Rise of the Mumtrepreneur

Rise of the Mumtrepreneur

“Mum Businesses” are becoming more and more common. These days, with childcare costs becoming higher and higher, many new mums take time to re-evaluate during maternity leave and consider their career options going forward. It is becoming increasingly common for Mums to set up businesses whilst on maternity leave, and aim to build this business to a level where they can cease their traditional employment.

For many, they have great ideas, but knowing where to start is the challenge.

We love hearing success stories, and always watch programmes like Dragons Den to hear about couples, families and indeed mums, who have pursued their dreams, bit the bullet and launched a successful company from scratch.

Two mums who have done just that is Amy and Julie from Cheeky Chompers, the bib come teether product which appeared on Dragons Den and took the world by storm! We are massive fans, and were lucky enough to chat to Amy and Julie about their thoughts on setting up a business and where to start. The questions were suggested by our network on Facebook and we hope you find them helpful! xxx

cheekychompers5

*Please note – these responses are not verbatim and therefore should not be taken as direct quotes* 

At what point do you think your idea can be considered a business and not just a hobby?

From day one we knew we wanted to create a business, not just a hobby. We saw a gap in the market for a teether to a dribble bib, and knew instantly that it would make mums lives so much easier. The reality came when we first showcased at the Baby Show and got brilliant feedback by everyone who saw us. It was then when we realised that we had something worth pursuing!

How do you deal with competition or copy cats trying to do the same thing as you?

As our products are unique and the first of their kind, any replicas are noticeable. We patented our idea from day one and make sure all our products are trademarked to deter any imitations.

We’re conscious, however, of spending our lives chasing down copycats. We want to make sure we are focused on building a brilliant product that is high quality and that actually works, so that parents trust us and keep coming back, rather than choosing copy-cats.

As a mum, much of my business is run during my daughter’s naps – do you have any tips to help achieve that work life balance?

Balancing work with motherhood is definitely a struggle when running your own business. We still conduct a lot of business after the kids go to bed!

The most important thing is not to feel guilty when taking time away from the kids to work. Getting our own office space also helped us to balancing work and life because it enabled us to devote all our time to the business while in the office. We both manage to spend three days a week in the office which allows us to get things done faster and more efficiently than we do when we work at home while parenting at the same time.

Having family members and friends around who don’t mind babysitting, is key, so that you can focus on your work for a couple of hours.

The word momtrepreneur is bounded around a bit and I think many people don’t take it seriously – how did you gain respect as a new business in the parenting sector?

The best way to gain respect as a new business is to take yourself seriously. If we had undermined our abilities to execute our idea it is likely that we would have been disheartened early on by criticism and given up.

It’s so important to surround yourself with others who have the skills you don’t, but also work with people who respect what you are doing and take you seriously. Some manufacturers we spoke to in the beginning were quite patronising, but when we met our current manufacturers they totally got us and its been a great working relationship ever since.

Do you need a business plan even at an early stage (I’m not sure where to start!!)

Creating a business plan during the early stages of your idea can be difficult because so much can change so quickly. We wrote out our business plan when we went into Dragons Den with sales projections and growth. The Dragons didn’t believe we would meet our targets but we’ve completely surpassed our initial business plan, and its been re-written several times since.

It is important to set goals and targets that are suitable for you and your business for the next 3, 6 and 12 months and to keep reviewing these goals as things change. If you are unsure of these targets it might be useful to consult a business advisor. This will help give you some direction and an idea about what to expect in the future for your business.

How did you know your idea was a good one? I want to get feedback on my ideas but worried about sharing it too soon!

Putting our product to the test was key to knowing if we were on to something. Our first experiment was sending Neckerchews to 20 families for feedback. Of these families, 19 responded with positive feedback. This gave us the confidence to keep going.

If you are confident in your idea, it is important not to be shy and put it out there. This can often be the most difficult hurdle, but once you have some feedback you will be able to deliberate your next step.

Are you aware of any opportunities for new mums in business to get any mentoring or support?

It is definitely worth applying for grants and sponsorships. We were awarded with a Scottish EDGE award (Encouraging Dynamic Growth Entrepreneurs). The grant enabled us to extend our product range, add new designs of the Neckerchew, and investigate further expansion into international markets.

Opportunities like these depend on the type of business you are pursuing, which is why it is important to do your own research as to who may be able to help you and which grants you are eligible for.

I have an idea I want to pursue but limited design skills (apart from sketches!) – I feel like I am stuck at a point where I can’t move forward – where do I go from here?!

On areas we were unsure of, we sought professional help. We hired a student from university to do the branding for Cheeky Chompers, who we still work with now. He totally understood the brand and has developed the brands visual identity.

You can see Amy & Julie on Dragons Den here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWhHAZ-tqGs

The Wonder Weeks Book Interview

The Wonder Weeks Book Interview

The Wonder Weeks Book for me, is a must have book for every new mum. Based on 35 years of research, conducted in real homes with real mothers and their children, The Wonder Weeks Book makes fascinating reading, and offers a huge insight into your child’s development, at every stage and “leap” they go through during their baby and toddler months!

We were lucky enough to meet Xaviera Plas Plooj and chat with her about The Wonder Weeks Book. Here’s her low down on The Wonder Weeks and what you can expect…

the wonder weeks bookXaviera, How would you sum up The Wonder Weeks Book in one paragraph for those who haven’t heard of it (Where have then BEEN!?)

Every child goes through fussy phases – these occur when your baby takes giant leaps forward in their development. The Wonder Weeks Book will reassure you there is nothing wrong with your baby or your parenting skills! By informing you about what is going on, we can make their fussy phases shorter and sweeter and help them to develop better.

Our book is not something that requires 3 hours of spare time to sit and read like a novel – you can read about the leaps independently, one chapter at a time when it becomes relevant to your child, and refer to the checklists of abilities and signs and easily see how you can help your child’s progress through the leap.

We also have the mobile app, and via the website you can sign up for email alerts by simply entering your email and child’s due date (no long winded registration process).

The chart of leaps shouldn’t be used carte blanche – it is not a case of simply seeing your child is in a fussy phase and therefore doing nothing for 2 weeks until its over. The Wonder Weeks is all about helping your child through it and giving them the support that they need.

So is a fussy period the same as a growth spurt?

No, a growth spurt refers to the physical body only. Sometimes growth spurts happen at the same time as a mental leap – but not always – the brain often is able to do things long before the body can! The brain is first in line, for example – your baby isn’t capable of walking until her brain is ready to do so. By 8-9 months she may be mentally capable of walking, but due to bones and muscles and whether they actually want to walk, it usually happens a good few months later.

But surely every baby is different right? How accurate can the timing of the leaps and fussy periods be?

100% accurate. Although babies are different, not every baby is different in terms of the leaps – they can’t be escaped. All children make the leaps, but differ in HOW they do so. Mentally, every leap has the possibility of creating a range of outcomes, and the child will chose the ones mostly in line with their character. Very often, the child is mentally able to do something but practice makes perfect. If you take an adult we are the same – we are all mentally capable of speaking 5 different languages, yet not all of us chose to do so, or exert a desire to learn to do so!

The Wonder Weeks chart the babies progress from their due date rather than their birth date – why is this? Does this still apply for premature and overdue babies?

This is because the brain is fully developed at full term. When a child is 1 or 2 years old, a few weeks either side makes very little difference, but at the beginning, 2 weeks is a gigantic difference. If your baby is two weeks early, their brain has had 2 weeks less to mature. By using due dates, they are taking their leaps at the same time regardless of their actual birth date.

There are a lot of baby books out there – what makes The Wonder Weeks Book different?

What is different about The Wonder Weeks is that we are not giving parenting advice – we are informing parents. We aren’t telling you how to do something, not judging or telling, but providing information so that people can make their own decisions in line with their family values. We really take pride in this. By allowing parents to make their own informed decisions, they will feel more comfortable and confident in their decisions and stand by them.

The Wonder Weeks covers the development signs and actions we might see from our children but lists them at the earliest possible time. Do you think there is a risk that this might make first time mums concerned if their child hasn’t reached that milestone?

We do this because averages don’t tell you anything. People want to know when things CAN start. By knowing the earliest time something can happen with your child, you can see the first clues that you would otherwise miss. We all want perfect babies, but all babies are perfect anyway! There are babies that will do lots of the actions listed, and others that will only do a couple of them, but do them really well.

The Leaps in The Wonder Weeks stop at 20 months, why is this? Are there any plans to create a Wonder Weeks Toddlers to cover the leaps children go through beyond the toddler stage?

The initial research went up to 20 months, beyond which point we found that parents tend to reach a level of self confidence where they don’t doubt themselves so much, and can recognise the signs of leaps on their own. By this stage, the child is also talking, which makes it a lot easier for them to tell you what’s wrong, either verbally or by expressing themselves. I have received many emails from people saying they have recognised the signs of an 11th leap, but any wonder weeks toddlers leaps have just been through observation and has never been formally researched.

A massive thanks to Xaviera for taking the time to chat with us.

You can learn more about The Wonder Weeks Book on their website and Facebook page. You can purchase the book on Amazon here  or download the app from ITunes here

Rearward Facing Car Seat and iSize Joie FAQs

Rearward Facing Car Seat and iSize Joie FAQs

Parents tend to have a LOT of questions about choosing an Extended Rearward Facing car seat. We were lucky enough to have Damon from Joie join us for an exclusive Q&A session, answer YOUR questions on all things rearward facing, i-size and Joie products. Many of you sent your questions in advance, but for those who weren’t able to join us – here is the lowdown of the questions and answers provided on the day. We hope that this makes those car seat decisions just that little bit easier, and clears up some of the misconceptions around car seat safety and suitability.

Thanks again to Damon from Joie for taking the time out of his day to chat with our community – breaking down the myths about extended rearward facing and helping you choose the right extended Rearward Facing car seat for you and your family.

Love RMR

rearward facing car seat

*This post was originally published in August 2015*

Questions about Extended Rearward Facing Car Seats

Question  – I’m really struggling to decide which extended rearward facing car seat to get. What’s the best way to decide and what’s views on whether to go ISOFIX or seatbelt fixing? What are your views on going with one that lasts up till around 7 years by changing into high back booster? Can you provide any tips on how to decide please as they vary so much in usability and price!

The most important thing is to ensure it fits the car after that to look at the following points as these will affect the choice too.

  • Will I move often? If so then ISOFIX can be good as easy to do so if using a leg version rather than top tether style and reduces human error.
  • Will various people fit the seat or only me? If various people, then again ISOFIX is probably the option as reduces human error. Although if shown how to fit a seat belt seat correctly it takes about 30 seconds to fit most, sadly around 70% are not fitted correctly because most consumers do not seek professional fitting advice at the time of purchase or cannot find a skilled advisor.
  • Is cost a factor? If yes then seat belted seats are better value, JUST AS SAFE AS ISOFIX, but can be harder to train people to fit correctly if various people will be fitting.
  • If value is on top priority, then seats that cover multiple groups offer great value, but look at how much a seat costs then divide by how many years you will use it for to work out the true value, some seats are so CHEAP they are not SAFE. Good value is available without compromising safety, look at the JOIE STAGES- metal framework to enhance strength, side impact protection, ERF and goes from Birth to 7 years at a cost per year of only £21.40, so £1.80 a month but will set you back £150 at RRP, so sounds expensive but look at how long it lasts makes it far more affordable at a cost of a couple of chocolate bars a month………..
  • IS safety the main concern?- If so then look for R129 seats like the I-AnchorFix as these have a mandatory side impact test and use the latest realistic test dummies, R44 is a 1980 test, so when from a reputable manufacturer like JOIE then the seats are engineered up and far beyond R44 but this is not a legal requirement to be well past so many at £25-£60 are just legal, R129 will ensure you have the best available.

Question: One of the biggest challenges we face with our 1 year old is keeping him entertained whilst in a rearward facing car seat. Do you have any recommendations? As many children appear to be much happier facing forward?

Little ones can still see very well out of the side windows and back whilst rearward facing but we do find that a lot of parents may attach a mirror to the back seat to keep an eye on them which also provides great entertainment. You can also give them a book, toy or snack which they often end up losing less when rearward facing as it can’t fall off their knees onto the foot well.

Question: My little boy is 4 but height of a six year old so presume that he would be too tall for a rearward facing car seat? Pregnant with 2nd child whom I presume will also be tall too so interested to know what happens here as feel it’ll be very uncomfortable for them?

The majority of seats suitable for rearward facing are suitable for up to 4 years and if your little boy is tall then it may well be that he becomes uncomfortable in this position. The new i-size regulations recommend rearward facing up to 15 months and although many children are happy rearward facing for much longer it of course always comes down to the individual child’s preference.

Question – What is the difference is between ISOFIX and seat belts to secure car seats of all ages?

ISOFIX is an anchoring technology which minimises installation mistakes and ensures a solid connection between child safety seat and vehicle. Other seats can be secured using a belted fit and the specific instructions for this will vary between car seats and bases.

Question – My daughter is 7 months now but screams when we put her in a rearward facing car seat because she can’t see properly and now she can sit up she hates being forced to lie down. She’s also quite big in her from birth seat now with her legs well over the edge. When should I move her to the next stage car seat and which one? We have an upright one but I’m not sure when she should go in it?

Our i-Anchor seat is suitable from birth up to 4 years and can rearward face for the entirety or you do have the option to forward face from approximately 71cm in height. It fits onto the i-Anchor FIX base which naturally raises the position within the vehicle and has 7 recline positions so you can ensure that your daughter is comfortable. You don’t need to worry about your daughter’s legs coming over the bottom of the seat you’re currently using as it is still perfectly safe and will be suitable for use up to at least 9kg. Most high street stores will offer a free fitting service so if you have any concerns about your current seat then the staff are happy to check how your daughter is positioned.

Question: I am interested in a rearward facing car seat for my one year old. How do the seats cater for children once there legs reach the end of the seat?

This is a very common concern. Children are not like us adults and will often sit very comfortably with their legs crossed in a rear facing seat up until 4 years old. The i-Anchor seat has 7 position reclines so you can always make sure that extra room can be created when needed too.

Question: Where is the best place to go and try the Joie i-Anchor rearward facing car seat out?

Mothercare, Kiddicare and Mamas and Papas stock the i-Anchor safe system

Question: I wanted to know whether ISOFIX fitted seats are safer than belted? And also does front vs rear facing make a difference in collisions from the side of the car?

ISOFIX fitted seats remove the possibility of human error when fitting t and ensures that they can be easily removed and replaced perhaps when using different vehicles. However, a correctly fitted belted car seat is also a very safe option. Facing rearward manages the force of a crash in any direction, protecting developing little necks and spines up to 5 times more than forward facing.

Question: I have a 5 & 6 year old, as a safety conscious parent, would a rear facing car seat be recommended for that age group?

Unfortunately current rearward facing seats become unsuitable for a child when they reach approximately 4 years old so the best seats for your 5 and 6 year old would be a high backed booster seat. Please do take a look at the Joie range at www.joiebaby.com

Question: My baby boy was born 9 weeks early and really struggled with getting him to sit correctly in our newborn car seat. Does the new i-size car seat support the smaller babies well? Also what is the minimum weight it is suitable for?

The i-Anchor seat itself is suitable from birth to 4 years and has removable inserts that fully support a newborn and then can be removed as the child gets older. As it is compatible with the new i-size regulations these take into account the child’s height rather than weight so it is suitable for use from 40cm -105cm.

Question: Is there a ‘shelf life’ on the car seats? I.e. if I use the seat for baby number 1 for 3 years from 12 months to age approximately 4, will that seat be OK to use for baby number 2 for a further 3 years? If there’s a gap between babies, would the seat still be suitable for use say 7 or 8 years after initial purchase?

Yes all seats have a shelf life, plastic degrades over time, we at Joie have metal frameworks within our plastic shells to give a greater rigidity to the plastics and a long life but we still only recommend use of these seats from between 5-10 years for group 1,2 seats, depending on model. So to sum it up most seats will actually only be suitable for the use of one child and it is best practise to not pass on to the next child.

Question: The rearward facing car seat stats all seem to refer to head on collisions which are probably a bit more rare in the UK, how do the safety stats compare against forward facing for side & rear collisions?

The majority of impacts are still head on in the UK, when looking at statistics for side and rear collisions the impact speed is normally lower due to the scenario in which it occurs (traffic island, road junction) where as head on collisions will be between 2 cars travelling together so the impact speeds are greater, hence the need for rear facing travel for longer. If rear facing when in a side collision the protection from a good child seat is basically the same as forwards facing. When rear facing in a rear end collision it is the same as a child forwards facing during a collision but thankfully the impact speeds are normally lower due to both vehicles travelling in the same direction. Obviously we hope we will never have a collision to test the seats but it is best to prepare for the worst possible scenario which would be a head on crash scenario hence extended rear facing is far safer.

Question: It appears i-Anchor can be used with the belt and ISOFIX, does that mean it can be used with just the belt as well? My car doesn’t have ISOFIX ports.

Yes the i-Anchor FIX base can be installed with a belted fit so you can still use the system in a car without ISOFIX points

Question: I have recently moved my son into a forward facing car seat – he is nearly 2. After reading about the improved safety of rearward facing I am now thinking of buying a rearward facing- any tips for helping him adjust to facing the other way? Think he might moan a bit!!

Children tend to adapt to new experiences a lot better than us! We would recommend attaching a mirror to the back seat so that you can keep an eye on each other and also giving him a book, favourite toy or snack will also help keep him entertained. Good luck with the switch!

Question: We have just bought a forward facing seat and I wasn’t aware of the i-size legislation! Why has it not been more widely publicised?

The i-size regulations run parallel to the current regulations to 2018 and most notably promote rearward facing up to 15 months to help support neck and spine development. There’s no need to change the seat you have currently bought but for more information please see http://www.joiebaby.com/isize/

Question: My daughter suffers occasionally from motion sickness (she is 3) – is rearward facing likely to make this worse?

Unfortunately motion sickness is able to occur when both rearward and forward facing so neither position has been proven to help or hinder. It’s very much up to the preference of the individual child what helps them.

Question: I am a single mum and the rearward facing car seats look quite complicated to install – is it more straightforward than it looks?

Our i-Anchor seat is very simple to install as the base can either be fixed using ISOFIX or a belted fit and the base itself features a step by step guide. The seat can then be attached with one click and for both the base and seat there are colour indicators which turn green when fitted correctly.

Question: Are rearward facing car seats suitable for long journeys?

Yes rearward facing car seats are suitable for long journeys in the same way that forward facing ones are. For a newborn however we don’t recommend any longer than two hours at a time and older ones will definitely need a little break to stretch their legs once in a while.

Question: My daughter is 13 months old and is already very tall for her age. I’m all for considering an extended rear facing car seat, but worry that her legs will soon be too long to be bunched up facing the back seat. How long does a child remain comfy and not bunched up on one of your rear facing seats?

We get asked this question a lot and children are not like us adults and will often sit very comfortably with their legs crossed in a rear facing seat up until 4 years old. The i-Anchor seat has 7 position reclines so you can always make sure that extra room can be created when needed too.

Question: I’ve been reading the reviews on Which and the joie stages doesn’t get a great review. Can you reassure me about your safety record please?

The Which report which features online is, in our opinion a very broad based test and not specific to the physical car seat. If I could direct you to a direct you to an independent review it perhaps might explain a little more about the reasoning behind their result. https://www.facebook.com/RearFacingToddlers The post is dated February 16th, 2013. We test all of our car seats to above current regulations in our internal testing centre and our commitment to in-car safety is also demonstrated by us being one of the first manufacturers to produce an i-size compatible seat.

We hope you enjoyed these FAQs around rearward facing car seats!

Clare Byam Cook Interview – Breastfeeding Challenges

Clare Byam Cook Interview – Breastfeeding Challenges

We are VERY excited about The Baby Show at Birmingham’s NEC this May!!! During the lead up to previous events, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to chat with some of The Baby Show experts who will be appearing on the central Baby Show stage – in particular Clare Byam Cook

claire byam cook

About Clare Byam Cook

Clare Byam Cook is a qualified nurse and former midwife, and is the UK’s leading breastfeeding expert.

A specialist on breastfeeding since 1989, Clare runs her own private consultations and has been called upon by a host of big names to help solve feeding issues; Kate Winslet, Gabby Logan, Ayda Field, Lily Allen and Helena Bonham Carter are all previous clients.

Clare Byam Cook has written articles and been a guest expert for various baby magazines such as Prima Baby and Junior Pregnancy & Birth and written a number of books to help new and nursing mothers including “What to Expect when your Breastfeeding…… and what if you cant?” , Top Tips for Breastfeeding  and Top Tips for Bottle Feeding 

We chatted with Clare about the challenges of breast feeding and how to overcome them…

We all hear the phrase Breast is Best on a regular basis, but what do you think are the most common challenges women face when breastfeeding their child?

First has to be conflicting advice – if even the experts cant agree it is no wonder mothers get confused!

Many women also experience problems latching on – new mums, particularly first time mums are the amateurs when it comes to breastfeeding, and are looking for professionals to help. Midwives should be able to help mothers get their child to latch on and women shouldn’t be sent home with a “just keep practicing” approach.

Next is Sore nipples – often caused by incorrect feeding or poor latching. I know my approaches work because often mothers will come to me with sore nipples – when I show them how to latch on by my approach, the feeding instantly feels better. That’s not just fluke. If I then ask them to switch back to how they were doing it previously, they are like “ow!!”

Finally and one that some people tend to forget is that some mothers just don’t have enough milk – they may have followed all the advice about diet, rest and regular feeding but supply is still really low.

The reasons most mothers give up breast feeding within 6 weeks is usually because of one or a combinations of these issues.

Tongue Tie has been a massive issue for a lot of mums in our community, and at some hospitals in the Midlands, doesn’t appear to be checked for as standard. What should mums look for if they feel that their child might have trouble with tongue tie?

I have been giving breastfeeding advice for almost 30 years, and am increasingly seeing midwives and breastfeeding counsellors diagnosing tongue tie whenever the baby isnt feeding properly. It therefore does appear to be somewhat over diagnosed – I believe that if you did a survey of mothers who’d had the tongue tie cut, many would say that their child did not suddenly feed brilliantly afterwards.

You can however test very easily if there is a genuine issue with tongue tie preventing your child from feeding by putting your finger into your baby’s mouth to suck. With a baby who has a problematic tongue tie you will feel their tongue slip back behind the gums and cause a biting sensation. If the tongue remains over the bottom gum when they suck on your finger, it is unlikely that they have a tongue-tie that needs cutting to improve feeding.

There is a lot of pressure on women today to breastfeed, meaning that many who struggle are left feeling like a bit of a “failure”. What advice would you give to those who have tried but been unable to successfully feed?

The mother is the amateur when it comes to breastfeeding, and if health professionals can’t show her how to breastfeed easily and painlessly, then the mother certainly shouldn’t feel like a failure if she can’t do it either!

Some mothers don’t have enough milk – leaving a baby unsettled and not gaining weight. If neither the baby or a breast pump can get enough milk out of your breast, then you are certainly not a failure to turn to the bottle. You are simply doing what will feed your child successfully.

If you compare this to feeding in the animal world, all dairy farmers will tell you that some of their cows produce far more milk than others, hence the phrase “Prize Dairy Cow”. They are all fed the same and milked in the same way, but some produce plenty of milk and others very little. Nature does not always get it right!

There are also some lambs that are bottle fed at the farm as they can’t get the hang of feeding from their mothers. The farmer bottle feeds them because it is the right thing to do for the lamb. Quite often breast feeding goes wrong because the baby cant feed properly – and I have seen this first hand with twins! One baby feeds perfectly well and is gaining weight, whilst the other struggles. With one baby its easy to assume that the source of the problem is you – but often this isnt the case!

If the mother is doing everything she has been advised and it is still not working, she is certainly not a failure. This was partly the reason why I wrote my book on bottle feeding. Very few mothers get taught at antenatal classes anything about bottle feeding. 75% of babies are given a bottle of some sort by 6 weeks, so it seems absurd not to teach skills about sterilising and formula feeds.

Our personal experience was that nearly every midwife, health visitor and GP we spoke to has different opinions on how we should breast feed, and what is “normal” for a child – this can be quite disconcerting. How do we know which advice to take or should we just trust our gut?

You need to get the person who is telling you what approach to take, to explain WHY what they are telling you is correct. In my experience and from what mothers have told me – one midwife will say that 5 minutes at the breast is not nearly enough, whereas as another will say that 40 minutes is far too much. Neither of them will explain WHY.

What they don’t explain to you is that what dictates how long your baby feeds for is dependent on how fast your flow is, how much milk you have, and how your baby sucks. If you lined 20 new mums up in a room and asked them all to use a breast pump, some would fill a bottle in 10 minutes, and others will find their milk drips out, and it may take them an hour to fill a bottle. EVERYONE is different and that’s the fundamental issue when it comes to understanding breastfeeding – just because your approach differs to someone else’s it doesn’t mean your not doing it right.

Do you have any advice for mums for mums who are struggling to get their baby to take a bottle or who want to stop breast feeding altogether?

I cover this in detail in my book. For mothers who are trying to stop feeding generally, its a case of slowly winding down gradually, offering a shorter amount of time at the breast, and reducing your supply through lack of stimulation.

As for babies who wont take a bottle – in the early days it is easier as a baby will suckle on anything at first. For older babies, sometimes cold turkey is the best approach – offering only the bottle for a 24 hour period. If you keep offering the bottle and they refuse but you then reward them with the breast, these are mixed signals that are unlikely to be successful. Sometimes doing a 24 hour period is a case of being cruel to be kind!

I firmly believe that all breast fed babies should be given a bottle of expressed milk by 6 weeks at the latest, as this eases the transition and is a useful backup if ever you have to go into hospital or be away from your baby for any reason.

You are at the Baby Show in Birmingham – can you tell us a little about what you will be doing?

I am holding a talk on the main stage on Friday 13th May.

I have had some great successes with members of the public at previous Baby Shows. During one Baby Show appearance, a lady came with her 8 week old daughter with whom she had never been able to successfully breastfeed. She came as a last hope, having been expressing and bottle feeding her child since her birth. I was able to show her how to latch on and together we helped her breast feed her baby for the very first time. She left in tears (happy tears!) but it just goes to show my method works!

Thanks to Clare Byam Cook for taking time out of her busy schedule to chat with us. Do pop along and see Clare’s talk at The Baby Show for any advice or support on anything from sore nipples, difficulties latching, tongue tie, positioning or weaning from the breast!

Clare’s Byam Cook’s DVD – Breastfeeding without Tears is out now to buy at Amazon here Breast Feeding Without Tears With Clare Byam-Cook [DVD] and includes lots of information about how breastfeeding works as well as great visual aids and examples about securing that perfect latch.