Lactation Consultant and Midwife.

Denise qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1982, as a Registered Midwife in 1985 and as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 1999 (recertified 2004).

She has had experience in both hospital and community settings, and has always sought to support mothers with concerns and issues encountered while breastfeeding.

Baby Feeding Education and Support Service

• One-to-one feeding consultations in client’s own home in pregnancy or after the birth of the baby
• Antenatal breastfeeding workshops in small groups to help prepare clients to feed their baby
• Post-natal support group to support clients with continuing to breastfeed
• Telephone or email advice
• Breastpump hire service and sales
• Breastpump hire service and sales
• Bra-fitting service
• Independent Trainer in lactation support and breastfeeding management

Publications

In August 2006 she was invited to rewrite the article which was published in British Journal Midwifery: “Breastfeeding, Co-sleeping and the prevention of SIDS” to a chapter on the same subject for “Challenges in Midwifery” 2nd edition.

“Breastfeeding, Co-sleeping and the prevention of SIDS” article in British Journal of Midwifery Jan 2005 “a balanced, evidence based approach” comment by .Andrew Radford, Programme Director for UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative

Study Day for Doulas

The aim of the day was to facilitate and enhance doulas’ skills for supporting new families with regard to breastfeeding in the light of recent developments in research. The day evaluated as “very informative”, “helped to identify where we were as individuals”, and “good discussion throughout the day”.

Teaching for the University of Nottingham

Denise has participated in breastfeeding training for the University of Nottingham, both in the training of medical students, nurses and student midwives, This took place as one-to-one clinical sessions or lectures. Other teaching, particularly for the DM3351 module include: Donor Milk Banking; the Difference between Breastmilk and Formula Milk; Bed-sharing; and most recently, Tongue-Tie and it’s Relationship with Breastfeeding.

Specialist Experience in the NHS

For seven years Denise held the role of Infant Feeding Advisor at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

This involved supporting families where babies were born preterm or were ill or needing to be in hospital for other reasons.

Within her work in the NHS she was involved in the training of all grades of staff, coming into contact with breastfeeding families. She was also involved in developing policies and guidelines around infant feeding. She is familiar with and supportive of the work of the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative.

Self-employed Lactation Consultant/Midwife

Since becoming self-employed in January 2006 Denise has developed several new skills i.e. business planning; financial record keeping; maintaining a record of stock; marketing alongside maintaining and developing competence as a lactation consultant and midwife.

She works mainly from home, going out to see clients when they require her assistance. This allows her to tailor her clients’ needs around her other commitments.

She is currently training to perform frenotomy for babies who have a tongue-tie, a condition which can severely impact breastfeeding.

About Denise

Denise worked in the role of Baby Friendly Coordinator from June 1999 to September 2005. This involved staff training, clinical audit, liaison with members of the multi-disciplinary team and change management, implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding within the Maternity Unit at QMC. It also involved cross town working to promote best practice across the Nottingham NHS trusts.

She worked as joint-lead professional for the Baby Friendly Initiative Implementation Team. This included supporting clinical staff in best practice by supervised clinical practice and teaching. It also entailed providing a resource for current research for all in-house staff and other agencies.

The role involved training for the Nottingham Cross Trust Breastfeeding Study Day for health care professionals, including hospital and community midwives, health visitors, neonatal and paediatric staff.

She was a member of Breastfeeding Links in Nottingham City and Suburbs; the Nottingham Infant Feeding Forum; the Midwifery Network Board and of the standards sub-group, working to promote best practice in infant feeding issues across Nottingham.

She participated in local projects as required i.e. a group examining guidelines around Bed-sharing and Sudden Infant Death and a project to develop a care pathway for division of tongue-tie in infants where this is causing feeding difficulties.

As a representative for Nottingham at the Regional Breastfeeding Coordinators’ group she had input into a variety of projects, including the revision of “The Mothers’ Guide to Breastfeeding”.

FORTHCOMING TRAINING DATES:

DOULA BREASTFEEDING STUDY DAY - An Enabling Day
DATE:12-07-08
TIME:9.45 TO 4.30 pm
VENUE: 25 Longmoor Road, Long Eaton, Nottingham, NG10 4FQ

AIM OF THE DAY:
To provide a basic understanding of the physiology and management of lactation for new and experienced doulas and enhance their skills in supporting new families around breastfeeding in the light of recent developments in research.

BY THE END OF THE SESSION PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the breast and how this affects lactation management (initiation and duration).

Discuss the effects on the initiation of breastfeeding of medical interventions and a medicalised approach to childbirth & breastfeeding.

Explore ways of overcoming common challenges to breastfeeding, in the light of recent research findings.

Assist a mother with improving positioning and attachment at the breast.

Support new families with evidence-based information on expression technique, use of a breastpump and guidance on the storage of mother’s own expressed breastmilk.

Prior to the day a study guide will be provided and participants will be credited with time for work completed on this (Trent Regional Breastfeeding Study Guide). This can be used as a point of reference if working within NHS trusts. Answers available during the day.

The cost of the day is £70, including refreshments, with a £5.00 reduction for early booking by 9th June 2008 or a £5.00 reduction for anyone who has referred clients to me, or has helped me to publicise the day further afield!.

Thank-you for your interest.