Courtfield Private Practice

02/09/2026

Dr Sophie’s book recommendation for new mums.

28/08/2026

I regularly forgot my own vitamins after having my first baby, and I also had a thyroid problem that went undiagnosed for longer than I wish it had. So these are two things I now always remind new mums about, and I’ll be reminding myself of them during my second maternity leave too.”

1. Please don’t forget your postnatal vitamins.

Your body has just gone through a huge change and needs some extra nutrients!

Iron levels commonly fall during pregnancy and around delivery, particularly if you’ve had significant blood loss or developed anaemia, so it’s important to make sure these are replenished.

Vitamin D (which we can only get via the sun) is also very important, especially if, like me, you had a Winter baby and by the time you eventually mustered the energy to leave the house, it was dark 10 minutes later…

If you’re breastfeeding, calcium is particularly important because your body is supplying calcium to your baby through breast milk. It can be difficult to get enough calcium through diet alone, so calcium supplementation is often helpful and is particularly important for maintaining your own bone health.

2. A general blood profile can be helpful if you’re not feeling quite right.

If you’re feeling excessively tired (I appreciate a difficult one to gauge as a new mum..), struggling to lose weight or having difficulty with milk supply, it’s worth checking your thyroid level.

Post partum thyroiditis is actually fairly common and affects up to 10% of mothers within the first year of giving birth.

Low iron, low b12, low folate and low vitamin D can also contribute to fatigue.

If you would like to discuss any of the above further please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

15/08/2026

𝗩𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀

Important changes to the 1-year vaccination schedule

There have been some important changes to the childhood vaccination schedule in 2026, including the introduction of the chickenpox vaccine.

1. 𝗠𝗠𝗥𝗩 – 𝗠𝗠𝗥 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗽𝗼𝘅 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲

The 𝗠𝗠𝗥𝗩 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲, which combines measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox vaccines, was introduced into the routine NHS vaccination schedule in January 2026.

It is fantastic news that the chickenpox vaccine is now routinely available to all children!

At Courtfield, we will continue to offer the MMR and chickenpox vaccines separately, rather than as a combined MMRV vaccine. This is because there is a small increased risk of a febrile seizure following the first dose of MMRV compared with giving MMR and chickenpox vaccines separately. Giving these vaccines separately is also the approach routinely used in the US.

2. 𝗛𝗶𝗯/𝗠𝗲𝗻 𝗖 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲

The Hib/Men C vaccine (Haemophilus influenzae type B and meningitis C) has now been discontinued in both the NHS and private sector.

Meningitis C vaccination continues to be offered to teenagers as part of the MenACWY vaccine on the NHS, but a separate MenC vaccine is no longer routinely given to babies.

The MenACWY vaccine is licensed for use in babies and is routinely given at around one year of age in several other countries, including Australia, Spain and Italy. In the Netherlands, it is routinely given at around 14 months.

𝗔𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 to suit your preferences. For example, if you would like your child to receive MenACWY, we can offer this at their 1-year check-up.

If you have any questions about these changes or would like to discuss your child’s vaccination schedule, please do get in touch.

We look forward to seeing you at your child’s 1-year check-up!

07/08/2026

Reflections and tips before my second maternity leave from a GP mum.

I’m going on maternity leave at the end of September for the second time and wanted to share what I think is the most important message for mums to hear about infant feeding.

YOU’RE AMAZING! Please genuinely do whatever works for you and your baby.

As doctors, we could not tell you which baby/child/teenager/adult was breastfed or formula fed or combi-fed. So please do you, and try not to spend too much time on Instagram as it can be a rather polarising place at this time of life (I appreciate the incredible irony of posting this ON Instagram…)

We look forward to seeing you for your mum and baby checks and supporting you through this chapter !

Love Dr Sophie xx

28/07/2026

As a GP and mother of 2, this is what I always pack in my holiday medical bag.

The list below is Dr Ebba’s personal choice. We don’t endorse any brands (if Space NK or The White Company would like to get in touch though we may agree to a meeting..)

Insect repellent spray and patches
Antihistamines
GERMOLENE - Dr Ebba’s no 1 holiday essential!
Blister plasters
Standard plasters
Tweezers
Antiseptic hand gel
Sudocrem
Diarolyte rehydration sachets
Gaviscon
Buscopan
Paracetamol - children and adult doses
Neurofen - children and adult doses
Promethazine or Kwells antisickness
Lemsip

14/07/2026

At Courtfield looking after families is at the heart of what we do. ❤️

08/07/2026

Men’s Health Screening at Courtfield - comprehensive and tailored to you.

21/04/2026

09/04/2026

What’s the difference between an NHS and private mammogram?

We are lucky to have the NHS which provides a mammogram every 3 years to women aged 50-71. However at Courtfield we recommend that our patients start breast screening earlier, and have a mammogram more frequently than this, particularly if they have risk factors.

Our patients may also need a breast ultrasound in addition to a mammogram, and occasionally a breast MRI.

The other key differences with private breast screening are:

1. The mammograms are 3D (tomosynthesis) rather than standard 2D imaging. 3D mammograms are more accurate at detecting breast cancer.

2. Breast density is reported in a private mammogram - this is very important as women with dense breasts are recommended to have an ultrasound as well as a mammogram, as mammograms can occasionally miss lesions in women with dense breasts.

Secondly, having dense breasts is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer so annual mammograms (with breast ultrasounds) are recommended.

Sometimes women with very high risk factors need to have an MRI of their breasts as well as a mammogram.

While it is, of course, important to attend your NHS mammogram, breast screening is not one-size-fits-all—and for most women, there is more to consider than a three-yearly check.

Please don’t hesitate to come and see us if you would like to discuss this further.

26/03/2026

An enormous thank you to our wonderful admin team at Courtfield.

Following our recent newsletter on the Meningitis B outbreak in Kent, we have received an unprecedented number of calls and emails from our patients.

Our admin team have stayed late and stayed calm, and have put our patients first, during an exceptionally busy period.

We are incredibly grateful for their dedication and support.