Liz Gunn IBCLC, BSc(Hons), DipHE, BFC, RM

Managing Director
Cranial Sacral Therapist Level 2
Lead Lactation Consultant

E: liz.gunn@healthy-babies-uk.org

Liz has worked as a midwife in NHS Maternity services for more than 20 years and for 12 years until March 2023 led the Unicef ‘Baby Friendly’ accreditation and managed the Infant Feeding Team in her hospital trust.

Following the birth of her first child in 2005, Liz found the support of the local breastfeeding group invaluable as she struggled with positioning and baby’s faltering growth. Therefore in 2006 began training with the NCT (National Childbirth Trust), became a La Leche League Peer Support trainer which led to offering support at the Children’s Centre by training new mums in the local town.  Liz then continued to run the breastfeeding support group for the next 10 years.

In 2006 completed a Foundation degree as a Breastfeeding Counsellor with the NCT then led to working as a volunteer on the Breastfeeding helpline and ran antenatal classes for around 10 years and in 2013 completed Birth and Beyond Practitioner training.

As a result of her work at the local Children’s Centres she was asked by other local towns to run Peer Support courses and this began her journey as a self -employed trainer which later was to become Healthy Babies UK.

In 2011 after more practical and academic study, Liz passed the examination which enabled her to become an IBCLC (International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant). Since then, she has renewed this qualification, passing the exam again most recently in 2021.

In 2011 Healthy Babies UK CIC (Community Interest Company) was created to streamline the self-employed work Liz and her colleagues had been undertaking and Healthy Babies become a Training Centre with the Open College Network.  A number of courses, including those for Peer Support and Breastfeeding Leads were written and accredited.

In 2013 Healthy Babies UK CIC moved into The Old Forge in Barrington Street, Tiverton and there began setting up support groups, training courses, one to one clinics as well as group sessions for antenatal, baby massage and yoga and holistic therapies. In 2017 the depot donor milk bank was launched and now provides much needed breast milk to neonatal units in the south-west of the country.

Also in 2013 Liz undertook further training in ‘oral assessments’ and ‘tongue tie division’ and set up the Acute Frenotomy service for Somerset. Since then she has trained infant feeding teams with theory days for oral assessments and practical training sessions for dividing frenulums.

In 2014 completed Level 1 Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST) training and in 2021 added the  Level 2 Diploma qualification, specialising in mother and baby. Subsequently helping to facilitate Level 1 training with Turning Point Training.

During her work as the Infant Feeding Lead Liz completed several Unicef Baby Friendly training courses and in 2021 qualified as a Unicef Baby Friendly Lead completing their qualifications framework.

Working as a Breastfeeding Counsellor and Lactation Consultant Liz continues her professional development. She has completed the Possums Gestalt Breastfeeding course and the Microbiome training in 2019, Holistic Sleep Coach training in 2021 and is currently working on a level 4 course on Reflux and Allergies.

To date,(2024) Liz currently works as a bank Midwife for the NHS and as a Union representative for the Royal College of Midwives alongside her work as Managing Director of Healthy Babies UK. She is registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and HBUK is registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) having completed and maintained the mandatory training courses. Liz is a member of Lactation Consultants of Great Britain (LCGB), The Association of Tongue Tie Practitioners (ATTP) and Human Milk Banking Association and member of the Milk Bank Board for the Southwest.