The Mindful Breastfeeding Podcast

Wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do and this episode is the first of a series of talks drawing upon our wellbeing model, The Spaces Philosophy, the philosophy that underpins the work we do at The Mindful Breastfeeding School. This week I focus on self-compassion. It sometimes doesn't feel natural to prioritise ourselves or to make space for calm and connection throughout our daily life, especially as women, but I'd really like you to understand how practicing self-compassion can have a really powerful impact and how leading your breastfeeding support with the message of self-compassion will strengthen every aspect of their parenting journey and ultimately improve their relationships with their babies, and of course with themselves. 

"In the same way that physical health requires a daily practice, so does mental and emotional health" Joined today by Alex Heath - Clinical Hypnotherapist, Perinatal Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner and Founder of The TBR College, we delve into the subject of perinatal emotional health, how this period can be wrought with challenge, difficulty and sometimes even trauma and how the stigma of mental health can be a barrier to finding safe spaces to explore our emotional wellbeing.   Alex shares her own journey which has led her to where she is today and the passion she has for providing solution focused tools to apply to the emotions we experience in the perinatal period - in a world where our society doesn't prioritise our emotional health or educate us on how to stay emotionally healthy.  For professionals wishing to train with Alex, visit www.tbrcollege.com,  For parents wanting to work with Alex, you can visit www.thebirthrepublic.com  If you are someone who is affected by trauma, please visit www.traumaticbirthrecovery.com    You can also find Alex Heath's book, 'A Guide to Recovery from a Traumatic Birth'  here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Recovering-traumatic-birth-practical-guide/dp/B08DSVJWWW/ref=asc_df_B08DSVJWWW/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=499352049769&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2836627294559242687&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006791&hvtargid=pla-1401552126872&psc=1&th=1&psc=1  

I've decided to talk about how Mindful Breastfeeding can positively impact situations with complex lactation issues during this episode. I talk a little bit about my own challenges when I breastfed my third child after breast reduction surgery and how I navigated these challenges using a growth mindset mentality to manage my emotions positively. "Oxytocin needs to flow for milk to be released and oxytocin struggles to flow in stressful situations when our nervous system is on high alert" which is why it's even more important to focus on a mindset change and to have self-compassion, to feel better and nurture ourselves but also to help lactation to work better. The breastfeeding person and their families go through a range of feelings and emotions, especially if they experience struggles and it's really important to manage and support these families to help them to feel more kind and compassionate towards themselves. The tools we use at the Mindful Breastfeeding School are designed to help you move into a more relaxed nervous system and to enable you to better nurture yourselves with positive words of affirmation and positive self-talk. Don't underestimate the power of these tools and the impact they can have on  feeding experiences and lactation issues.

Are You a People Pleaser? Come and join me as I explore the topic of "people-pleasing", how it can be a big part of our lives, consciously or subconsciously, why we do it and how we can recognise when this becomes a problem. Plus, I offer FIVE solutions to overcoming this type of behaviour which is most likely not serving your best interests: 1. Money Boundaries 2. Time Boundaries 3. Saying No 4. Self-Exploration 5. Self-Care I really feel this is a topic that will resonate with many of you, especially if you are working in the breastfeeding support world. I'd love to hear how you get on with putting in place these five solutions so get in touch with me and let me know!

Today I am joined by Laura Ellington, Hypnobirthing Instructor, Mindful Breastfeeding Practitioner and Founder of Plus-sized Pregnancy which offers support and evidence based birth and breastfeeding information for those who identify as plus-sized or have a higher BMI. Laura sheds the light on the experience of many people who have a higher BMI as they feel misled and coerced into making choices that are not based on the facts and shamed alongside a culture of fat-phobia. It's so important to delve deeper into the research and statistics and rely on real evidence-based sources in all situations but we highlight the importance of this especially for plus-sized people who seem to be targeted with fear-based information throughout their maternity care. This is a topic that isn't covered enough and we need to do more to normalise plus-sized bodies in our society. It was also great to hear how Laura uses the Mindful Breastfeeding tools and techniques with her clients and how important it is to build up that belief in our bodies and their ability to do what they are made to do! You can find out more and stay up to date with Laura by following her on Instagram at @plussizepregnancy

Many of us working in Breastfeeding Support will not be specifically trained in mental health support, but we are likely to come across mental health issues during the course of our work so it's important to have an idea how to support the clients that are experiencing mental health issues. How can we do that? Well of course in the first instance we should be mindful of circumstances which need further referral or escalation but how can we support alongside or in the interim to getting further support to make a difference in how they are feeling? I talk a little bit about reframing mental health as wellbeing as a way of approaching mental health with our clients, nurturing them using Mindful Breastfeeding tools and wellbeing practices as well as sharing valuable information and education with them about the autonomic nervous system and coping techniques to encourage them to spend more time in 'rest and digest'.  If you are interested in learning Mindful Breastfeeding techniques and think you and your clients would benefit, I would love to have you on our course. To find out more information and access our free tutorial please visit https://www.themindfulbreastfeedingschool.com/pl/2147500579.

I'm joined by Sophie Burch as we explore emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period and how important it is to nurture ourselves and prioritise our mental health during pregnancy and through that initial year of parenthood and beyond. Sophie is on a mission to bring mental health awareness and mental wellbeing practices into the lives of all parents and professionals in the perinatal period and parenting experience. "Perinatal mental health problems affect between 10 to 20% of women during pregnancy and the first year after having a baby." And this is understood to be significantly during the pandemic.   How do we emotionally and mentally prepare for the arrival of a new human being? How do we come to terms with the changes that come with having a new baby? How can we embrace the experience without sacrificing our wellbeing and recognise the signs when we need further support?  You can find out more about working with Sophie or training as a Beyond Birth Practitioner by visiting her website: https://www.themammacoach.com/training-practitioners or by visiting her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themammacoach/. If you'd like to buy a copy of the 'Beyond Birth Guide', written by Sophie Burch, you can find it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08VYBPNKL?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

Today I want to talk about the all-important topic of mindfulness and anxiety. This is a topic really close to my heart and I am regularly asked about it - probably because anxiety is so pervasive in our society and more and more people are looking for ways to overcome it. Mindfulness involves acknowledgment and acceptance, and with that in mind I explore some of the many ways we avoid acknowledging or dealing with our emotions, how it's important to notice and accept difficult emotions, like anxiety, and how we can explore these aspects of our selves safely, comfortably and with support. I share some mindfulness practices we can use, from breath-work to grounding techniques, and how introducing these mindful practices into our daily routines, or sharing them with others who need them, can help them to get into a better state of relaxation, to overcome overwhelm and to release negative emotions or anxiety.  Touching on David Treleavan's book, 'Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness', aimed at mindfulness practitioners, I share a little about 'held trauma' and how mindfulness or meditation in these circumstances can make things a bit more complex, therefore needing to be handled carefully. Being 'trauma-sensitive' can include making adjustments to the techniques or to the way we use them, adapting them to what suits us best, and I share some examples of this too. If you would like to read further, here are links to the books I draw on in this episode: 'Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness' by David Treleavan: https://www.waterstones.com/book/trauma-sensitive-mindfulness/david-a-treleaven/willoughby-britton/9780393709780  'Emotional Agility' by Susan David: https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/126302/susan-david.html

Ilayda Gill, currently a Breastfeeding Specialist working towards her IBCLC qualification and a Mindful Breastfeeding Practitioner.  It's great to have Ilayda on the podcast to get a picture of what it's like to work as a Mindful Breastfeeding Practitioner. We talk about the lack of breastfeeding support that's out there, and particularly in the area where Ilayda lives and works and therefore how vital her services are. She shares a little bit about how she works with her clients and the tools she likes to use to support them, including journalling and relaxation, all centred around their wellbeing.  Having recently had another little one, Ilayda also explains how she uses the mindful breastfeeding techniques personally in her own feeding journey to help her to feel calm and connected and how it differed to the feeding journey with her first baby where she didn't have access to the tools she does now.  Ilayda can be found at https://www.infantfeedingwithilayda.co.uk/ or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/infantfeedingwithilayda/ and has lots of exciting plans for the coming year so keep a look out for what is sure to be some great content!

"Research suggests that approximately 1 in 10 babies may be born with some membrane under the tongue."  This week I am chatting with the wonderful Carmelle Gentle - Midwife of 15 years, IBCLC, Tongue Tie Practitioner and an Author as well as the founder of Gentle Births and Beyond, The Tongue Tie Academy and also the Tongue Tie Centre! Our chat is centred around what tongue tie actually is, how it is assessed and some of the practical and emotional challenges that come with having a baby with tongue tie.  Carmelle also shares with us about the training pathways she offers to practitioners, health care professionals and birth-keepers for a deeper insight and exploration into tongue tie. Carmelle's expertise and passion for raising the awareness of tongue tie and the effects it has on the infant feeding journey really shines through. It's been such a valuable discussion - thank you Carmelle! To keep up to date with Carmelle see www.gentlebirthsandbeyond.co.uk or @Gentle_Births_and_Beyond on Instagram and if you are interested in training with her, why not drop her an email at [email protected]. To find help and support regarding a possible tongue tie in the UK you can also visit The Association of Tongue-tie Practitioners website at www.tongue-tie.org.uk.