Hemel and Berko - Mother to Mother Breastfeeding Support

09/10/2026

Researchers are looking into how breast feeding reduces the risk of breast cancer. The reduced risk might be because they ​​don't produce eggs so often during breastfeeding. Or it might be because breastfeeding changes the cells in the breast so they might be more resistant to changes that lead to cancer.

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breast-cancer/risks-causes/reducing-breast-cancer-risk -breastfeeding-reduce-the-risk-of-breast-cancer

07/10/2026

The Royal College of Radiologists and the Society of Radiographers are clear on this, that there is no need to discard milk or wait before feeding.
Please see the leaflet from the Drugs in Breastmilk service which explains in detail to help you make decisions.

(I had a contrast MRI on Friday and standard MRI today so it's on my mind!)

01/10/2026

It's National Poetry Day!
This is one I wrote about my natural term weaning journey.

The beginning of the end.

Ever since I first saw you
searching for me so hungrily,
I knew it would be your choice
to say ‘That's the end now, Mummy’.

It's not up to me
to decide how or why or when,
It's for you to be the one
to decide the time is right for you then.

You've been changing recently
at two and a half years old.
Suddenly growing in independence,
so big and brave and bold.

Together we've spent so many hours
holding one another,
You’re getting ready to stop
and it feels so strange to me as your mother.

A sense of quite spectacular joy
at all that we've been through.
That for so long we've had such a special way
of saying ‘I love you’

But oh my heart is heaving
that so soon will be our last,
The things we've shared, just us two,
will soon be in our past.

It's happening so gently and slowly
So naturally it's true.
But that doesn't stop me feeling overwhelmed
at losing these moments with you.

So be gentle with me darling,
as mama feels a little fragile.
I hope that instead of feeding
you will hold me for a while?

It's not that we're losing our closeness,
our bond will never be gone.
It's just now you have decided
It's the right time to move on.

22/09/2026

16/09/2026

Did you know around 5% ish of the population have accessory ni**les/breast tissue somewhere along the milk line? (What's more commonly known as a third ni**le.)
Sometimes it's very obviously an extra ni**le, and can even lactate, but sometimes it may not look like a ni**le at all.
If you have a mole or freckle somewhere along this line it could well actually be breast tissue.
Hands up if you're having a look...
If you find one, you're not alone.

**les **le **le lactationconsultant ibclc breastfeeding

27/08/2026

14/08/2026

Babies are supposed to fall asleep at the breast. 🥹

The breast isn’t just where babies get milk. The function of the breast is NOT just a nutritional exchange. It is also one of the most powerful tools for regulating baby’s nervous system.

When baby is held against their mother’s body, they receive constant sensory information: warmth, smell, touch, movement, breathing, and the rhythm of her heartbeat. A mother and baby can do what we call coregulation. The maternal body provides cues that help baby’s heart rate, breathing, temperature, and arousal settle

Rhythmic, nutritive sucking activates pathways involving the vagus nerve, shifting baby toward the parasympathetic “rest and digest” state. This is one reason babies often become relaxed and sleepy while nursing

Breastfeeding also involves a beautiful hormonal and neurochemical cocktail. Oxytocin promotes relaxation and bonding, while hormones and neurotransmitters involved in sleep and satiety, including cholecystokinin, serotonin, and endogenous opioids, contribute to that wonderfully drowsy, satisfied state for both mom and baby

So when your baby nurses, slows their sucking, relaxes their hands, melts into your chest, and falls asleep… That is not a bad habit being formed. Their nervous system is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

For a young baby, the breast is food, comfort, regulation, connection, and the world’s most biologically appropriate sleep aid. ❤️

And no, you do not have to force yourself to nurse your baby to sleep if that isn’t working for your family. But you also don’t need to feel like you are doing something wrong when your baby does fall asleep at the breast.

Sometimes biology gets it right

04/08/2026

🔵 Healthy maternal before and during

🟡 Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months

🟢 Appropriate complementary feeding

🌱 These key steps set the foundation for lifelong and resilience.

🍎 A nutritious supports maternal well-being, ensures fetal development, and strengthens a baby’s future.

🤱 is the first food system—providing food security, protecting against malnutrition, and building a healthier generation.

💡 Investing in and nutrition is investing in a healthier future!