There is lots of support available to help you breastfeed your baby. Our interactive map shows all the support sessions available across Kent. These are run by infant feeding specialists who are there to answer any questions about breastfeeding you may have and are open to parents of babies of all ages who live in Kent, there's no need to book, just drop-in.
Groups are offered by different organisations including Kent Health Visiting Team, LLL East Kent and LLL West Kent, Kent Baby Matters, Deal Breastfeeding group, Sheppey Bump, Baby & Beyond and Baby Umbrella. If you are pregnant or your baby is under two weeks old, you can also access information
You can also ring national helplines for support at any time:
- NCT on 0300 330 0700 (open every day from 8am to midnight, including bank holidays)
- Breastfeeding Network on 0300 100 0212 and live chat support (open every day of the year 24 hours a day) Web chat, social media support and language lines in Welsh, Polish, Bengali and Sylheti are available from 9.30am to 9.30pm.
Nearest First
Swanscombe Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting and Infant Feeding Team)
03000 415600 Coopers Road, Swanscombe, DA10 0BSPriory Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 0134740 Cannon Road, Ramsgate, CT11 9SQSpring House (KCHFT Infant Feeding and Health Visiting Team)
03001234497 Hospital Road, Sevenoaks, TN13 3PTWhitstable Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 2075 Tower Parade, Whitstable, CT5 2BJThe Ashford Gateway (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 3092 Church Rd, Ashford TN23 1ASHothfield Village Hall (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 3092 Hothfield Village Hall, Hothfield, TN26 1EGCastle Hill Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 042 0893 Denmark St, Folkestone, CT19 6EQWoodgrove Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
03000 42 08 98 Johnson Road, Sittingbourne, ME10 1JSDeal Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 1233018 Deal Family Hub, Park Avenue, Deal, CT14 9UULLL Margate at Little Fish Cafe
Little Fish Cafe 9 Lombard Street Margate KentLLL Canterbury at Stag Coffee & Kitchen
STAG COFFEE & KITCHEN Unit 10-11, Marlowe Arcade, Canterbury, Kent,Sherwood Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 790 0243 Temple Grove Academy, Friars Way, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 3UASouthborough Family Hub (KCHFT Infant Feeding and Health Visiting Team)
0300 555 0506 Southborough Family Hub, Stagshaw Close, Maidstone, ME15 6TLDeal Breastfeeding Group at St Georges Church
St Georges Church, St Georges Road, Deal, CT14 6BABaby Umbrella at Otford Village Memorial Hall
Otford Village Memorial Hall, High Street, Otford, TN14 5PQSnodland Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
Snodland Family Hub, Holmesdale School, Malling Road, Snodland, Kent ME6 5HS Snodland Family Hub, Holmesdale School, Malling Road, Snodland, Kent ME6 5HSDartford Valley Community Rugby Club (Kent Baby Matters)
Dartford valley community rugby club, Cotton Ln, Stone, Greenhithe DA2 6PDLong Mead Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 1233017 Long Mead Family Hub , Waveney Rd, Tonbridge TN10 3JUKnockhall Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 2075 Knockhall Family Hub, Abbey Road Greenhithe, Kent , DA9 9HDKings Farm Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 2076 Kings Farm Family Hub, Cedar Ave, Gravesend DA12 5JTMargate Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 0134740 Margate Family Hub, 201 High Street, Margate, CT9 1WHSalem Baptist Hall (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 3018 Salem Baptist Hall, Dover Baptist Church, Maison Dieu Road, Dover, CT16 1RFSwanley Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 4497 Swanley Family Hub, Northview, Swanley, BR8 7BURiverside Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 2076 Riverside Family Hub, Dickens Road, Gravesend, DA12 2JYKingsmead Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 7900 156. Kingsmead Road, Canterbury, CT2 7PHCheriton Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 1240 Cheriton Family Hub, Chart Road, Folkestone, CT19 4PNSeashells Children Centre (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 123 4014 Seashells Children Centre, Rose Street, Sheerness, ME12 1AWHerne Bay Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 7900 156 Herne Bay Family Hub, Memorial Park, Kings Road, Herne Bay, CT6 5RGParkwood Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)
0300 555 0506 Parkwood Family Hub, Furfield Close, Parkwood, ME15 9JRBump, Baby and Beyond at Castle Connections
Castle Connections, Well Road, Queenborough, ME11 5AYBaby Umbrella at Tonbridge Baptist Church
Tonbridge Baptist Church, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, TN10 3HZVirtual support
You can also book a virtual one-to-one session with a member of Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust's Infant Feeding Team. These are available on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. Book your place at kentchft.virtualdropin@NHS.net. Kent Baby has lots of information and support for local parents and carers of under fives.
Before baby arrives
Find out more about developing a close relationship with your baby and understanding responsive feeding however you choose to feed your baby with an NHS Ready for baby course. Partners are very welcome to attend.
Supporting you to:
- develop a close relationship with your baby
- feed your baby responsively, however you choose to feed them.
- know when feeding is going well.
Find out more about:
- your baby's feeding cues
- the benefits of skin-to-skin
- feeding choices
- what's in a nappy
- responding to baby
- your baby's brain development.
Email kentchft.readyforbabyproject@nhs.net to book your place in a virtual group or in-person session. Sessions are based on UNICEF Baby Friendly information and led by trained NHS staff and volunteers.
The Infant Feeding Team in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells also offers a monthly online antenatal session, please email mtw-tr.infant-feeding-specialists@nhs.net to book.
The new Bump, Birth and Beyond website is packed with friendly and helpful advice for parents-to-be in Kent and Medway on pregnancy, birth and the first days of parenting. Parents in Medway can visit Beside You Medway for details of support.
Shari and baby Hannah, from Gravesend
"They never tell you how hard it actually is - that you and baby need to learn how to do this thing that is supposed to be so natural. We visited breastfeeding support groups run by the health visiting team and La Leche League, read the books, watched the YouTube videos... and we made it through."