TONGUE-TIE NORTH WEST
Private Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding Support
As qualified IBCLCs and experienced infant feeding specialists, we take the time to understand your feeding journey and create a personalised plan to help you and your baby thrive.
What Can We Help With?
Feeding difficulties can present in many different ways, and no two babies (or families) are the same. By taking the time to listen and understand your concerns, we can identify what’s happening and provide the personalised support you and your baby need.
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Latch and positioning difficulties
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Painful or damaged nipples
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Mastitis, engorgement and blocked ducts
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Low milk supply
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Relactation and improving milk supply
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Alternative methods of feeding (cup, finger feeding, Supplementary Nursing System (SNS).
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Clicking/noisy feeding
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Colic and reflux
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Unsettled baby
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Cluster feeding
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Bottle refusal or feeding aversion
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Combination feeding
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Allergies and CMPA
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Paced bottle feeding.
We can also provide support for those expressing breastmilk, including a flange fitting service that ensures the flange is the right size for your breast, and can provide bespoke feeding plans.
If you’re experiencing an issue that doesn’t fall into the list above, then please do get in touch anyway. As a registered health visitor (Laura) and a registered midwife (Sharon), both with extensive NHS infant feeding lead experience, we’re confident that we can help.
What to Expect From Your Infant Feeding Consultation
What to bring with you
We ask that you bring your baby’s red book to your appointment, along with anything that you use for a feed. This might include nipple shields, bottles and expressed milk, formula, etc. If you keep a feeding diary or have notes on patterns you've noticed, bring those along too, as they can be really useful.
Please try to bring your baby at least a little hungry to the appointment. This ensures they’re ready to feed when we complete the infant feeding assessment.
1. An initial chat
We differ from other infant feeding support in that our appointments last one hour, giving us plenty of time to talk and understand the issues you’re facing so we can provide the right lactation or bottle feeding support.
We want to understand your feeding journey so far, what you’ve already tried and what’s worrying you the most so we can provide a feeding plan that works for you and your baby.
2. Observing a feed
Once we’ve talked through your history, we’ll ask you to feed your baby (whether that’s breast or bottle) so that we can carry out a full feeding assessment.
We’ll look at how your baby’s tongue and mouth are working during the feed to identify any issues that could be a cause of your feeding concerns.
3. An oral assessment
We will complete a full tongue-tie and oral assessment, looking at the anatomy and function of your baby’s tongue.
We use a validated assessment tool known as the Hazel Baker Tool for Lingual Frenulum Function (HATLLF). It's a mouthful but it allows us to check baby's mouth effectively.
Your personalised feeding plan
Once we’ve finished our assessments, we will work with you to put together an individualised feeding plan that reflects your baby’s needs and your family’s feeding goals, whether you’re breast, bottle or combi feeding.
You’ll leave with a clear set of next steps, as well as email or WhatsApp support for 14 days should you have any questions. We also offer a free follow-up appointment which gives us a chance to reobserve feeding, should it be needed.
Why We Ask Families to Book Our Basic Support Package
At Tongue-Tie North West, we believe feeding difficulties are rarely simple or caused by one issue alone. For this reason, we don’t offer brief troubleshooting appointments or general feeding advice in isolation.
Instead, we ask families to book our Basic Support Package, which includes a comprehensive feeding assessment and detailed oral examination. This allows us to understand your baby’s feeding, oral function and overall development, helping us identify the underlying causes of any feeding difficulties rather than simply treating the symptoms.
Feeding challenges are not always caused by tongue-tie, and even when a tongue-tie is present, it is often only one part of the picture.
With advanced training and extensive clinical experience, we assess a wide range of feeding concerns and recognise when other factors or specialist referrals may be needed. We also provide:
- Practical, ongoing support, including feeding and positioning advice
- Personalised feeding plans
- Weight reviews where appropriate
- Regular reviews and liaison with other healthcare professionals when needed.
Our aim is not just to improve a single feed, but to help you understand why feeding has been difficult and support you to achieve your feeding goals with confidence.
Meet Our Lactation Consultants
We're Laura and Sharon, the founders of Tongue-Tie North West. We set up our clinic because, thanks to our experience as a health visitor, midwife and mother, we recognised the lack of feeding support for new parents, and wanted to provide a service that boasted timely infant feeding support when it’s most needed.
We’re both proud to say that we have previously held NHS infant feeding lead positions and are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs). With over 40 years’ experience between us, we’re highly qualified and knowledgeable in all things baby feeding, including breast, bottle and combi feeding.
What Is An IBCLC?
An IBCLC is an internationally recognised clinical qualification, accredited by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). Becoming an IBCLC involves hundreds of hours of hands-on clinical experience alongside in-depth study of lactation science, infant anatomy and feeding physiology.
To qualify, an IBCLC has to sit a rigorous exam covering everything from the mechanics of feeding to the medical conditions that can affect it, and the qualification has to be renewed regularly to make sure our knowledge stays current.
Both Laura and Sharon, the lactation consultants here at Tongue-Tie North West, are qualified health professionals and fully trained IBCLCs. It’s the gold standard for feeding support, which means you’re receiving an assessment that’s grounded in clinical expertise.
Why We Have Over 100 5* Reviews
We’re so happy that over 120 parents have left us incredible reviews, and here are some of the most common reasons why we have so many 5* reviews:
- Two practitioners*: There will always be two of us at your appointment for oral assessment meaning you do not need to hold your baby’s head
- We don’t rush: The appointment is yours to tell us everything that is a concern. We won’t rush you and we’ll listen closely so we can understand how we can help.
- Follow-up appointment as standard: You don’t need to pay extra for a follow-up appointment with us
- A homely clinic: Our Chester clinic is easily accessible with free parking and has a lovely homely vibe to put you at ease
- IBCLC-accredited: We’ve done years of training so we can confidently support mothers and parents with baby feeding.
*In exceptional circumstances such as emergency appointments there may be an occasion where Sharon or Laura will see you on their own. This will be discussed with you upon booking your appointment
Book An Appointment With Us
We’ve helped hundreds of parents with a whole range of feeding issues. For breastfeeding or bottlefeeding support in Chester, contact us today or simply book using our online booking system:
Frequently Asked Questions
Our experienced IBCLCs provide a comprehensive feeding assessment to identify any ongoing challenges and create a personalised plan tailored to you and your baby. If further support or treatment is needed, we’ll discuss the most appropriate next steps with you.
Our fourth trimester workshop covers the period after the baby has arrived a bit more broadly, including feeding but also baby sleep, nappy changing, postpartum recovery, your baby’s needs and more.
Breastfeeding Workshop
from £80
Fourth Trimester Antenetal Workshop
from £80
