Heather O’Shea - challenging start to breastfeeding, baby in SCBU for a few days, early formula top ups and triple feeding and dealing with low milk supply.

Heather had a career as a playwright before becoming a Midwife. Approaching 40, gay and single, she decided to have a baby with her best friend Adam, and they co-parent harmoniously together. 

In this episode we discuss trying to establish breastfeeding when her baby was in the special care nursery for the first few days, how formula tops up led to a cascade of feeding interventions, pumping and topping-up, using breastmilk and formula milk and all kinds of gadgets! 

Heather shares with us how she later took on a midwifery infant feeding role in her local hospital, which has gone a long way to resolving some of the trauma and guilt she suffered from her personal breastfeeding experience. Heather’s challenging breastfeeding journey led her to becoming a fierce advocate for better breastfeeding support and on the path to sitting for the IBCLC lactation consultant exam in 2024. 

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