of skin contact to help encourage your baby to feed. Do not force your baby to the breast or allow anyone to hold your baby’s head to the breast. Your breastfeeding helper should hardly need to touch you or your baby at all. If the baby is not interested in feeding initially, they will not routinely be offered a formula feed, but your midwife may help you to express a little colostrum by hand to get your baby interested in feeding if necessary. Remember that your baby also needs to recover from the delivery and may just want to sleep initially.

Breasts may feel "full" of milk if feeds are delayed or drainage is inadequate. Engorgement rarely occurs when babies are allowed to feed on demand day and night.

What if I find breastfeeding painful?

If breastfeeding is painful something is wrong. Pain is not an inevitable part of breastfeeding.Although some mothers dexcribe discomfort at the very start of the feed.

Where can I find help and support with breastfeeding?

You have access to a Breastfeeding Facilitator in Telford and Wrekin who visits the midwife-led unit at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford most days during the week and she endeavours to contact by phone any mums she doesn’t see in the unit. She also makes home visits to anyone who needs help or support with breastfeeding.
If your midwife or health visitor feels she is unable to solve your problem she will refer you to the lactation consultant clinic.