Steph Richards, IBCLC: Lactation Consultant Supporting Families In-Person and Virtually

Hello! I’m Steph Richards, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) nestled in the charming town of Taunton, Somerset. I’m a proud mother of two fabulous kids, whom I breastfed until they decided to wean at 4.5 and 3 years old, respectively.

My first breastfeeding adventure was quite the rollercoaster; 12 weeks of painful feeds, two hospital stays, and five rounds of mastitis. After an IVF miracle, I was resolute in my breastfeeding mission. Thanks to an amazing community, I made it through. Then, surprise! A year later, I conceived naturally and found myself tandem feeding both munchkins.

Picture this: my daughter was just 2 weeks old when the whole country went into lockdown! During the pandemic, I decided to dive into training, convinced I wanted to support other families just as I’d been supported. The ethos of the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers (ABM) resonated with me, so I embarked on the peer supporter course when my youngest was just 3 months old—talk about a productive lockdown! Despite battling severe aversion, I completed my ABM breastfeeding counsellor training when she turned one and earned my diploma in lactation from the Centre of Breastfeeding Research and Education (CBRE) when she was three.

Since my daughter’s debut in 2020, I’ve launched two local lactation support groups, offered support in hospital wards, fielded hundreds of calls on the national breastfeeding helpline, helped organise three breastfeeding conferences, mentored trainees and trained peer supporters, and completed three specific lactation courses along with fourteen health sciences studies. It’s been a wild, busy, sometimes overwhelming ride, but oh-so-rewarding.

I’m here to offer gentle, quirky support to families, both in-person and virtually, with feeding their little ones, no matter their age. If you need a helping hand (or just a sympathetic ear), feel free to reach out!

srlactation@gmail.com
07405921480

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