MoMa Breastfeeding FAQs

What does MoMa mean?

The MoMa part of our name comes from Mothers Make, because it is the fundamental truth of our organisation. Mothers make everything ‒  our support, our meetings and of course the babies & the breastmilk!

Can I bring my older children to meetings?

Absolutely. Children are always welcome to MoMa meetings, whether they are breastfeeding or not. You might like to get in touch with your local group to find out whether you’ll need to bring something to keep an older sibling entertained; some venues may have toys they can play with, but others might not.

What does “the normal course of breastfeeding” mean?

The normal course of breastfeeding begins in pregnancy, when hormones trigger breast changes and milk production. By late pregnancy, many women are already producing colostrum in preparation for birth. When the baby is born, breastfeeding itself begins and continues until the baby weans from the breast. For some mothers the course is straightforward and easy; for others there are challenges. Those challenges may be common ones that many mothers experience, or they may be rare. We support all mothers along that course whether they have many challenges or none. Occasionally a mother may require help and information which is outside the remit of our Breastfeeding Counsellors. In those cases we will support the mother and child concerned by signposting to additional specialist services. 

What do you mean by “responsive breastfeeding”?

Responsive breastfeeding is all about the mother and baby ‒ called the dyad – as two equal partners in the breastfeeding relationship. 

Breastfeeding on cue or on demand, is a key part of responsive breastfeeding. It means looking out for the signals that your baby gives to let you know that it’s time for a breastfeed. Picking up on the early cues usually means that you and your baby are nice and calm, and things are likely to go more smoothly, especially while you are both getting the hang of things. Early cues that they are hungry include stirring if they’ve been settled, turning their head to the side (this is something that many babies do no matter who is holding them) and opening their mouth. Next comes stretching, more movements and putting their hands to their mouth. Crying is a late cue, along with lots of movement, and you will need to calm your baby before offering the breast. Paying attention to learning your baby’s cues is a great way to get breastfeeding off to a good start; those early cues will probably be more obvious if you keep your baby close. 

Responsive breastfeeding isn’t just baby-led, however, it’s also shaped by the mother’s physical sensations, instincts, needs and awareness.

Here’s an extract from the UNICEF Baby Friendly infosheet which can be found in full here.

“Responsive breastfeeding involves a mother responding to her baby’s cues, as well as her own desire to feed her baby. Crucially, feeding responsively recognises that feeds are not just for nutrition, but also for love, comfort and reassurance between baby and mother.”

Are your services inclusive?

MoMa Breastfeeding’s approach to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion can be read here

I am a qualified BFC with another organisation, can I join you?

We’d encourage you to come along to a MoMa Breastfeeding meeting as an experienced breastfeeding mother if there is a group in your area, that way you can see first hand what we are about as an organisation. While any pregnant woman or breastfeeding mother is welcome to come along to our meetings and to seek support from us, MoMa Breastfeeding Counsellors need to be fully aligned with our Guiding Principles. If you have read the Guiding Principles and you are still interested in joining, please do get in touch ‒ we’d love to talk, although as a new organisation, it will take us a while until we’re in a position to move forward.

I am a breastfeeding mother. How do I become a MoMa Breastfeeding Counsellor?

We are delighted at the interest from breastfeeding mothers in joining us as MoMa Breastfeeding Counsellors. We will be creating an accreditation pathway, but it is something that will take time. However, MoMa Breastfeeding is based on mother-to-mother support and experienced breastfeeding mothers have a huge amount to offer. If there is a MoMa group in your area, please go along to meetings if you are able to. That way you can find out more about what MoMa meetings are about. You will be supporting both other breastfeeding mothers and MoMa by doing so. If you don’t have a group near you please get in touch with us via our contact form.