Balanced Lactation

Oh I love this! Which is why long maternity leave is so important, we're still growing our babies 24/7, just on the outside!!
Let's normalise this ❤️

Whatever society tells you about the idea that babies should be able to sleep alone, play alone etc, the biological reality is that they are exterogestates!
When babies are held in our arms they thrive. They are biologically programmed to expect to be in our arms (day and night). Unfortunately we usually aren’t told about that before our babies arrive with us. Therefore - if we put our baby down and they cry, we are confused. If our baby wants back to the breast frequently, even when we know they are well fed, we think there must be something wrong - when in fact babies are usually just indicating good attachment needs.

We understand more about these security and attachment needs now than we used to in the past. Unfortunately there is still a lot of parenting information out there encouraging us to put babies down, not spoil our babies, make them independent etc. This kind of information came from the earliest days of psychology and were common in the 19th century. We now know that this was misguided. A child cannot be independent until they have the physical and psychological capacity for that independence. We can’t force something that doesn’t exist yet. We can’t teach a child to settle on their own if they don’t have the brain development to do that yet.

For the first few months a baby is best described as an exterogestate. Part of their gestation is in the womb. Part of it is on a caregiver’s body. By providing those loving arms and body we allow babies to feel secure, which means they can switch on growth hormone, learn and develop.
It’s ok that your young baby is always wanting to be in your arms. This is normal. Overwhelming at times, but normal.

Today marks the start of World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7) & International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Appreciation Day (August 1st).

This year's World Breastfeeding Week theme is 'Closing the Gap'. Celebrating breastfeeding mums in all their diversity, throughout their breastfeeding journeys.

I am proud to be an IBCLC and feel privileged to be able to share my knowledge and skills with families of all different backgrounds; cultural, economical and situational!!

A special shout out to all the IBCLC's I have had the privilege of knowing, working and collaborating with; such a beautiful supportive group of people dedicated to helping parents navigating their infant's feeding journey. I appreciate you all!!

Kia Ora friends! Balanced Lactation is currently closed over the next two weeks while we have a little family holiday. How beautiful is this sculpture I just found out front of Ilam Health centre in Christchurch?!

World Human Milk Donation Day!! Thank you to the women who are generous and lucky enough to donate their excess breast milk for other families. We appreciate you 💗

A day late, but doesn't take away from the need to recognise these incredible people.
Thank you to the midwives who supported me and safely delivered my babies; to my colleagues I'm incredibly lucky to work along side, who always go above and beyond to empower families and support them through this period; And to all midwives across the world, what an amazing job you do.
I see you, I celebrate you and I support you ❤️

A sweet definition I think we can agree is pretty spot on:
Midwife: An incredibly special person with an abundance of empathy and compassion. A cheerleader for women, at a very vulnerable time in their life. A person with an innate ability to comfort, support, encourage & empower others. Someone you are forever grateful for and you never forget.

see also; guardian angel, superstar, gift.

Happy IBCLC day to all the amazing Lactation Consultants out there providing up to date, evidence based lactation support to families all over the world! And a particular warm recognition to my colleagues and peers I have worked with, trained with and learnt from during my own IBCLC training and career.

🎄🌟Thank you and Happy Holidays!🌟🎄
I will be contactable via email, messenger, and texts if needed, as I know breastfeeding problems don't stop for Christmas (we can always wish for Christmas miracles though 🤞).

It's a couple of days late, but I hope you all survived Halloween!
If you've ever had to pump, especially long term, then you'll know exactly how this poor pumpkin Mumma feels! It's not an easy journey, but know you are quite the super human to juggle newborns, pumping, cleaning and feeding.
Always seek professional lactation advice if this is the pathway you find yourself on in your feeding journey, it's definitely not a 'one size/method suits all' and we can help you navigate your way through this 🩷

Love this shop, and love it even more now! Support local artists, protect the environment and grab some gorgeous re-usable breastpads 🩷

New stock alert.

The lovely Lisa from .littlethreads has been busy seeing these re-usable breast pads.

Available in a selection of fabrics…$8 per set.
littlethreads

We're back and open for bookings!
Check out www.balancedlactation.com/make-a-booking for availabilities or send a message for enquiries.

Happy International NICU Nurses day to all my wonderful NICU colleagues. They are an incredible group of people, the fiercest advocates for the babies and their families and I am privileged to work with the best team of nurses ever. Not biased.

Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work!

Moms need at least 18 weeks paid maternity leave – preferably six months or more – with their job security protected by law.

I'm a little late, but it's currently World Breastfeeding Week!! And this year's theme is supporting parents working and breastfeeding. It shouldn't have to be a choice between employment or breastfeeding your child. Or thinking about early weaning before you are ready in order to go back to work. Cheaper childcare isn't the issue, longer paid maternity leave is, and should be available for all breastfeeding parents, no matter where they are.

World Breastfeeding Week starts today! Women shouldn’t require superpowers to juggle breastfeeding and work.

All moms everywhere, no matter their work or contract type, should have:
🧸 At least 18 weeks, preferably 6 months or more, of paid maternity leave
🧸 Paid time off for breastfeeding or expressing milk upon returning to work
🧸 Flexible return-to-work options

Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work!

To all the lovely families looking to book appointments over the next few weeks, this week is the last week I'll be taking bookings for face to face home visits before I take some leave to have surgery.
I will be taking a good 6 weeks off to ensure I'm fully recovered and good to drive, but will be available to answer any enquiries via email and messages during these weeks.
I'm hoping to get back to telehealth appointments before this, but will play it by ear as I recover. My biggest advice for all the families I see is to ensure you are looking after you, so I'm taking my own advice now!
I hope my hospital stay comes with IV Chardonnay 🤞

Don't you just love when babies are old enough and strong enough to 'position' themselves however the heck they want for a breastfeed and you just gotta go with the it?!
Would love to see some pics of your crazy breastfeeding positions if you have any!! Post them in the comments 🩷

Medicare Rebates should be made available for Lactation Support.
Lactation Consultants train and study for a minimum of 5 years (usually after completion of a University health degree) to get an internationally recognised qualification, only to not be recognised by the government as an essential Medicare supported service.
Please sign this petition so all parents accessing breastfeeding support can get Medicare rebates for our services 🤞🤞🤞
https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN5169?fbclid=IwAR0OicDaO5cMlxJGRIZMqWYEMqI6ShpVsT082g2E56Cxn-3tyzoOmd7SBvA

Let's talk Engorgement!

Breast fullness as milk supply increases (usually between day 2-5 after birth) is normal! However, in some cases, breasts can become very hard, swollen & tender & the ni***es become stretched and flattened. The milk may not flow well, & it can be difficult for the baby to attach to the breast. This is called engorgement.
To help avoid or relieve engorgement:
• Keep the milk moving! Frequent Breastfeeding or expressing is associated with less engorgement in the first 32-96hrs post birth
• Avoid overstimulation. No hot showers or aggressive massaging of breasts (this increases inflammation).
• Treat inflammation early to prevent it progressing to mastitis. Cool packs after feeding can help reduce swelling & ease the pain. Sometimes an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen can be very helpful in reducing inflammation & pain making it easier for the milk to flow.
• If it's hard to get your baby to latch because your breast is hard & ni**le has flattened, try hand expressing some milk to soften the ni**le area making it easier for bub to latch.

Every new parent should have the opportunity to attend infant CPR and First aid, so I highly recommend attending one of these sessions currently being offered free from Lake Macquarie City Council.
Parents of infants/children Session 1

Date: Monday 3 July

Time: 10am-12pm

Location: Toronto Library, large meeting room

Parents of infants/children Session 2

Date: Monday 10 July

Time: 10am-12pm

Location: Belmont Library, large meeting room

Adult and senior presentations also available and we recommend attending as well!!

When we say EVERY DROP COUNTS we mean it!
Every drop of breastmilk contains these amazing growth-promoting, immune-protecting components.
Did you know Breastmilk contains stem cells? These stem cells are able to cross the gut and migrate into the blood of the nursed infant. From the blood, they travel to various organs including the brain, where they turn into functioning cells.
So even if you are struggling with supply and need to give supplement feeds, know that every drop of breastmilk still counts 💗

Image from NorthernStar Mother's Milk Bank https://www.northernstarmilkbank.ca/

Our International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Registered Nurse Cara Collins.
Cara is a mother of three gorgeous children and continues to work part time in her other passion, neonatal intensive care.

That look from your baby while breastfeeding 💞
Did you know that babies in the first few months of life can only see up to 50cm? That's about the distance from your baby breastfeeding to your face! Studies have shown the importance of looking at and talking to your baby while breastfeeding for neurodevelopment and bonding, and it can also help with the oxytocin release needed to have a 'let-down' at the start of your breastfeed. You can also ensure neurodevelopmental nurturing and bonding with bottle feeding in the right positions and focusing on your baby.
One of the best views ❤️❤️
https://youaremom.com/babies/magical-moment-making-eye-contact-baby-breastfeeding/

Exciting news! I am expanding my lactation support beyond the clinical setting to further serve our community. At Balanced Lactation we're here to help families find their balance on their unique lactation journey. Open and ready to support you now! Reach out to schedule your personalised lactation consultation 😁