- Louise Thompson and Adele Soldiew discuss expressing milk for new born twins.
A coffee and a chat with other new mums and mums-to-be can be just the trick to help parents ease into breastfeeding and help them compare notes about getting to know their new babies.
The new coffee group is the idea of neonatal nurse and breast feeding lead Louise Thompson. She explained: “When you are expecting or have just had a new baby, often there is no-one else who understands your concerns as much as someone else in the same boat. We would love new mums and dads and expectant parents to feel at ease in the maternity unit and just pop in for a coffee and a chat. There will be a midwife or neonatal nurse around at every coffee group to answer any questions parents may have too.”
The group currently meets every Monday morning between 10.30am and 12.30pm in the parent’s room in the corridor opposite the Serenity Unit, within City Hospital’s Maternity Unit.
Adele Soldiew met with Louise over a coffee this week. Recovering from an emergency caesarean to deliver her twin boys Taeo and Taejon, who arrived 10 weeks early on Friday 10th February, Adele was keen to learn more about how expressing breast milk while her boys are in the neonatal unit, can help provide them with vital protection that only she can give.
“When you are on a ward, or in a side room like me, you don’t always get to speak to other people, particularly mums in the same situation, so the coffee group is a good idea,” said Adele.
Louise sees the group as a great way for new parents to compare and learn from each other’s experiences and for staff to help with and promote messages around breastfeeding and care for a new born, particularly if they have been in the neonatal unit. The weekly get together also provides the opportunity for more experienced parents to share their experiences and lessons learnt with those currently ‘in the thick of it.’
Anyone is welcome to come along for just a coffee and a chat or to take the opportunity to learn more about all that’s involved in having a new baby.
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