THE ORIGIN OF DROPS OF GOLD
I have been supporting families on their breastfeeding journeys since 2010, both as a registered children's nurse and current NHS Health Visitor and Infant Feeding Lead.
Early in my healthcare career, before becoming a registered children's nurse, I worked as a nursery nurse in a postnatal ward and a special care baby unit. In this role, I helped new mothers at the beginning of their breastfeeding journey and was inspired to become an advocate for breastfeeding. Through this experience, I witnessed firsthand the significance of getting off to a good start with breastfeeding for both the mother and baby. It was during this time that I first learned about expressing colostrum during pregnancy.
Fast forward to 2015 when I became pregnant with my first daughter. I had always known that I wanted to breastfeed, and, aware of the numerous benefits of breast milk, I wanted to have colostrum ready for my baby once she was born. To my surprise, the colostrum I had expressed proved to be extremely useful not only for my daughter but also for me after giving birth.
Having successfully harvested and used colostrum in challenging circumstances, Drops of Gold was launched in 2020 when I realised that not all women had access to adequate syringes for collecting and storing colostrum. This need became even more pressing during the COVID-19 pandemic when women had limited access to healthcare services.
My goal is for Drops of Gold to assist parents in their breastfeeding journey by providing education and resources for a successful start.