Breastfeeding Trauma Leads Mothers to Speak Out
New mothers have recounted their traumatic breastfeeding experiences, highlighting a perceived lack of adequate support during the postnatal period.
One mother expressed that she will not have another child due to the significant impact of her early feeding difficulties.
Another mother described feeling like a "milk-making machine," noting that negative feeding experiences affected her bond with her baby.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust stated it is working to ensure that its advice and care are "clear, consistent and compassionate." University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust indicated it is reviewing its care practices to facilitate improvements.
Jess Nicholson's Experience with Twins
Jess Nicholson from Brighton gave birth to twin girls via caesarean section in September 2025 at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester.
She recounted that one of her babies turned blue and nearly suffocated during an attempt to breastfeed.
"I remember thinking I've had these babies for five minutes and I've already almost killed one," said Jess.
Jess reported that the ward was short-staffed, resulting in long waits when she called for assistance.
"It would just be my husband and I and the girls trying to figure out how to keep these little babies alive without any support," she said.
She added,
"I know I won't have another kid, because I don't want to do that beginning bit again."
Vicki Rose's Triple-Feeding Challenges
Vicki Rose gave birth in February at Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury.
She underwent an emergency caesarean after both she and her baby contracted infections during labour.
Her milk supply was delayed, and she was advised to triple-feed her baby every three hours.
Triple-feeding involves breastfeeding the baby, supplementing with expressed milk or formula via bottle, and then pumping for 15 minutes to increase milk production.
This routine required Vicki to breastfeed and pump every three hours, including overnight.
"There was absolutely zero preparation for how tough triple-feeding was going to be," the new mother said.
"I barely even had time to go to the toilet, let alone time to feed myself. It was just a horrible time."
Vicki expressed feeling deprived of the newborn period.
"I couldn't get out, which then further impacted my mental health because I was just stuck at home the whole day, clock watching," she said.
Despite her efforts, Vicki's daughter struggled to gain weight, and she felt that medical staff implied she was "not doing enough" and "starving" her baby.
She said staff should be better trained in how they speak to new mothers "because one comment literally can send you into a downward spiral."
Lucy's Breastfeeding Difficulties and Mental Health Impact
Lucy and her husband Sean prepared for breastfeeding by attending an antenatal course and an NHS virtual breastfeeding session.
Lucy noted that while theoretical knowledge was helpful, the reality of breastfeeding while sleep-deprived and experiencing hormonal changes was very different.
She experienced "toe curling pain" when breastfeeding her baby during the first few weeks.
Like Vicki, Lucy was advised to triple-feed, which she said had a "really negative" effect on her mental health and her bond with her son.
"All I was doing was feeding him and then handing him off to Sean so that I could pump, so I didn't get the really nice sort of post-feed blissful cuddles.
"I was kind of just a milk-making machine."
Reflecting on her experience, Lucy said,
"At no time were we asked what our priorities were and what we actually wanted from feeding."
"I have a lot of challenging memories about the immediate newborn period... I've got a lot of anxiety about that time."
Inconsistent Advice and Lack of Involvement
All three mothers reported receiving conflicting advice from various health professionals and feeling excluded from decisions regarding feeding.
Vicki also described feeling re-traumatised each time she had to recount her feeding journey to new staff.
"It's too many different people getting involved, because every single time you see a new person, you have to retell the entire story."
The women noted that while there is ample information before birth emphasizing the importance of breastfeeding, there is insufficient preparation regarding potential difficulties.
"You feel like you're making the wrong choice every time because nothing's coming easy, as it was told to you," said Jess.
Expert and Trust Responses
Carla Mastroianni, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) based in Brighton, advocated for a more holistic approach to feeding advice.
"We see this plan and no one is looking at the mother behind this plan [...] if we asked we'd know that she's not OK, she's not coping, she's drowning," said Mastroianni.
She highlighted that resources are limited and training on feeding is "almost non-existent."
"In an ideal situation an infant feeding specialist should visit a woman twice a week for two to three weeks," Mastroianni added.
Jo Haworth, chief nurse for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, expressed regret regarding Vicki's experience.
"We understand how difficult feeding challenges can be for new parents, particularly where additional support is needed," she said.
"We are working with our teams so that the advice and care we provide is clear, consistent and compassionate for every parent."
Haworth stated that the trust has enhanced its support to ensure parents feel heard and confident in their decisions.
Support includes assistance from community midwives, infant feeding cafes, ward-based midwives, nursery nurses, volunteer peer supporters, the trust's midwifery lead for infant feeding, and a dedicated infant feeding support worker.
"We will continue to focus on ensuring families receive the care they need in the postnatal period," Haworth added.
A spokesperson for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust said,
"We're very sorry that Ms Nicholson felt unsupported during such an important time.
"We're reviewing her care and are keen to work with her and other families to understand how we can continue improving their experience.
"All our maternity staff are trained every year in infant feeding, and we've recently strengthened our breastfeeding support with new guidelines, specialist input and improved training.
"Breastfeeding initiation at our trust is almost 90%, well above the national average, and we're working towards Unicef Baby Friendly accreditation to keep improving care for families."
