NHS-Run Breastfeeding Groups in CaithnessThere are Breastfeeding Groups run by the midwives in Wick and in Thurso. The atmosphere is very informal, just mums chatting over coffee and biscuits. Its a great chance to ask for advice from other mums who have experience of breastfeeding, from night-feeds, moving onto solids, expressing milk, returning to work or travelling with a breastfed baby. Midwives are usually available if you want to ask for advice from a health professional. | |
THURSO | WICK |
Community Health Centre, | Henderson Wing, |
| Every Friday from 2 - 3pm | Every Wednesday from 12 - 1pm |
Phone: 01847 896990 | Phone: 01955 880289 |
Caithness Breast Friends
 | If you can't get along to the NHS breastfeeding groups then please don't hesitate to give us a call. We are happy to come out and visit you in your home, especially in the early days and weeks. Using the Caithness Breastfeeding Fone-A-Friend Directory, we can put you in touch with other mums in your area who are breastfeeding, so you can meet up for coffee. This might be a good option if you don't live near Thurso or Wick, but want to get together with other breastfeeding mums. |
NHS Infant Feeding AdvisorsWe are very lucky in the Highlands to have two enthusiastic and knowledgeable Infant Feeding Advisors based in Inverness, whose job it is to support and encourage breastfeeding. NHS breastfeeding support begins with your midwife or health visitor, but if you need further specialist help then Karen and Janet are happy to advise. Their contact details are: Karen Mackay and Janet Kellock |  |
National Breastfeeding Support - Helplines and Websites
La Leche League (LLL) - 0845 120 2918
You might not have heard of them, but La Leche League are generally acknowledged to be the international leaders in all things breastfeeding. The name is pronounced "la lay-chay". They started up in the States 50 years ago, just a handful of mums wanting to help other mums in their area and have spread across the globe to become a voluntary network comprising millions of breastfeeding mothers. Many health professionals regularly turn to La Leche League publications to help solve breastfeeding problems and the organisation is 100% about breastfeeding.
http://www.llli.org// The La Leche League International website has an enormous range of information about almost any breastfeeding situation you can imagine. Use their search facility to enter keywords about your specific issue.
http://www.laleche.org.uk/ The La Leche League UK website includes an excellent bookshop for books relating to breastfeeding, child-rearing and nutrition. You can also use their website to fill in a helpform for breastfeeding support by email.
The helpline is manned by mums in their own homes who have undergone extensive training to become "La Leche League Leaders", and these mums have the backing of a huge organisation with a wealth of information. So if you have a really unusual or complicated breastfeeding situation then don't give up without phoning LLL first.
National Childbirth Trust (NCT) - 0870 444 8708
The NCT has over 50 years experience in supporting new parents. As the name suggests, the organisation covers all aspects of pregnancy, birth and post-natal experience. This means that NCT is not exclusively a breastfeeding organisation and is therefore happy to support mums who chose to do a mixture of formula and breastfeeding, or those who are wanting to wean from breast onto formula. Their specialist breastfeeding counsellors are also an excellent source of help for anyone who is exclusively breastfeeding.
http://www.nct.org.uk/breastfeeding/index.html
The NCT Breastfeeding Helpline is manned by volunteer breastfeeding counsellors in their own homes and is manned from 8am to 10pm with an answering machine overnight.
Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (ABM) - 08444 122 949
The ABM is another voluntary organisation which supports breastfeeding mums. Its a smaller organisation and it has an on-line chat forum called ChatABM for breastfeeding mums.
http://abm.me.uk/ The main website for ABM which gives you a link to join ChatABM Yahoo Group, letting you chat online to other breastfeeding mums and breastfeeding counsellors.
The ABM helpline is manned by volunteer breastfeeding counsellors in their own homes and is manned from 9:30am to 10:30pm. Breastfeeding counselling by email is available at counselling@abm.me.uk.
BreastFeeding Network (BfN) - 0844 412 4664
The BfN is another voluntary organisation supporting breastfeeding mums. It has many informative leaflets and can provide information about using prescription drugs whilst breastfeeding. If you are told at any stage by a doctor or other health professional that you must stop breastfeeding because of medication you require, then it is well worth calling BfN for a second opinion. There may be alternative drugs that are compatible with breastfeeding. BfN may give you the confidence to return to your doctor armed with the latest research giving other options to let you continue to breastfeed your baby.
http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/
The BfN helpline is manned from 9:30am to 9:30pm by breastfeeding mothers who have undergone extensive training to become Breastfeeding Network Supporters.