Birth and Beyond Derbyshire

21/05/2026

Courses are taking bookings for Matlock through to babies due in winter, giving you a way of feeling more prepared for birth and parenting, as well as meeting other local parents-to-be.

19/05/2026

This is such an important message. So many in pregnancy worry they won't be able to make enough milk, but the vast majority can, with the right knowledge shared to them and support offered to them. Something you'll find at your local Matlock NCT class with Alys, who is also an NCT breastfeeding counsellor and a volunteer with Breastfeeding Network Derbyshire at the weekly Monday baby group.

After the article in the Economist, there is a lot of talk about low supply.

Many people cite low supply as a reason why they stopped breastfeeding. And yes, there are some who can not make a full milk supply. The article suggests it's up to 20%. Other research suggests it's more like 5%. The truth is it is difficult to measure as so few new mums receive the support they need to establish a good supply at the start, and this can have a big impact on long-term milk production. You can, however, still breastfeed without a full milk supply! I will share more on that and how to tell you if you have a supply issue later.

For now, here is a post on the things that people often think might be low supply, but are actually completely normal newborn newborn behaviour.

1 - YOUR BABY IS FEEDING FREQUENTLY
3 hourly is often what we are told, but in reality that is the minimum a baby should be fed. Most babies prefer to feed more frequently. Babies love to cluster feed! At night, to start with and in the evenings and early mornings a few weeks down the line.

2 - YOUR BABY WAKES IN THE NIGHT
Night waking is normal. There are many periods during the first year and beyond where babies wake more, and others when they sleep a little better. This is not to do with milk production, but baby development.

3 - YOU HAVE SMALL BREASTS
Size doesn't matter. Its not what they look like but how much milk making tissue they contain, and you can't tell that from looking.

4 - YOU ARE NOT LEAKING
Some people leak. Others leak just in the early weeks. Others don't leak at all. It's nothing to do with milk production.

5 - YOUR BREASTS FEEL SOFT
Once your milk production has regulated after the first few weeks, it is totally normal for your breasts to no longer feel firm or full. A soft breast is a healthy breast.

6 - YOU CAN'T FEEL THE LET-DOWN
Some people feel their milk ejection reflex, others don't. But you can see it in your baby's feeding pattern from fast light sucks to slow deep sucks.

7 - YOU CANNOT PUMP MUCH MILK
The amount you can pump is no indication of what the baby can get.

8 - YOUR BABY WILL ALWAYS TAKE A BOTTLE
A bottle teat is a hard stimulus into the roof of the mouth. A baby has to suck it as it is a reflex. Bottles flow fast, so baby will take some milk. It's their reflexes feeding.

9 - YOUR BABY IS HAVING SHORT FEEDS
Some babies are efficient and some people have a fast flow.

10 - YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR BABY DOWN
Babies really do settle better in someone's arms. This is where they feel safe, warm and secure. We are carry mammal and designed to carry our babies all the time. When babies find themselves on their own, they call out so they do not get eaten by a predator. And they may as well have another feed to settle.

Do any of these surprise you?
Do you always question your supply?

18/05/2026

Support with feeding your baby is available in Matlock on this grey morning. You'll find Alys this morning between 11.30am and 1pm Church in the Peak🙂.
PS. Next Monday is a bank holiday so the group will be back in a fortnight, after today.

17/05/2026

Congratulations to all the volunteers at Breastfeeding Network Derbyshire

🎉 We did it! 🎉💜

We are absolutely delighted to share that we WON the Charity of the Year Award at the Lots for Tots Derbyshire Awards!!
..and...

Our amazing volunteer, Karen, WON the Volunteer of the Year Award! 🌟 ⭐

Knowing families we've supported have taken the time to vote for us feels so meaningful and this recognition means so much to us. Thank you also to the judges for recognising the impact in our work.

To our volunteers: these awards reflect your huge dedication and impact. Thank you for being so amazing!💜

We hope the award will help shine a light on the support we offer and bring us closer to reaching every family who needs us.

15/05/2026

13/05/2026

Hayfever and Spring colds: you can use the The The Breastfeeding Network Drugs in Breastmilk Service information to find evidence based information on what is and isn't safe to take whilst breastfeeding.

08/05/2026

If you've ever thought about paying the help you received forward and will have time to give to volunteering once trained, the next Derbyshire course is taking application now, for September. The following course will start in January. Please follow the link for more information or pop along to any of the Derbyshire groups, including Matlock (where you'll find me!) for a chat about what is involved.

📣 We are delighted to share that applications for our next "Helper" (Breastfeeding Peer Supporter) course are now live! ⭐

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 Thurdays mornings, 10am-12pm, starting in September. Eight 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, 23rd June 2026
🧡 Informal interview: Wednesday, 8th July at 10am
💛 Course start date: Thursday, 17th September
💚 For more information, send us a DM or contact [email protected]
💙 Link to apply: https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/training/helper2026-41-derbyshire/

⭐ Top tip: our courses are usually over-subscribed and 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 have attended our drop-in support sessions.

01/05/2026

Pregnant and wondering how to help yourself or your partner to have a positive birth, and what to expect as a parent? Sign up to the NCT antenatal classes in Matlock where you'll meet friends as you move into parenting, gain valuable knowledge and practical skills for birth and parenting, including feeding your baby. The next course starts in June. Discounts are available depending on financial circumstances, please enquire when finding out more following this link.
https://www.nct.org.uk/courses-workshops

21/10/2025

I love this analogy. What helped you to let your baby's head be free to tip back?

Hand position when you are bringing baby onto the breast.

For positions where you bring baby onto the breast, cross cradle hold, rugby/football hold, koala hold, side lying position etc parents often mention that their baby is not opening their mouth wide. Laid back position and encouraging babies to self latch can sort this. But some parents prefer these other positions.

One of the reasons for this is often to do with their hand position when supporting baby. It is essential that babies can throw their head back when latching onto the breast. Imagine taking a bite of a large apple or large burger if you are less healthy! You have to throw your head back in order to fit it all in your mouth, don't you? Babies have to do the same in order to get a large mouthful of the breast.

So if your hand, finger, ar, or feeding cushio is resting on the back of baby's head, they are not going to be able to do this. Supporting the baby with the palm of your hand flat on their back, up on their shoulder blades, with fingers and thumbs behind the ears can mean you have a good grip on them but also ensure they can throw their head back when their rooting reflex is triggered..

So imagine your hand is a hair washing basin at the salon. These basins are designed to support us comfortably lying with our head back to stop the shampoo going in our eyes.

Line baby up nose to ni**le with their chin touching the breast and their head back. Baby's arms should not be between their chest and your body, get them hugging the b**b. Tickle top lip with your ni**le to stimulate rooting reflex and when baby opens up, head should go back even more and you can bring baby onto the breast chin first. Keep baby in close, tuck in their bum and lean back a bit if you're sitting upright taking baby back with you to help you maintain the position.

Practice on both sides 8 to 12 times a day (average baby)

24/09/2025

Re-posting from The Natural Parent Magazine

“Did you know that Mayan families in Guatemala, consider bedsharing to be the only way to parent through the night?
Did you know that in Japan, breastfeeding and shared sleep (soine) is seen as a means to sustain connection through touch or ‘skinship’ between mother and child?
Did you know that In Bali, babies’ feet don’t touch the ground until 3 months of age?
Yet, we’re told in western culture that our babies need to sleep on their own, that we need to get our babies on a schedule and that we can ‘spoil’ them if we pick them up ‘too much’.

One of my favourite cross-cultural pieces of research to share to help us challenge the mainstream parenting narrative, comes from Dr. Charlotte Peterson. She spent forty years traveling the globe to live with local families and witness parenting practices in peaceful cultures. She observed that in Bali, babies are seen as a blessing.
At three months of age, there is a ceremony called Tiga Bulan or “three moons”. It is not until the celebration of this ceremony that a new baby’s feet touch the earth. Until that point, the baby is considered “of the heavens” and is constantly held in someone’s arms.

After the ceremony, the baby is considered “of the earth”. Although a baby can be put down and “out of arms” at this point, Charlotte has rarely seen a Balinese infant or toddler not being held or closely watched, by her parents or family members, within those first three months.

For me, it feels validating to gain a different perspective, reminding us that our instincts to hold our babies close are ancient, wise and innately human. I seek out research like this as it allows me to better understand the difference between social norms & what’s best for our babies.”