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Publish date: 30 May 2025
This week we celebrated the official opening of our new midwife-led infant feeding and tongue-tie service.
The new service provides feeding support and frenulotomy (also known as tongue-tie) procedures for newborns. This new service comes in response to valuable feedback from new parents, the community and Derbyshire Maternity and Neonatal Voices (DMNV) highlighting the need for further feeding support following the procedure.
The new service, currently led by Denise Pemberton, Infant Feeding Tongue-Tie Practitioner Lead and Aimee Leatherday, Infant Feeding Lead, who is due to finish her training this year, offers a dedicated midwife-led approach to infant feeding and frenulotomy.
Denise, who has been instrumental in setting up the service said:
“It is wonderful to be able to see new parents and babies as part of this midwifery-led service, offering a complete package of care in such an important time in parents and babies’ lives. Thank you to everyone who has helped set up the service, and of course, everyone who has shared feedback over the years to help us create this much-requested service.”
Clinics have been running for six weeks, originally on an ad-hoc basis. Now the service is established, it will continue on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with eight appointments available each week, which can be accessed through a community midwife referral.
Tracey Twell, Senior Matron for Maternity Services said: “Thank you to everyone involved in this new service – in particular Denise and Aimee. It has been a real labour of love for Denise, who is clearly very passionate about providing this service to our parents in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire. We couldn’t have done it without the support from our admin colleagues too – booking appointments, typing up notes and setting up the clinics. Thank you to everyone who has helped us set up this service. It has already made a big improvement in patients’ experiences already, and we know this will continue as we continue to see more babies and parents.”
Baby Theo, currently seven weeks old, was one of the first babies to have a tongue-tie procedure as part of the new service. He attended the opening with mum, Rachel and Grandmother, Julie.
Rachel said: “It was a really easy process, and the service was displayed really well in the department. I felt really at ease when attending and since having the procedure, Theo has been putting on weight really well! It’s made a massive difference – thank you so much!”
Rowena and her son Elliott also recently accessed the service too. Rowena said: “Elliott’s tongue-tie was quickly picked up within the first hour of him being born and an appointment was made promptly whilst I was still in hospital.
“The tongue tie was treated successfully, and this helped with breastfeeding. I would like to say how lovely, professional, and thorough Denise was. She explained everything very well and made us feel at ease. I feel my breastfeeding journey was fully supported, as I had support even before I gave birth. Thank you to all the staff who supported me through this journey.”
Patient feedback has been crucial in shaping this service. One of the key considerations was to have a tongue-tie service that also provides ‘wrap-around’ care by midwives – offering further support and guidance for infant feeding.
Shell Pashley, Derbyshire Maternity and Neonatal Voices said: “This new service is a great example of showing how your feedback can make a real difference. By working in partnership we can make some really important changes that improve our patients’ experiences.”