Birth and Beyond Derbyshire

08/09/2025

A twist on what a "good" be really is.
Join Breastmates Breastfeeding Support today in Matlock, 11.30am to 1pm Church in the Peak for a social chat or for support around anything to do with babies and toddlers feeding (milk or solids).

03/09/2025

04/08/2025

Wet weather chanege: Matlock's Picnic in the Peak is moving inside to Church in the Peak, DE4 3EJ, our usual Monday venue. Bring along your picnic, family and friends and join us for an indoor celebration of World Breastfeeding Week 🙂.

28/07/2025

It's the last Matlock baby group this morning 11.30am to 1pm in Matlock before the picnic in the park next Monday. Then the group takes a break over the summer holidays. If you've never been, why not pop in to meet us or come along to our picnic on Monday 4th? There's also a World Breastfeeding Week picnic in Buxton pav gardens on Thursday 7th, for a picturesque picnic!

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.