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What is Honeysuckle Cafe?
Honeysuckle Cafe is the breastfeeding-support practice of Clare Meynell, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) based in the UK. Despite the name, it isn't a cafe you visit for coffee — the "cafe" framing signals the tone of the service: sitting down together, you, her and a cup of tea, to talk through you and your baby's needs.
What she offers
- Antenatal preparation and birth plans
- Tongue-tie diagnosis
- Postnatal support and practical help with feeding
- Reassurance around anxiety
- Realistic talk about baby sleep
Her background is clinical rather than purely peer-based: she describes over 20 years as an IBCLC, a career as a registered midwife and state registered nurse, and training as a La Leche League peer support trainer. She also notes she is insured and treats shared information as confidential.
Who it suits
- Expectant parents who want to prepare before the baby arrives, rather than troubleshoot afterwards
- Parents in the early weeks hitting latch, pain, supply or tongue-tie problems
- Anyone who wants an evidence-based, internationally credentialed opinion rather than informal advice
- Families who value a calm, conversational approach — she describes having breastfed three children herself and frames support as accompaniment rather than instruction
Where she sits in the wider picture
Beyond one-to-one work, she describes attending the first international breastfeeding conference and, with three colleagues, working to improve UK family-support policy using the WBTi assessment tool, with a first report published in 2016. That policy strand is separate from the individual consultations, but it tells you where her priorities lie.
A practical next step
If you're deciding whether to book, start with her Frequently Asked Questions section, which defines what a lactation consultant is and how the IBCLC qualification is recertified every five years. That recertification point is the useful decision criterion: it distinguishes an IBCLC from untrained "breastfeeding helpers," so it's worth checking any practitioner's current certification before you commit. For comparison, you can see how the profession is organised in the UK via La Leche League or the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners, which maintains the credential.
How do I know if I need a lactation consultant or can manage breastfeeding on my own?
You don't need to wait for a crisis to involve a lactation consultant, but you also don't need one for every normal breastfeeding experience. Think of it as a sliding scale: most parents can manage day-to-day breastfeeding with good information and support from family or peers, while an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) is the appropriate person when something is painful, the baby isn't thriving, or you want skilled hands-on assessment.
Signs it's worth seeking expert help
- Pain that persists beyond a brief initial latch, or damage such as cracking, bleeding or bruising.
- A baby who isn't gaining weight, has very few wet or dirty nappies, or seems constantly unsatisfied after feeds.
- Suspected tongue tie or another anatomical issue that affects latching. Honeysuckle Cafe's Clare Meynell lists tongue tie diagnosis among the things she can talk through, alongside antenatal preparation, birth plans, postnatal support and baby sleep reality.
- Low milk supply concerns, or the opposite — engorgement, blocked ducts or mastitis.
- You feel anxious, overwhelmed or are doubting yourself, and reassurance from someone experienced would help.
When you can likely manage on your own
- Feeding is comfortable, the baby is gaining well and nappies are normal.
- You have reliable, evidence-based information and someone to ask quick questions.
- Any early difficulties resolve within a few days with positioning adjustments and rest.
What an IBCLC adds
The site's FAQ defines a lactation consultant as someone professionally qualified to support mothers and babies, with the international qualification recertified every five years so practice stays current. Clare Meynell describes over 20 years as an IBCLC, a career as a registered midwife and children's nurse, and La Leche League peer support training. That combination matters when the problem is complex: a midwife's background in immediate postnatal care and a peer supporter's experience of ordinary feeding challenges are different skills from clinical diagnosis.
A practical way to decide
| Situation | Reasonable first step |
|---|---|
| Mild discomfort in the first days | Adjust positioning, ask a midwife or peer supporter, review within 24–48 hours |
| Pain, poor weight gain, or suspected tongue tie | Book an IBCLC assessment |
| You want antenatal preparation or a birth plan discussion | A consultation before the baby arrives |
| You mainly need reassurance and someone to talk to | Peer support may be enough, with an IBCLC if concerns persist |
Next step
Write down three things before you contact anyone: what happens during a feed, when it started, and what you've already tried. That turns a vague worry into a specific question, and it helps you judge whether the person you speak to is addressing your actual situation rather than giving generic advice. If you're unsure whether your issue is minor or needs expert input, a short conversation with an IBCLC is a low-risk way to find out — and if feeding is going well, you can simply carry on.
For broader context on breastfeeding support and policy in the UK, the La Leche League and UNICEF UK publish parent-facing guidance.
What happens during a breastfeeding support consultation with Clare Meynell?
A consultation with Clare Meynell at Honeysuckle Cafe is essentially a one-to-one conversation over a cup of tea, shaped around what you and your baby actually need that day. She describes it as sitting beside you and talking things through rather than running a fixed clinical procedure.
What the session can cover According to the site's own description, her support spans:
- Antenatal preparation and birth plans
- Tongue tie diagnosis
- Postnatal support
- Reassurance around anxiety
- The reality of baby sleep
Because she is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, a registered midwife and a former children's nurse, the conversation can move between practical feeding mechanics and the wider emotional load of early motherhood. She also draws on her own experience of breastfeeding three children.
What to expect in practice The tone on the page is unhurried and personalised: "you, me and a cup of tea discussing you and your baby's needs." That suggests an appointment where you talk first and she responds to your specific situation, rather than a scripted checklist. The site notes that information you share is confidential and that she is insured.
A useful next step Before you go, write down two or three concrete things you want out of the session — for example, pain during latching, a possible tongue tie, or night-time feeding patterns. That way the time goes to your priorities. If you want to sense whether her approach fits before booking, read the testimonials and FAQ sections on Honeysuckle Cafe, then use the "Get in touch" section to ask how a first consultation is structured and how long it typically runs.
Can Clare help with tongue tie diagnosis and post-natal anxiety?
Yes. Honeysuckle Cafe lists tongue tie diagnosis and post-natal anxiety reassurance among the things Clare Meynell can talk through with you, alongside antenatal preparation, birth plans, post-natal support and realistic baby sleep. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, a retired registered midwife and a former children's nurse, and she describes her own three breastfeeding experiences as part of what she brings to supporting families.
What that means in practice: a tongue tie diagnosis is a clinical assessment, so the useful question is not only "can she help?" but "what happens next?" Clare's combined lactation consultant and midwifery background suits the assessment-and-referral conversation — checking feeding, identifying whether a restriction is affecting latch, and explaining options. If a division or further clinical input is needed, expect to be pointed to the right NHS or specialist route rather than treated in isolation.
For post-natal anxiety, the page's framing is reassurance and accompaniment rather than therapy. That distinction matters. A lactation consultant can sit beside you, normalise the overwhelm of early motherhood, and remove feeding problems that often feed anxiety. She is not a substitute for perinatal mental health services, GP care or specialist counselling, and the page notes her work is insured and confidential — a useful signal for how personal information is handled.
A practical way to use a first contact
- Say what you want from the session: feeding assessment, tongue tie opinion, anxiety support, or all three.
- Ask whether the appointment is in person or remote, and how long it lasts.
- Ask what you should bring or prepare, and whether your baby should be fed just before.
- Ask where the limits are: what she assesses herself and when she refers on.
If you are weighing options, it helps to compare the role you need with the role you are booking. For infant feeding, a lactation consultant is the specialist. For maternal mental health, organisations such as Mind and NHS set out routes into talking therapies and perinatal support. For peer-led breastfeeding help, La Leche League GB runs local groups, and Clare's page notes she is a La Leche League peer support trainer. For UK policy and breastfeeding advocacy context, World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative covers the WBTi assessment tool she references.
A concrete scenario: you are three weeks post-birth, feeding is painful, your baby is not gaining as expected, and you are barely sleeping. That is a case for a lactation consultant first — a feeding problem can be resolved and often eases the anxiety with it. If low mood, intrusive thoughts or persistent worry continue after feeding improves, treat that as a separate issue and speak to your GP or midwife.
How does an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant differ from a peer supporter or midwife?
An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) is a specialist credential in breastfeeding and lactation care, while a peer supporter is usually a trained volunteer who offers encouragement and lived experience, and a midwife is a registered clinical professional focused on pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period. The roles overlap in kindness and practical help, but they differ in scope, training depth and what they are equipped to assess.
Honeysuckle Cafe is the practice of Clare Meynell, who describes herself as an IBCLC of over 20 years, a retired registered midwife and a La Leche League peer support trainer. Her page sets out the distinction plainly: a lactation consultant is "professionally qualified to provide support and advice to mothers and babies," and the international qualification must be recertified every five years so practice stays current and evidence-based. That recertification cycle is the practical difference worth remembering — it is a formal quality check, not just a title.
H3 What each role typically does
- IBCLC: Assesses a full feeding picture — latch and positioning, milk transfer, nipple pain, infant weight and output, anatomy such as tongue tie, and expressed feeding. Can build a care plan and coordinate with other clinicians. In Clare's case, she also lists antenatal preparation, birth plans, tongue tie diagnosis, postnatal support and baby sleep reality.
- Peer supporter: Offers listening, reassurance and normalising, often through a breastfeeding support group or helpline. Trained in communication and basic breastfeeding information, but not clinically accountable for diagnosis or complex management. Clare's page notes she is a La Leche League Peer Support Trainer, which is a training role rather than a clinical one.
- Midwife: Registered clinical professional responsible for pregnancy, labour, birth and the immediate postnatal period, including maternal and newborn health. In the UK, midwives provide early feeding support, but caseloads and shift patterns mean they may not have time for a long, problem-solving feeding appointment. Clare describes more than 20 years as an integrated midwife supporting women and babies immediately after birth.
H3 A quick comparison
| IBCLC | Peer supporter | Midwife | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credential | International board certification, recertified every 5 years | Training in peer support, often voluntary | Registered clinical qualification |
| Main focus | Breastfeeding and lactation assessment and management | Encouragement, information, community | Pregnancy, birth, postnatal health |
| Typical setting | Private practice, clinic, hospital | Support group, helpline, community | Hospital, birth centre, home, community |
| Best first contact when | Feeding is painful, weight gain is a worry, or a plan is needed | You want reassurance and to feel less alone | You have a health concern for you or your baby |
H3 How to choose in practice
If you are pregnant and want to prepare, an IBCLC can help you think through birth plans and early feeding expectations. If you are three days in and exhausted, a peer supporter may be exactly the right first call — free, local and reassuring. If you or your baby are unwell, or feeding has stalled with weight loss, start with your midwife or health visitor, then bring in an IBCLC for the feeding-specific assessment. Clare's page also notes she is insured and treats information as strictly confidential, which matters if you are discussing medical history.
A useful next step is to ask any practitioner three questions: what qualification do you hold, how is it kept up to date, and what will you do if my baby needs medical review? For an IBCLC, expect a clear answer about certification and recertification. For a peer supporter, expect honesty about the limits of the role. For a midwife, expect a clear pathway to specialist feeding help. If you want to see how one IBCLC describes her own scope, Clare's site is at Honeysuckle Cafe.
What should I expect from antenatal preparation and birth planning support?
Antenatal preparation and birth planning support is mostly about writing down your preferences and rehearsing how you want to be supported in the first hours after birth, then having someone who can talk you through the realities of infant feeding and postnatal recovery. You should expect a conversation, not a script: your questions, your history, your goals.
On Honeysuckle Cafe, Clare Meynell describes sitting beside parents to talk through antenatal preparation, birth plans, tongue tie diagnosis, postnatal support, anxiety reassurance and baby sleep reality. She also notes that she is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, a retired registered midwife, and a La Leche League peer support trainer. That mix matters if you want someone who can discuss both the birth plan and what happens when feeding does not go to plan.
What that support typically covers
- Your feeding intentions and what might change them — including what you want if you are separated from your baby, if you have a caesarean, or if you are exhausted after a long labour.
- Hands-on positioning and attachment — learning how to hold and latch a baby before you are sleep-deprived, and knowing what a good feed looks like.
- Tongue tie questions — what it is, how it is assessed, and what the referral route looks like where you live.
- Anxiety and the emotional side — someone who has been through three breastfeeding experiences herself, as Clare describes, can normalise the first overwhelming weeks.
- Sleep expectations — realistic newborn sleep patterns, so night waking does not feel like failure.
- Where to get help after discharge — local feeding groups, peer supporters, and when to ask for a clinical review.
How to choose between options
| Type of support | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Midwife or health visitor | Routine questions within the NHS | Limited time per appointment |
| Volunteer peer supporter | Reassurance and group encouragement | Not clinical diagnosis |
| Private lactation consultant | Complex feeding problems, tongue tie, tailored plan | Usually paid, and availability varies |
A useful next step
Before your appointment, write three lists: what you want for the birth, what you want for the first feed, and what worries you most. Bring them to the conversation. If you are deciding between providers, ask what happens if you need help at 2am, whether they do home visits, and how they hand over to NHS services. For general UK breastfeeding information alongside a private consultation, NHS and La Leche League are worth reading first.
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