September greetings to you all. I hope you are looking forward to the autumn colours arriving, and bringing out your cosy clothes ready for nights snuggled up on the sofa with marshmallow-topped hot chocolate.

This month I’m following up on my article for August – ‘Breast is best, or is it?’ – which appeared to ruffle a few feathers. I am most grateful for those who took the time to email or message me to share your views on the subject. I am thrilled that there are people in the world willing to stand up and fight for what they believe – as a life coach this is my mission, to give people their voice and have it be heard!

Subjects we cover are huge and varied

As you might imagine, writing a monthly column of 500 words for a topic like Parenting and Guardianship is a big challenge. The subjects are huge and varied, and I can only touch the tip of the iceberg in any one topic. Luckily, there is a plethora of information online and in books to help you explore opinions and learn more.

In Gloucestershire there are many organisations that offer help, support and advice, including the Gloucestershire Breastfeeding Support Network and, of course, the NHS. As you would with many aspects of being a parent, I would urge you to research beyond a single article and find what best fits you, your baby and your family.

This column is a conversation starter and I was glad to have truly started the conversation. A few mothers who have indeed chosen not to breastfeed reached out to me to thank me for speaking for them, as it is so rare that anyone does so. It is indeed a contentious topic and, as a breastfeeding mother myself, one which was hard for me to write, but which I felt had to be written.

The angle of my article was to focus on those mums who may feel pressure to breastfeed, despite perhaps not wanting or being able to. It was by no means an anti-breastfeeding article, but I couldn’t cover every single angle of the conversation in the limited space I have – it really is like trying to fit a quart into a pint pot.

If you were offended because you are a breastfeeding advocate, that was certainly not my intention. However, I find it reassuring the article helped highlight your support for all women and their babies.

And to all my readers who routinely thank me for my articles and say how useful and interesting they are, I thank you too. We are so proud of all our content here at The Local Answer and will not shy away from touching on sensitive topics, knowing that praise and criticism is vital for a healthy world and to encourage action in our readers.

It is so hard to please everyone all of the time

So, this September you get a little ‘behind the scenes’ of being a feature writer and an understanding of how hard it is to please everyone all of the time. I have been blessed to write this column for six years and to be a life coach for over ten. It is my greatest joy to share my thoughts with you all and I hope to continue to do so for many years to come.

Thank you so much for reading The Local Answer and please, have a fabulous September!