Specialist breastfeeding nurses improving outcomes for families across Merseyside

Thanks to generous funding from MediCash, Sophie Hilton and Kay Ross have taken on specialist roles at Alder Hey dedicated to supporting breastfeeding and improving outcomes for families across Merseyside.

Working as part of a job share, the duo brings complementary experience, warmth, and dedication to the role.

We sat down with Sophie and Kay to hear more about their new positions, how they’ll be helping families, and why breastfeeding support matters more than ever.

Can you tell us more about the Baby Friendly Initiative?

“The Baby Friendly Initiative, or BFI, is all about promoting and supporting breastfeeding and building strong relationships between parents and their babies,” Sophie explains. “It’s a global programme led by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, and here in the UK, it sets out standards for healthcare settings to help create environments that really support infant feeding and parent-infant relationships.”

“It’s not just about breastfeeding rates,” adds Kay. “It’s about ensuring that every family, regardless of how they choose to feed their baby, gets the best possible support, information and care. It’s about being baby and parent-friendly – hence the name!”

The BFI encourages hospitals to look at everything from staff training to how families are spoken to about feeding. “It’s a whole culture shift,” says Sophie. “And at Alder Hey, we’re really excited to be part of it.”

What specialist support will you be providing to families?

“We’ll be supporting families one-to-one, especially those who need a bit of extra help with breastfeeding,” says Kay. “That might be mums whose babies are in the neonatal unit, or parents who are struggling with latch, supply, or just feeling overwhelmed.”

Sophie adds. “There’s so much information out there, and it can be confusing. We want to be that calm, reassuring presence who can cut through the noise and say, ‘You’re doing great, here’s how we can help.’”

And it’s not just about supporting individual families – they’re also working behind the scenes to train staff, develop resources, and help Alder Hey work towards official Baby Friendly accreditation. “That means creating consistent messages around feeding and support throughout the hospital,” explains Sophie. “So every member of staff, whether they’re clinical or not, understands how important their role is in supporting families.”

“There’s a lot of myth-busting involved too,” adds Kay. “Breastfeeding isn’t always easy or natural, and that’s okay. It’s our job to make sure parents don’t feel judged, no matter what their feeding journey looks like.”

How do you think the BFI will impact breastfeeding rates in Merseyside?

 “We know that when parents get the right support early on, they’re more likely to breastfeed for longer – and that can have a massive impact on public health.” says Sophie.

Merseyside currently has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the country, but Kay believes there’s real potential for change. “So many parents want to breastfeed but don’t get the help they need when it matters most. With the BFI and roles like ours in place, we can start changing that narrative.”

“It’s not about pushing breastfeeding – it’s about empowering families with knowledge and support,” adds Sophie. “We’re creating a culture where parents feel safe, supported, and confident, whatever feeding choices they make.”

“Healthier babies, more confident parents – it all feeds into better outcomes long-term,” says Kay.

What are you most looking forward to about your new role?

“Just being able to make a difference,” says Sophie. “We’re both so passionate about infant feeding and family support, and to have the time and space to focus on that is amazing.”

“We get to be part of families’ journeys at one of the most vulnerable, precious times in their lives,” says Kay. “That’s a real privilege. Whether it’s helping a mum latch her baby for the first time, or just being there to say, ‘You’re not alone’ – those moments matter.”

They’re also excited about building a strong foundation for the future. “This isn’t just a project – it’s about long-term change,” says Sophie. “We want each member of the staff at Alder Hey to be able to give the best possible advice and support when it comes to breastfeeding, so that every family gets gold-standard care.”

And how does it feel to have this all made possible by MediCash?

“We’re incredibly grateful to MediCash for funding our roles,” says Sophie. “Their support means we can dedicate ourselves fully to helping families at Alder Hey, and that’s just amazing. It’s not every day you get the chance to make this kind of difference.”

Kay adds “The MediCash funding is allowing us to bring real, meaningful change to infant feeding support across the hospital. We honestly can’t thank them enough – it’s such a brilliant investment in the health and wellbeing of families.”