Café Milk - Horley

04/06/2026

Useful tips coming up to Wedding Season

03/06/2026

As it is International Volunteers Week this week we just wanted to say a few words…

💛 Every peer supporter you meet at Café Milk and every Trustee helping to run our charity is a volunteer

💛 We would like to say a massive ✨Thank You ✨ to all our past and present peer supporters

💛 Café Milk could not run without you

💛 You are all amazing

28/05/2026

I'll be honest, I'm expecting to hear from lots of UK parents with mastitis symptoms this week.
Why? Post heatwave comedown.

During the extreme heat we've had, lots of little ones have been boobing loads more than usual. Might have been waking for extra (sweaty) night feeds too. Can be pretty intense, but all very normal, and might have led to a bit of a supply boost!

But the weather is changing pretty quickly back to cooler (hurray!)
So it's entirely possible that the amount of breastfeeds is going to drop down, and maybe bigger gaps in between, leaving b***s sitting there much fuller than usual.
And that right there is a potential risk factor for mastitis.

Remember, mastitis isn't usually a breast infection. It's inflammation and milk that isn't moving as well, which causes inflammation, which stops milk moving well, and so on...

So what can you do?
Keep an eye on your b***s. If in doubt, and your little one isn't up for a feed, hand express (or express) off enough to feel softer and more comfortable.

If you do start to feel any tenderness or pain, swelling, heat, or see any redness if you are of lighter skin tones, get in there quickly with the self help measures (cold compresses for example, not heat and massage)
Look after yourself x

27/05/2026

25/05/2026

Something to think about in this really warm spell of weather

Babies in hot weather (I didnt think Id be resharing this in May!!l)

Hot weather can be quite difficult to manage with a young baby. It can change feeding and sleep patterns. Babies often wake more when it's hot (adults do too!) and often like to feed more frequently. Here are some tips!

Keep the bedroom cool by keeping the curtains drawn. Windows close on the hottest part of the day open when cooler. Try to get a through draft between rooms.
(For those of you outside the UK, yes, it's true. We don't often have air conditioning here as it's hot for about 2 weeks a year!)

If baby has a bath, keep the water cool.

Keep clothing and bedding light, and cotton is best. Layers are good, so you can add something in the early hours of the morning if the temperature cools a little.

Use a fan to keep the air circulating, but don't point it directly at the baby.

Avoid direct sunlight. Keep babies in the shade as much as you can.

Remember, babies will probably need to feed more often in the hot weather to keep themselves hydrated. Or sometimes they just sleep and make up for it later!

Breastfed babies don't need any extra water if they're under 6 months. They will feed little and often, and the milk will be more watery to keep them hydrated.

Formula fed babies may need a little water but can also have more milk.

For combination fed babies, try to have set times for formula feeds and then breastfeed responsively in between so baby can stay hydrated. There's no need for water.

All babies over 6 mths can have a little water with solids.

It can get very hot and sticky when feeding and cuddling babies in hot weather. Putting a muslin square between your skin and baby's will help. But believe it or not, skin to skin will actually cool baby down.

Don't cover the buggy. It makes the temperature much hotter

When baby wearing have baby in one thin cotton layer or just a nappy. A layer of fabric between you and baby will stop you getting too sticky

27/04/2026

Huge apologies if you were one of the parents I (Aimee) saw this morning who I told to come back next week and let us know how you're getting on - it is of course a Bank Holiday so we'll be closed! 🙈 Our Redhill and Caterham cafes are both open as normal and you can also contact the numbers listed in your red book for support. Hope to see you when we're back on the 11th!

13/04/2026

We had such a lovely morning at our first session back after Easter! It was great to see both new and familiar faces. It was a very busy session, so thank you all for bearing with us while we tried to see everyone! If you need more support, our Redhill and Caterham cafes are both back this week and looking forward to welcoming you. 😃

09/02/2026

More updated information about the latest developments on the formula recalls from The Breastfeeding Network (UK)

With the ongoing news about infant formula recalls, the Food Standards Agency now has a page dedicated to the latest information on the formula recalls:

www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/infant-formula-recalls

First Steps Nutrition also has information and advice for parents/carers and health professionals, on the 'News' page of their website.

www.firststepsnutrition.org/news

We know this can be a worrying time for parents. If you need infant feeding support, please call our National Breastfeeding Helpline UK - 24/7

Our local peer support groups will also be able to support you 💜

✨Please share✨

[ID: Latest recall information updated Feb 6th 2026. Following ongoing news about infant formula recalls, we want to assure parents that it is safe for them to switch to another brand. There is no evidence that switching formulas does any harm. If you are using a specialised formula, please speak to your health professional about a suitable alternative. Please check the Food Standards Agency website for the most up-to-date recall information]

01/02/2026

This is a very interesting post from Kathryn Stagg IBCLC - lactation consultant and hopefully gives parents the confidence to question where the information or support may be coming from.
If it doesn’t fee right, then keep asking and exploring your options.