Local breastfeeding support

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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 from East KentMaidstone and Tunbridge Wells, or Dartford and Gravesham Hospitals.

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

Tenterden Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 3092 Recreation Ground Road, Tenterden, TN30 6RA

Opening times and details

Swanscombe Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting and Infant Feeding Team)

03000 415600 Coopers Road, Swanscombe, DA10 0BS

Opening times and details

Priory Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 0134740 Cannon Road, Ramsgate, CT11 9SQ

Opening times and details

Spring House (KCHFT Infant Feeding and Health Visiting Team)

03001234497 Hospital Road, Sevenoaks, TN13 3PT

Opening times and details

Whitstable Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 2075 Tower Parade, Whitstable, CT5 2BJ

Opening times and details

The Ashford Gateway (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 3092 Church Rd, Ashford TN23 1AS

Opening times and details

Hothfield Village Hall (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 3092 Hothfield Village Hall, Hothfield, TN26 1EG

Opening times and details

Castle Hill Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 042 0893 Denmark St, Folkestone, CT19 6EQ

Opening times and details

Woodgrove Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

03000 42 08 98 Johnson Road, Sittingbourne, ME10 1JS

Opening times and details

Deal Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 1233018 Deal Family Hub, Park Avenue, Deal, CT14 9UU

Opening times and details

LLL Margate at Little Fish Cafe

Little Fish Cafe 9 Lombard Street Margate Kent

Opening times and details

LLL Canterbury at Stag Coffee & Kitchen

STAG COFFEE & KITCHEN Unit 10-11, Marlowe Arcade, Canterbury, Kent,

Opening times and details

Sherwood Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 790 0243 Temple Grove Academy, Friars Way, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 3UA

Opening times and details

Southborough Family Hub (KCHFT Infant Feeding and Health Visiting Team)

0300 555 0506 Southborough Family Hub, Stagshaw Close, Maidstone, ME15 6TL

Opening times and details

Deal Breastfeeding Group at St Georges Church

St Georges Church, St Georges Road, Deal, CT14 6BA

Opening times and details

Baby Umbrella at Otford Village Memorial Hall

Otford Village Memorial Hall, High Street, Otford, TN14 5PQ

Opening times and details

Snodland 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 5HS

Opening times and details

Dartford Valley Community Rugby Club (Kent Baby Matters)

Dartford valley community rugby club, Cotton Ln, Stone, Greenhithe DA2 6PD

Opening times and details

Long Mead Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 1233017 Long Mead Family Hub , Waveney Rd, Tonbridge TN10 3JU

Opening times and details

Knockhall Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 2075 Knockhall Family Hub, Abbey Road Greenhithe, Kent , DA9 9HD

Opening times and details

Kings Farm Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 2076 Kings Farm Family Hub, Cedar Ave, Gravesend DA12 5JT

Opening times and details

Margate Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 0134740 Margate Family Hub, 201 High Street, Margate, CT9 1WH

Opening times and details

Salem Baptist Hall (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 3018 Salem Baptist Hall, Dover Baptist Church, Maison Dieu Road, Dover, CT16 1RF

Opening times and details

Swanley Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 4497 Swanley Family Hub, Northview, Swanley, BR8 7BU

Opening times and details

Riverside Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 2076 Riverside Family Hub, Dickens Road, Gravesend, DA12 2JY

Opening times and details

Kingsmead Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 7900 156. Kingsmead Road, Canterbury, CT2 7PH

Opening times and details

Cheriton Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 1240 Cheriton Family Hub, Chart Road, Folkestone, CT19 4PN

Opening times and details

Seashells Children Centre (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 123 4014 Seashells Children Centre, Rose Street, Sheerness, ME12 1AW

Opening times and details

Herne Bay Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 7900 156 Herne Bay Family Hub, Memorial Park, Kings Road, Herne Bay, CT6 5RG

Opening times and details

Parkwood Family Hub (KCHFT Health Visiting Team)

0300 555 0506 Parkwood Family Hub, Furfield Close, Parkwood, ME15 9JR

Opening times and details

Baby Umbrella at Christ Church

Christ Church, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1UT

Opening times and details

Bump, Baby and Beyond at Castle Connections

Castle Connections, Well Road, Queenborough, ME11 5AY

Opening times and details

Baby Umbrella at Tonbridge Baptist Church

Tonbridge Baptist Church, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, TN10 3HZ

Opening times and details

Virtual 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.

Text

You can text your local Health Visiting Team on 07312 263368 for a quick answer to anything that's bothering you, however you are feeding your baby. Find other ways to contact Health Visiting at Kent Baby.

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.

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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."

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