Polly Smith, IBCLC (she/her)
I always knew breastfeeding was important to me, but I was poorly prepared and struggled with breastfeeding at the start.
I had twins born at 36 weeks and was in hospital for the first 7 days of their life, trying so hard and feeling like everything was going wrong. In the middle of this chaos and all the tears, I had a sudden moment of clarity and determination – then and there, I made a commitment to myself that I would do everything I could to prevent other new mothers struggling the way I had.
I was lent The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by a friend and found myself reading bits of it at 2am whilst trying to figure out how to make breastfeeding go more smoothly. The words resonated with me. I called the La Leche League helpline whilst still in the hospital and found the person I spoke to was reassuring and confident in my abilities. What a huge relief this was! Months later, I attended my local LLL meetings and became an LLL Leader.
After several years of breastfeeding counselling, I began training to become an IBCLC. After completing 14 health sciences, 90 hours of lactation training and 1,000 hours of breastfeeding support, followed by a 4-hour exam, I qualified as an IBCLC in December 2020.
As a parent, I quickly discovered attachment parenting methods felt right for our family. We also made the decision to home educate, which brings me a lot of joy. My approach to life is gentle, accepting and respectful. I will listen to you and support you and I understand what it is like to struggle, to have sleepless nights and to need that person by your side encouraging you.
Services
Holistic, Child Focused Support
£85 approximately 1-2hrs
This is for anyone who needs a 1:1 session to help with challenging or complex breastfeeding situations. It is also helpful for someone who would like to receive specialist 1:1 breastfeeding support. It includes a clinical assessment of how breastfeeding is going and a write up which may include suggestions and a plan for going forward.
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