Exeter Antenatal & Breastfeeding
Service
Exeter Antenatal & Breastfeeding Service offers comprehensive and personalised support to parents through classes and 1:1 consultations led by an experienced local midwife.
In a non-judgmental and unhurried way, you’ll receive evidence-based, practical antenatal education and postnatal advice from someone who understands pregnancy, birth, feeding and those first precious days with your baby.
My story
Midwife Pippa
My name is Pippa and I currently work in Devon as a registered NHS midwife. This profession is one that I feel utterly privileged to be part of and has helped shape my journey to starting this new venture.
Here is my story on how and why I started Exeter Antenatal & Breastfeeding Service.
I first applied to midwifery college when I was 17, I didn’t get in at that time but I never stopped dreaming. I worked in a supportive role in a specialist educational needs school before having my first baby. I saw a different midwife for every appointment and felt a little lost throughout pregnancy! By the time baby arrived I had very little knowledge or understanding of breastfeeding and battled my way through for 3 months before stopping suddenly one night (I do NOT recommend this, ouch!). Over a decade on and I still feel the emotions that I experienced on that journey which is what fuels and motivates my passion for educating and supporting parents on their journeys.
A year after my first, I had my second baby, and with the knowledge I had gained and the fact that he was born at term and ready for a feed made a huge difference. We still faced challenges but the initiation of our feeding journey was smooth because I was more confident and purposeful in my approach.
As soon as my youngest started school I headed back to college for A-Levels and went on to apply for the midwifery degree at Plymouth University.
During my midwifery training I became obsessed with our breastfeeding modules, the whole process blows my mind, our bodies are incredible!
Once I became a qualified midwife I knew I needed to add to the existing services to ensure parents always had somewhere to turn and the idea of Exeter Breastfeeding Services was born. In the same vein I feel parents deserve to be truly informed for what lies ahead in terms of birthing within our current maternity system and the truth around what to expect in the early days of caring for a newborn. Knowledge and information all parents should have delivered with warmth and a sprinkle of humour but ultimately honesty.
Services
Please see below the services I offer and click the relevant box to find out more.
1:1 Antenatal
Breastfeeding Preparation
1:1 Birth planning (including harvesting colostrum)
1:1 postnatal breastfeeding support
Reviews
Hover below to see what others had to say about Exeter Breastfeeding Services
“We just learned this was your first class! We would never have known. It was so slick, engaging and informative. Both my wife and I feel far more confident approaching our first breastfeeding journey.
Thank you so much Pippa!”
March 2025
“The classes were especially helpful in showing us how to harvest colostrum before birth—something that turned out to be incredibly useful in those first few days postpartum.
They also included core pieces of kit needed (small syringes to help harvest the colostrum effectively). When we weren’t sure if our baby was feeding enough, we were able to use the colostrum we’d collected and feel reassured that he was getting something while I was still learning how to nurse.”
March 2025
"As a man I didn’t think it was essential I came to the breastfeeding preparation class. How wrong I was!
I can honestly say I have learnt so much and weirdly feel very excited about starting this journey alongside my partner.”
May 2025
Message received after baby arrived;
“We gave our back up colostrum last night, so grateful we had that!
She is latching well and I have received lots of compliments re technique and approach from the midwives here, and I can honestly say that’s thanks to you!
Ready for the continued learning curve, but so so grateful”
July 2025
“Pippa, thank you so much for listening earlier. It was really reassuring as we navigate this chapter with baby in neonatal. Your help and advice was critical in being able to continue to provide the best for our boy. Thanks again!” February 2025
“I really appreciate all of the support you have given me and honestly those first couple of hours in recovery will be a truly treasured memory of bonding with my baby and that was massively facilitated by you.
We certainly got our moneys worth!”
June 2025
“One thing I found really useful was the care plan you emailed through as this was a really good reference point I could read again, and again!
I also really appreciated you genuinely took the time to understand the journey I’d been on first before suggesting anything (you were probably the first to do this out of 15 practitioners I had seen beforehand!).
All of the advice you gave was in a positive
way rather than focusing on what was going wrong.
After seeing you it was the first time in 6 weeks since he was born that I felt I was actually doing things well which made the biggest impact on me persevering and how I felt about myself as a mother.”
December 2024
“I would just like to say that Pippa is the reason I am still continuing to breastfeed.
I had lots of pain and trouble with my latch early on and was at the brink of stopping due to the awful pain and how it was mentally taking a toll on me.
She visited me at home where I felt most
comfortable and really helped with the latch and positioning and built my confidence back up.
I've now been breastfeeding for six months and plan to continue.”
January 2025
"I can't thank Pippa enough for the incredible support she gave me and my 4-month-old baby on our challenging breastfeeding journey. From the moment we met her, she was so kind, patient, reassuring and extremely knowledgeable. As a new mum, I often felt overwhelmed and unsure of myself, but Pippa's calm, compassionate approach gave me the confidence and reassurance I needed to continue and feel I’m on the right track. She took the time to listen, answer every question and provide practical support without ever making me feel judged or rushed.
Thanks to Pippa's support, feeding has become a much more positive experience for both me and my baby. I would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone looking for breastfeeding support at any stage of their journey. She truly is one of the kindest people I've met, and we're so grateful for everything she's done for us. Thank you 🫶🏼"
Kate, October 2026