Carol Smyth

Carol Smyth is an IBCLC working in a busy private practice in Northern Ireland. She became interested in babies and reflux when her first son was diagnosed and treated for reflux in his early weeks. After receiving breastfeeding support and learning more about brain development, she realised that many of the symptoms that had been diagnosed as reflux had either been misinterpreted or were resolved by small changes in care. This revelation inspired her to change career and retrain as an IBCLC.

Within her private practice she is driven by a passion to minimise the gap between our understanding of normal baby behaviours and societal norms through education and supporting parents. Understanding the level of anxious distress parents can feel when they have an unsettled baby, and with a background in psychology, she uses CBT techniques and education to lower anxiety alongside practical strategies to reduce reflux.