Birth and Beyond Derbyshire

23/07/2025

The rollercoaster life the parent in the 4th trimester (and beyond!). Sound familiar?

21/07/2025

Why it's never too late to get that 'golden hour'.

Not everyone gets a 'golden hour' with immediate skin to skin and self latching. Yes, if you can have it please do, but if you can't, know that you can get skin to skin as soon as you can x

21/07/2025

The Matlock baby group is on this morning 11.30am to 1pm at Church in the Peak in Matlock Green, a 5 minute walk from the park, with free parking round the back. You'll find Alys there every week. And don't forget our picnic in the park in a fortnight :-).

Come along to our in this morning, 11.30am to 1pm Church in the Peak. Our free group is on this morning and next week, and then come along to our picnic in the park on 4th August to help us celebrate World Breastfeeding Week. All parents are welcome at our baby group, whether it's to help answer a question, ease a worry or chat things through with other mothers and parents. Our picnic is for everyone as well, anyone who would like to help celebrate and promote breastfeeding and awareness of our group support in the community. You'll find Alys and Hannah at the group this morning. (PS we break up for summer after the picnic until September).

15/07/2025

⚠️Birth trauma ⚠️

This week is , we will be sharing useful information and resources throughout the week, as well as signposting to support available if you have experienced a traumatic birth as either the woman or birthing person, or the birthing partner.

Too many parents are left traumatised by their birth experience and those in marginalised communities are even more likely to be unheard, unsupported, and underserved. This week, let’s stand in solidarity and push for change. Because every parent deserves respectful, safe, and compassionate care.

If you or someone you know has experienced birth trauma and wants support, contact Birth Trauma Association - UK where you can access peer support, professional help from trained counsellors and therapists, or even support from legal advisors.

07/07/2025

For any parents in and around Matlock. For groups on this week in other areas around Derbyshire, please see this calendar from Breastfeeding Network Derbyshire
https://padlet.com/Breastfeeding_Network_Derbyshire/what-s-on-in-derbyshire-this-month-nvw3px43p2nfhckf

Join Alys at our Monday baby group in Matlock Church in the Peak We've a friendly group of mother's and parents who gather to chat and support eachother, as well as get specific support from our peer supporters. We can support you through breastfeeding, expressing and bottle feeding worries, increasing or decreasing breastfeeding / formula milk, returning to work, introducing solids, and when any changes to their patterns have you doubting what you are doing.

24/06/2025

Shared today by The Breastfeeding Network (UK), and also another topic we were discussing at the Breastmates Breastfeeding Support Matlock Monday baby group🙂. Natural term breastfeeding or mother / parent led end to breastfeeding. Whether you're talking to an NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor or a Breastfeeding Network peer supporter, we're hear to listen to how you're feeling and to help you find the right decision for you.

23/06/2025

Breastfeeding Network Derbyshire work in partnership wtih DCHS and run all the peer support groups / volunteers across Derbyshire (except in Derby city). If you've ever thought about giving something back, why not sign up to the next training which starts in September? It's run over 12 sessions, one a week, 3 of which are in person in Matlock. The remainder are on Zoom.

The deadline is tomorrow so whether you're certain you'd love to do this, or wondering if it would suit, why not apply whilst you go along to one of the Breastfeeding Network groups (including Breastmates in Matlock, Buxton, Bakewell, Glossop and Chinley) to find out more. All areas always need more volunteers so they can keep groups running weekly or fortnightly, or help them run more frequently if they are monthly.

https://www.facebook.com/share/16SagQnPUW/.

Here's the info you need 👇
❤ Application deadline: Tuesday, 24th June
🧡 Informal interview: Wednesday, 9th July at 10am
💛 Course start date: Wednesday, 17th September
💚 For more information, send us a DM or contact [email protected]
💙 Link to apply: https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/.../helper-2025.../

It's the last day for signing up to join our next training in September. Whether you're certain you'd love to do this, or wondering if it would suit, why not apply whilst you go along to one of the Breastfeeding Network groups (including Breastmates in Matlock, Buxton, Bakewell, Glossop and Chinley) to find out more. All our areas always need more volunteers so we can keep groups running weekly or fortnightly, or help them run more frequently if they are monthly.

Message us if you'd like to find out more about the group or follow the link https://www.facebook.com/share/16SagQnPUW/.

Here's the info you need 👇
❤ Application deadline: Tuesday, 24th June
🧡 Informal interview: Wednesday, 9th July at 10am
💛 Course start date: Wednesday, 17th September
💚 For more information, send us a DM or contact [email protected]
💙 Link to apply: https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/.../helper-2025.../

20/06/2025

Making a decision requires information, evidence based information. Not opinions, not pressure, just the facts and the space and time to talk and think it through. It's often an incredibly tough situation to be in, with strong emotions flying high. Being informed and weighing up the pro's and con's of saying yes and saying no, and seeing what alternatives feel possible, means women and families are more likely to feel positive about what happens next.

These days, with an induction rate of 50% in some areas, people like myself are frequently talking and writing about the induction crisis.

We also post a lot about the misinfomation that women are often given when they are offered induction of labour.

Often, the reasons that are given to support a recommendation of induction aren't based on sound evidence.

But this then begs another equally important question.

Are there good reasons to have your labour induced?

And yes, there are.

I have just updated a blog post that I wrote to explain this, and to help you unpack the different elements of the decision.

You can find it at https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/are-there-good-reasons-to-induce-labour/

I hope you'll find it useful.

14/05/2025

Wondering about how you can help support mother's with breastfeeding? The Breastfeeding Network Derbyshire next training starts in September, and are hoping to boost volunteer numbers in the Breastmates area of in particulary, but also in , and . Pop into one of their groups to speak with the mother's who volunteer to find out more about the course and what is expected. Or follow the links in the advert below.

📣📣 Are you passionate about breastfeeding? Would you like to support local families to meet their breastfeeding goals? Why not apply for our accredited peer supporter course and join our amazing team as a Breastfeeding Network Volunteer in Derbyshire?

Our next 12-week OCN-accredited course will run on Wednesday mornings, starting in September. Nine sessions will be held online and three will be in person at a lovely venue in Matlock.

Worried who will care for your baby or child while you complete your training? You're very welcome to bring your kids to our training sessions, and when you volunteer, if you would like to!

Here's the info you need 👇
❤ Application deadline: Tuesday, 24th June
🧡 Informal interview: Wednesday, 9th July at 10am
💛 Course start date: Wednesday, 17th September
💚 For more information, send us a DM or contact [email protected]
💙 Link to apply: https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/training/helper-2025-57-derbyshire/

⭐ Top tip: our courses are usually over-subscribed so the team shortlisting candidates are particularly looking for mums who have some breastfeeding experience and explain (in their applications) why they are passionate about supporting other families to breastfeed. They would also be keen to put forward candidates who attend our drop-in support sessions.

12/05/2025

A top goal, to feel empowered on a Monday morning. You'll find Alys Breastmates Breastfeeding Support baby group in Matlock from 11.30am to 1pm . We run a friendly free baby group for all parents - you can come and chat with us about breastfeeding or expressing, or using formula mlk and bottle feeding, or introducing solids, stopping breastfeeding, returning to work - so much. At any Breastfeeding Network Derbyshire baby group infact. Lots of mothers just come for a social chat whilst they drink their cuppa as well :-).

This week's Monday Mood is empowered💜

Research shows that mothers who feel supported are more likely to breastfeed for longer.

So today we're asking you who empowered you to continue on your breastfeeding journey?

It can be family, friends, a health professional, a peer supporter... anyone who made you feel supported.

We understand that some don't have the 'village' they had hoped for once they had given birth, which is why we aim to support as many mums and families as possible on their infant feeding journeys.

We have many local services across the UK that offer peer support in person and online.

Our National Breastfeeding Helpline UK is also available every day of the year 🩷

📱0300 100 0212 - 24/7
📩 Facebook and Instagram, and a peer supporter will get back to you as soon as possible.

[ID: . A mum sitting in a park breastfeeding, while a dad is nearby holding an older child.]

08/05/2025

06/05/2025

Bring fully informed and supported to make decisions is one of the most important aspects when thinking about the options around giving birth. If any woman ever feels she has been told what is going to happen, then she has not been supported to make those decisions. If she has been scaremongered into saying 'yes' then she has not been supported to make an informed decision. If a medical practitioner has sat down with the woman or couple and talked through the facts, given them time to think about those facts and how they feel about saying yes, no, maybe or what's the alternative, then they have been supported to make an