More about me My passion for supporting parents and babies with breastfeeding began after my first child was born and I went back to work as a midwife after my maternity leave. I had struggled with painful feeding and wanted to understand more why this happened and how I could help families not to suffer as I did. I also felt that it was an area of postnatal care that wasn’t prioritised at the time. Two more children later I was even more determined to learn more about lactation and empower parents and fellow midwives with the knowledge and skills that I had learnt. Within my role as Breastfeeding Coordinator Midwife at Stoke Mandeville Hospital I was privileged to be part of team that set up the Aylesbury Breastfeeding Clinic in 2002. In 2006, after further extensive study and clinical experience I was able to fulfil my goal of passing the exam to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. I have maintained this gold standard qualification by recertifying every 5 years which included taking the exam again in 2016. Chiltern Breastfeeding Partnership was set up in 2007 by myself and colleague Addy Henderson to provide a private and flexible breastfeeding support service within the community. We had a shared passion for enabling women to have a positive and enjoyable breastfeeding experience and in 2010 Susie Samuels joined the team. We also provided training for health visitors, other community staff and breastfeeding peer supporters. In April 2009 I trained at Southampton Hospital to perform tongue-tie division (frenulotomy) on babies with feeding difficulties. There was limited NHS provision for the procedure at that time, so it proved necessary and extremely helpful. I left the NHS in September 2009 so that I could meet the growing need for this procedure. In 2010 Melissa Brown joined Chiltern Breastfeeding Partnership as our administrator and she continues to provide an invaluable service behind the scenes. I was one of the founding members of the Association of Tongue-tie Practitioners set up in 2012 and I continue to be an active member of the committee from originally being the treasurer to now being chair of the organisation. This involvement, as well as continuing study, has helped me keep up to date with all that is happening in the “tongue-tie world”. From February 2017 until December 2018, I worked for Children Family Health Surrey NHS to help their community tongue-tie service and provide tongue-tie procedure training for health visitors in the area. For the last 12 years I have developed my understanding around other biomechanical issues that might be affecting feeding by working closely with paediatric osteopath Felicity Bertin and her team at Apple Tree Osteopaths. Over this time, we have developed our Complex Feeding Clinic. Combining our specialist skills in infant feeding, tongue-tie, bodywork and primary reflex integration we aim to get to the root cause of feeding issues so to give the most appropriate support. Addy and Susie left Chiltern Breastfeeding Partnership several years ago however in March 2023 we were delighted to welcome Lactation Consultant Colette Rix to the team. She has enabled us to continue to provide specialist infant feeding support in the comfort of client’s homes as well as in our clinic.