Breastfeeding

KATHERINE FISHER is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and National Childbirth Trust Breastfeeding Counsellor, and is also Mother And Baby magazine's breastfeeding expert. She offers private breastfeeding counselling in the comfort of your own home but also runs a Baby Cafe at St Mildreds Centre, 30 Bingham Road, Addiscombe, Croydon, on Mondays between 10am and 12 noon (excluding bank holidays), where you can get free breastfeeding support in a friendly environment. Baby Cafe is funded by the National Childbirth Trust. Katherine is passionate about promoting breastfeeding and also runs free breastfeeding clinics in West Croydon and Valley Park. For more information, call her on 020 8662 0184 or 07949 176776, or email her on Kathrine.rfisher@btinternet.com.

The La Leche League offers help with breastfeeding, and free 24-hour support.

Mayday Hospital offers free breastfeeding drop-in sessions on Fridays from 10am to 12 noon, staffed by a midwife, National Childbirth Trust instructor or La Leche League member. The sessions are held in the Parentcraft Room, next door to the ante-natal clinic at the back of the hospital.

The charity The Breastfeeding Network has a Supporterline (0870 9008787) which will automatically connect you to your local Breastfeeding Supporter by recognising the area you are calling from anywhere in the UK. The service operates from 9.30am to 9.30pm every day of the year, and calls will be charged at the usual national rate in the UK.

The Association Of Breastfeeding Mothers has a breastfeeding helpline (0870 401771) open every day from 9.30am to 10.30pm. All its telephone breastfeeding counsellors are volunteers who have breastfed their own children and have also received in-depth training on all aspects of breastfeeding.