About me

Hello! I'm Carmen. I am an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), a registered paediatric nurse, health visitor and I’m also a breastfeeding mother of three. I work with women and their little ones to help support and improve their experiences of breastfeeding, whatever stage of the journey they are at.

I help women at all stages of the breastfeeding journey – from pregnant women looking advice on how to get off to the right start, to those who are preparing to go back to work and maintain breastfeeding.

“Having exclusively breastfed my son since birth I was very nervous about returning to work when he was 6 months old. I was not sure if I would be able to continue to breastfeed whilst working part time but I was determined to find out so that is why I got in contact with Carmen and set up a consultation. Carmen was extremely helpful, she enabled me to draw up a realistic plan for how I could structure my day so I could express my milk and not compromise my supply, she also educated me on the laws surrounding breastfeeding at work and how best to approach my employer. I am very grateful to Carmen for helping me realise that my breastfeeding journey didn't have to end just because I was returning to work."You may be here because you are exhausted, at your wits end and really don't know how you are going to face the next feed. Or you may have some niggling doubts and worries that you would like to discuss with an expert”

I give the women I work with, the chance to sit down with a cuppa (and a slice of cake!) with someone who knows about breastfeeding, who can listen to their story, assess a feed and make a plan of action with them. 

"Carmen helped me to breastfeed both my children. I am still on that journey having fed my eldest for 2 years 8 months and my youngest is still going strong 2 and a half years in. Carmen helped me both in the early days and continues to help me on this journey”. 

My absolute favourite part of working with a family is seeing mums gaining confidence in their bodies, the process of breastfeeding and their little one’s abilities as a breastfeeding baby. I quite literally jump for joy when women fulfil their goals and love being part of their journey. Being so involved in this intense and emotional time also means I am there alongside mums when they are at their lowest points and am able to offer the support needed to pick them back up again when they feel like they can't continue. Breastfeeding and motherhood can be a complete rollercoaster and I can offer the support needed to make it as enjoyable, fulfilling and relaxing as possible. 

How I work

I offer a range of face to face and online services and packages designed to suit your individual needs and circumstances. Follow this link for details of services. I offer face to face consultations in your home if you live in or around Whitstable, Kent. Or you can visit me in my home consultation room in Whitstable. If you live much further away we can chat via Skype/ Facetime worldwide for some breastfeeding challenges. 

 "Carmen was so lovely and supported me through a very difficult time trying to breastfeed my second child who had a tongue tie and I was very sore with sore cracked bleeding nipples. She spent endless time checking in with me via text and phone calls after her consult. The knowledge she has is amazing. Almost 9 months on and breastfeeding is going excellent."

My Certifications & Experience

I have been an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) since 2013, a paediatric nurse for over 14 years and a specialist breastfeeding Health Visitor and infant feeding lead. I have also volunteered as a breastfeeding peer supporter. I am a Mindful breastfeeding practitioner, trained by Anna Le Grange and a Rewind Trauma practitioner trained by Alex Heath. I have received training in assessment of tongue function by a tongue tie practitioner in Southhampton.

I have worked with hundreds of families with a multitude of concerns. I train health care professionals in breastfeeding, I have also written and teach breastfeeding courses and have written breastfeeding policies. I have spoken at events on how to improve breastfeeding services in the community and most recently spoke at the Royal Society of Medicine, London. I am an active participant of the infant feeding and inequalities All Parties Parliamentary Group (APPG) at the Houses of Parliament and work to improve breastfeeding support on a societal level. 

I am a professional member of Lactation Consultants of Great Britain, La Leche League, and Association of Tongue Tie Practitioners. 

I have also published articles for the NCT and healthcare professional journals. I contributed two chapters to the Positive Breastfeeding book by Amy Brown.

I am fully insured. 

My Personal Breastfeeding Story

I am a mum of three children. I am a mum who has experienced three very different birth and breastfeeding experiences. My second breastfeeding experience was really tough and left me lacking confidence and needing a lot of support to overcome a list of complications as long as my arm! We did overcome the challenges and I continue to breastfeed my little girl into toddlerhood and alongside her newest little sibling. I have felt those moments of despair and raw emotion as well as those moments of pure happiness when the feed is comfortable and relaxed and you both fall asleep together side by side. 

If you think you would like to work with me, please get in touch. I would love to help support you on your breastfeeding journey!