Australian Breastfeeding Association has been around a long time, and has lots of wonderful people in the field to help mothers with breastfeeding.
Birth Journey - Lois Wattis
Certified Midwife, Lactation Consultancy practice based on the Sunshine Coast
The Milk Meg - Lactation Consultant Sunshine Coast – Meg Nagle
International author, blogger, speaker. Phone 0423 949 252
Midwife and Lactation Care Sunshine Coast
Brigid Feely Phone (07) 5478 4364 Mobile 0419 729 621
Coast Life Midwifery
Lactation Consultant can provide home visits or clinic appointments, between 8am and 6pm 7 days a week. Phone 0467 580 902 .
Dr Kylie Isaacs Information page about breastfeeding
2. A few Sound Tips:
- BEFORE you have your baby, read this great article "The Real Formula for Success" from Maternal Instincts; it will help you make important decisions and be empowered to stick to them as long as possible.
- It isn't always easy at first, but with practice and even assistance if needed, it usually becomes easy, and the effort is worth it, short-term and long-term.
- Be really well supported, around you in your chair/bed, and between you and the baby. This way you can relax completely.
- Drink lots of water! And when you sit down to feed, make sure you have water with you because you will feel thirsty, and you are producing lots of milk!
- Take the phone with you, just in case it rings: if the phone rings and you can't reach it, it is hard to stay relaxed!! BUT, try not to make calls as your baby feeds; use the time to connect and engage with your baby!
This video on breastfeeding is from the Australian Raising Children Network. It has tips for good attachment to help you get your baby feeding well. The video includes an animated diagram, a mum’s point of view and step-by-step instructions. It helps new mums see what good attachment looks and feels like and understand how babies feed. See more at raisingchildren.net.au
The Comfy Nipple! This clip contains a great visual about where the nipple is best positioned to be comfortable and avoid friction and problems.
4. Why Breast-feed? Is it really worth the effort?
Some wise words from Cochrane Australia
"A recent landmark Lancet Series on Breastfeeding concluded that ‘breastmilk makes the world healthier, smarter, and more equal’. While few would disagree with this assessment or the evidence that underpins it, consensus about how to support and achieve a significant increase in breastfeeding around the world is harder to come by. Despite breastfeeding being a recognised global health priority, only around 37 per cent of babies under six months are exclusively breastfed worldwide. Rates in many countries, especially high-income nations, are much lower than this... Here in Australia, Department of Health figures suggest around 39 per cent of babies are exclusively breastfed to around three months; and about 15 per cent are exclusively breastfed to six months."
Why are so few babies exclusively breast-fed? Why should we change this? How can we change this? This collection of articles explores all the above.
An extract from "The Politics of Breastfeeding" by Gabrielle Palmer
"If a multinational company developed a product that was a nutritionally balanced and delicious food, a wonder drug that both prevented and treated disease, cost almost nothing to produce and could be delivered in quantities controlled by the consumers' needs, the very announcement of their find would send their shares rocketing to the top of the stock market. The scientists who developed the product would win prizes and the wealth and influence of everyone involved would increase dramatically. Women have been producing such a miraculous substance, breastmilk, since the beginning of human existence."
Newborns can instinctively crawl to the breast to feed!
The Newborn Breast Crawl. How amazing! This video shows how newborn babies can 'crawl' to their mother's breast (navigating mostly by smell), self-attach and feed, instinctively. Is there any greater evidence to show that breast milk is the number one baby food whenever possible? This video narration is not in English, but it makes no difference!
Breastfeeding in the 21st Century
Summary: Our meta-analyses indicate protection against child infections and malocclusion, increases in intelligence, and probable reductions in overweight and diabetes....For nursing women, breastfeeding gave protection against breast cancer and it improved birth spacing, and it might also protect against ovarian cancer and type 2 diabetes. The scaling up of breastfeeding to a near universal level could prevent 823 000 annual deaths in children younger than 5 years and 20 000 annual deaths from breast cancer. Recent epidemiological and biological findings from during the past decade expand on the known benefits of breastfeeding for women and children, whether they are rich or poor.
Enabling Breastfeeding for Mothers and Babies
"Not only is breastfeeding a fundamentally important human behaviour that strengthens attachment and psychological outcomes, but the use of breastmilk substitutes – either exclusively or partially – has substantive short, medium and long-term impact on survival, health and wellbeing for babies and women. The use of breastmilk substitutes weakens infants’ immune systems, and impairs their cognitive development, behaviour, and appetite regulation, and it increases women’s risk of developing breast cancer, and probably also ovarian cancer and Type 2 diabetes."
Breastfeeding & the Micro-biome
Breast feeding is an amazing multi-faceted relationship for your baby! The relationship between breast-feeding, breast-milk, skin-on-skin, healthy gut bacteria (micro-biome) and the immune system is so very important and really only beginning to be understood!
- Did you know there is an exchange between the baby and the nipple, that allows your body to produce exactly what your baby needs on a day-by-day basis?
- Did you know that first breast milk contains sugars indigestable to your baby, that specifically feed and grow the healthy bacterial colonies the baby contracted through the birth canal?
- Did you know that through this bacteria promotion, breast-feeding provides the basis of the baby's immune system foundation and development?
Breastfeeding & the Micro-biome
If you want to really understand this very important subject for you and your baby, I'd recommend you visit THE MICROBIRTH SCHOOL, and either watch the brilliant movie "Microbirth" for $4, or even join their Free Masterclass Webinar. This 50 min webinar “Understanding The Infant Microbiome” is available to watch online each month and the language is really logical and easily understood (AND, if you're a professional you can earn free CE credits!).
This is the science that strongly supports vaginal birth (when possible), immediate skin-to-skin contact and exclusive breastfeeding. It’s 100% FREE!
There is a lot of information available about what breast-feeding mothers can and can't eat! It is normal for babies to have fussy periods a couple of times a day, and most mothers can continue to eat healthy balanced diets without fear of upsetting their babes. Occasionally, babies are sensitive to some foods - i.e. mild allergic sensitivities - but this is rare. Even in cases of sensitivities, breastfeeding is still recommended. Here is one article that give practical advice to test/eliminate some foods that you suspect may be causing your baby to be squirmy!
This article by Australian Breastfeeding Association provides really good insight into lactose intolerance and how these babies are best nourished.
