Bras4Mums News

The north’s first specialist independent baby clinic opens in Yorkshire this month. Based at the renowned Good Health centre in Roundhay, Leeds, the private clinic is run by Milk Matters, an organisation specialising in solving early parenting problems such as distressed babies and babies with feeding or sleeping problems.

Charlotte Young, 33, from Halifax, who runs Milk Matters, has been working with mums and babies to help solve their problems since 2003.

Charlotte, who also writes popular parenting blog Analytical Armadillo, said: “Mums come to us when they are at the end of their tether.

“Babies with colic or reflux, feeding problems, wind or excessive sleep disturbances can be very distressed and unsettled for long periods of time. All of this adds up to distressed parents too.

“We focus on the whole of the situation and believe that by assessing all of the possible contributory factors – mum, baby, birth and what has happened since – we can better understand, and therefore identify the problem, rather than just medicating symptoms.

“Using our keen observation skills and taking a detailed history, we can help parents understand what baby is communicating. And we’ve literally had overnight results.”

The clinic will be open to anyone who has problems from birth to one year, whether they are breast or bottle fed. It is the natural progression for Charlotte, who has spent seven years helping babies via home visits, helplines and online.

Charlotte is a certified breastfeeding counsellor who has undertaken extensive further training to specialise, and will be joined at the clinic by other practitioners if the case demands.  This includes Independent Lactation Consultant Ann Dobson, a well-known specialist in treating tongue tie.

Lucie Biddle , 32, from Liversedge, is just one of the mums helped by Milk Matters. Lucie said: “Louie is my third child and he was seven months old when I contacted Milk Matters back in July.

“He was not only a very frequent feeder but would also get very distressed. He would wriggle, squirm, writhe, arch his back and fight me until finally becoming so distressed and hysterical that I had to stop feeding and cuddle him until he calmed down He would be sick so much after each feed that I had to cover us both with a bath towel. But because he was gaining weight, the health visitor and doctor didn’t seem concerned; he prescribed Gaviscon for reflux and we were sent on our way.

“He was never settled, crying so hard while trying to feed that he often stopped breathing for a moment. He never slept for more than a couple of hours at a time and would have several screaming fits each night.

“After trying an osteopath, raising the mattress and all the usual tips given for reflux, I turned in desperation to the internet and found an article by Milk Matters. I contacted Charlotte on a Friday and she came over the same day; even though it was a bank holiday, Charlotte booked us in for a further appointment on the Monday.

“The affect was instant. He slept twelve hours that night and is now sleeping well during the day. We have no hysterical screaming fits at all. I can’t believe how we managed for so long.”