The 19th May marks World Day of Human Milk Donation, and to celebrate it I’m sharing with you a real mum’s own story and journey of becoming a breast milk donor. Lindsay shared her milk with other families through the NHS milk bank and, in doing so, she gave babies the gift of nourishment, and their parents the gift of comforted heart. Breast milk donors and milk banks play a crucial role in providing human milk to babies who – for different reasons – aren’t able to have their mother’s or parent’s milk. Often, these babies are born prematurely and spend some time in a neonatal unit. Human milk will…

I’ve been wanting to include a blog post on breastfeeding for a while now, and I thought what better way to share information about this than to collaborate with someone who’s been supporting women and their families in the perinatal period for over two decades? As such, I’ve asked Jenny Patterson if she’d be up for answering a few questions on the subject of breastfeeding, and – to my great delight – she kindly agreed. I met Jenny through the great work of the Pregnancy and Parents Centre. I first got an insight into Jenny’s vast knowledge when I attended an event at the PPC where Jenny shared her refreshing and…

The term babymoon seems to have recently gained popularity amongst parents-to-be as a term for a last holiday for two before their new baby arrives. A last chance to enjoy a carefree time before life is taken over by nappies, patchy sleep patterns and the need for childcare arrangements. Or, as the Telegraph put it, ‘a last hurrah before the baby arrives’. Whilst I don’t have a problem with a break for two to connect, rest, have fun as a couple before baby arrives, personally I do find that this type of babymoon seems to give the impression that your life is over once you have a baby, and you…

Different cultures have different customs when it comes to approaching the placenta. Some bury it, some burn it, some cook it, you name it! But in our western culture we haven’t historically paid much attention to it, nowadays mostly treating it as medical waste. These days, however, we are discovering new and old ways in which you can use and honour your baby’s placenta (other than leaving it for your midwife to dispose of it). But firstly, let’s clarify what the placenta is and why it’s important. What is the placenta The placenta is a (temporary) organ created specifically to grow a baby. It supports and nourishes the growth of…