Essential Information
Wallingford Babybar runs on a Thursday morning between 10am and 12pm at the Ridgeway Church rooms in the centre of Wallingford.
We are a drop-in group which means you can arrive at anytime during our session: however, it can get busy so if you would like to talk to someone we recommend arriving as near to 10am as you can.
The group is free to attend and you will be offered a drink and a piece of (usually) homemade cake.
The group is staffed by volunteer Peer Supporters and an Infant Feeding Specialist. We offer a warm and non-judgemental welcome to all parents.
A Session at Babybar
On arrival at Babybar come in and find yourself a seat. We have a mixture of beanbags and chairs. If you would prefer a chair and there are none available do ask and we can bring in some more. A volunteer will shortly come and say hi, offer you a drink and some cake and ask you to sign in. At this stage you just need to give your name and a brief explanation of why you have come. Some people come with feeding problems; others with issues such as sleep, weaning or returning to work that they would like to chat through; some who want to try a first breastfeed in public, and others just for a slice our yummy cake and a chat or to meet up with friends, your partner may like to attend too.
Once you are settled in it's time to enjoy your tea and cake and perhaps chat with other parents. It can be really useful to share experiences with other people, especially if their baby is a bit older than yours. Hearing how other families have got through the different ages and stages of their baby can be supportive.
One of the Peer Supporters will come and have a chat to you. Peer Supporters are all mums who have breastfed and have a wide range of experiences amongst them, they have received training to support families with all aspects of feeding and related areas. A Peer Supporter will start off by taking some basic information from you and then will ask you to share with them the reason for your visit. The Peer Supporter will be able to offer non-judgemental evidence-based information, emotional support, help with positioning your baby at the breast and the chance to problem solve any issues that you might like to chat through. If she feels that you need more expert help she will refer you to our Infant Feeding Specialist who will be able to offer more technical help and create a feeding plan if necessary.
During this consultation the Peer Supporter or Infant Feeding Specialist will take notes and create a plan for you to follow if you choose to. You will be offered the opportunity to take a photo of the plan for your reference and then the original will be filed so that when you visit again we will have some background info so you don't have to say everything again!
Some people come every week, others as and when they have an issue to discuss.
We are always very happy to welcome you to Wallingford Babybar.