Don't miss out just because you are planning a Caesarean birth?
/
If you are having a c-section you can also have a great calm experience too!
Read More
The Benefits of Private Postnatal Midwifery Care in the Home: Empowering Mothers through Breastfeeding, Confidence, Support, and Consistent Advice
/Bringing a new life into the world is a beautiful and transformative experience. Throughout this journey, women deserve the utmost care and support. Private midwifery care in the comfort of one's own home offers numerous advantages, enabling mothers to embrace the benefits of breastfeeding, gain confidence, receive unwavering support, and access consistent advice. In this blog post, we will explore the transformative impact of private midwifery care, emphasising the importance of these elements in creating a positive birthing and postpartum experience.
1. Breastfeeding Support:
Breastfeeding is not only a vital source of nutrition but also strengthens the bond between mother and baby. Private midwifery care provides personalised guidance, addressing any challenges that may arise during breastfeeding. Midwives are trained to help mothers establish a successful breastfeeding routine, ensuring the baby receives optimal nutrition and fostering a deep emotional connection. However care with an Endorsed Midwife with additional qualifications of IBCLC can further enhance this support!
2. Building Confidence:
Bringing a new life into the world can be both exhilarating and overwhelming. Private midwifery care offers personalised attention, allowing mothers to build confidence throughout their journey. Midwives provide emotional support, empowering mothers to trust their instincts and make informed decisions. This personalised care and encouragement are invaluable in promoting self-assurance during the transformative postpartum period.
3. Unwavering Support:
Private midwifery care extends beyond the confines of the hospital, providing comprehensive support in the familiar setting of home. Midwives develop a close relationship with the mother, offering continuous support during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. This support is particularly beneficial for mothers who prefer a holistic and intimate approach to childbirth, ensuring their emotional and physical needs are met. Our home visits are at least one hour long and cover all aspects of care with careful attention to your needs at each stage.
4. Consistent Advice:
Consistency is crucial when it comes to receiving advice throughout the birthing and postpartum journey. With private midwifery care, mothers can rely on a single trusted source for guidance. Midwives offer evidence-based advice on a wide range of topics, including postnatal care, nutrition, mental health support, and postpartum recovery. This consistency promotes a sense of security and eliminates conflicting information that can often lead to confusion.
Private midwifery care in the home is a remarkable choice for mothers seeking a holistic and individualised approach to care. The benefits of breastfeeding support, confidence building, unwavering support, and consistent advice contribute to a positive birthing and postpartum experience.
By embracing private midwifery care, mothers can experience the transformative power of nurturing and knowledgeable support, empowering them to embark on their journey of motherhood with confidence and grace.
We offer postpartum packages and lactation consultations within Adelaide and surrounds that attract a Medicare Rebate all within the comfort of your home. No need to miss out if you live rurally as we also offer our packages via Zoom to those families unable to access us directly. We are often able to offer an appointment or two whilst you are in Adelaide (if birthing here) and then pick up once you are home via Zoom.
See our website for all offerings and book accordingly. Our services can also included full antenatal and postnatal care with birth in your chosen hospital.
Hypnobirthing: Science-backed relaxation for positive birth outcomes
/Hypnobirthing: it sounds so airy-fairy that I can almost hear the collective scoff of the Obstetric Old Boys’ Club, but more and more research is amassing in support of self-hypnosis for a calm, empowering birth experience, requiring little or no medical intervention. Studies have connected Hypnobirthing practices with shortened labour, reduced pain and discomfort, and lower rates of caesarean section, gas, and epidural.[i][ii] Possibly the best part about Hypnobirthing is that the power to achieve these outcomes is entirely in your hands, taking the power away from health professionals and putting YOU at the centre of your birth – calm, in control, and fully aware of how your body is working for you and your baby in each stage of labour.
But what is Hypnobirthing exactly, and how does it achieve the kind of unicorn birth that many women envision? Hypnobirthing is based on the premise that women can use the power of the mind to work with the natural flows and rhythms of their labouring bodies, trusting their bodies to function as nature intended, rather than fearing the unknown and the potential for pain. It does this by educating women and their birthing partners about the stages of labour and what the body does at each stage; as well as self-hypnosis techniques, like breathwork, to manage fear, stress, and pain; and the ways in which birth companions can support the birthing woman. Women’s satisfaction with labour increases when they have low levels of fear and pain[iii]; receiving care that aids in their relaxation reduces fear and aids positive birth outcomes.[iv] Hypnobirthing will give you confidence that the peaceful, drug-free birth you hope for isn’t so mythical.
Hypnobirthing is usually delivered in-person, across four, three-hour sessions, with a registered practitioner, with online options also available. You and your birth companion will learn the theory that informs Hypnobirthing, including how your hormones assist the process of labour and birth, the role of fear and stress in your perception of pain, and the power of your mind in overcoming fear. Together, you’ll practice self-hypnosis techniques, such as meditation, acupressure, massage, and deep breathing so that these practices are second nature by the time you go into labour. The ideal time to complete your Hypnobirthing course is when you are between 20 and 30 weeks pregnant, to help you feel at ease about your baby’s birth and give you ample time to hone your new skills. But if you’re late to the party, you will absolutely benefit from learning about Hypnobirthing, even very late in pregnancy.
To understand why Hypnobirthing achieves such positive outcomes, it is useful to first look at the consequences of common birth interventions and the environment in a hospital birthing unit, and how these impede the natural processes occurring within mum’s body to facilitate a healthy birth. Normal term, spontaneous labour and birth is the culmination of a complex dance of hormonal processes, signifying the physical readiness of baby to be born and mum’s physical readiness to birth. While there is a normal, gradual rise in maternal stress hormones during labour, which should peak towards the end to aid baby’s expulsion, excess fear, anxiety, or pain throughout labour, and associated surges in stress hormones, can result in decreased frequency or intensity of contractions.[v]
One stark example of this is the tendency for labour to stall once the labouring woman arrives at hospital, as she adjusts to her new surroundings. What is comfortable and familiar to health staff might be the birthing woman’s fluorescently-lit hellscape, equipped with intimidating medical apparatus and domineering birth attendants, who encourage her to labour on her back, withhold food, and time-keep her labour to a rigid schedule. If labour fails to progress in accordance with standardised modelling, a cascade of interventions is sometimes introduced, including overzealous electronic fetal monitoring, artificial membrane rupture, and the administration of syntocinon, to intensify contractions.
Contrast the above scenario with Hypnobirthing’s emphasis on dim lighting, soft music, positive affirmations, aromatherapy, visualisations, massage, breathwork, freedom of movement, and limited intervention, pending a clear medical need, and it’s not difficult to see how a comfortable, relaxing, and empowering environment might help the birthing woman manage fear, stress, and pain, even in situations where some level of medical intervention is needed.
Despite growing awareness of the impact of natural birthing methods, like Hypnobirthing, and more parents desiring a peaceful, unhurried, and unimpeded birth experience, medicalised birth persists. Australia’s caesarean section rate is exorbitantly high at around 34% of births, despite the World Health Organisation advice that 10-15% is an ideal caesarean rate. Inductions are commonplace, with a trend towards scheduling them well ahead of women’s estimated due date. Many women are told that they will need to be induced or schedule a caesarean if they have not gone into labour by their due date, despite the fact that an estimated due date is just that – a guess – and a healthy pregnancy should be allowed to progress to 40 weeks and 10 days.
When elective induction is chosen, with no medical basis, this correlates with an increased need for pain relief, epidural anaesthesia, instrumental delivery, and caesarean delivery for mum, and possible low birthweight, shoulder dystocia, neonatal resuscitation, and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit for baby.[vi] Syntocinon, which is given to chemically induce or speed up labour, can intensify contractions and labour pain quite suddenly, and limit your ability to manage pain through Hypnobirthing.
Choosing a supportive birth attendant is vital. Asking the right questions of your midwife or obstetrician from your first meeting will ensure you have a true partner in the birth you desire and deserve: do they embrace Hypnobirthing and natural birth? What are their thoughts on induction? What is their caesarean rate? What will they recommend if you haven’t gone into spontaneous labour by 40 weeks? What interventions do they routinely use during labour? Are they supportive of limited birth interventions? Will they welcome and respect your birth plan? Do they have any leave booked around your estimated due date? Are they happy for you to labour and birth in any position that feels comfortable? Are they happy for you to labour in water or spend time outside of the birthing suite? Do the hospitals where they practice welcome Hypnobirthing methods? Ask for their stats. It’s a good idea to vet the hospital you wish to birth at, too, and make sure their birthing suites are compatible with your birth plan.
We offer Hypnobirthing classes in the South of Adelaide for couples seeking education. For the highest quality Hypnobirthing education, be sure to visit the Hypnobirthing Australia ™️ website[VR1] , where you’ll see my face on the certified practitioners page. Here, you can search for a practitioner in your area, or sign up for an online course. I wish you all the very best for a safe, calm, and empowering birth.
To book into a Hypnobirthing & Childbirth Education class in Adelaide - book here
Megan x
[i] Phillips-Moore, J 2013, ‘Birthing outcomes from an Australian HypnoBirthing programme’, British Journal of Midwifery, vol. 20, no. 8, pp. 41-42.
[ii] Swencionis, H, Rendell, S, L, Dolce, K, Massry, S, & Mongan, M. 2012, ‘Outcomes of HypnoBirthing’, Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 120-139.
[iii] Khresheh, R 2010, ‘Support in the first stage of labour from a female relative: The first step in improving the quality of maternity services’ Midwifery, vol. 26, no. 6, e21. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.midw.2008.11.03
[iv] Hodnett, E, D, Gates, S, Hofmeyr, G, J, & Sakala, C. 2013, ‘Continuous support for women during childbirth’, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, vol. 7, pp. 1-20. https:// doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub5
[v] Alehagen, S, Wijma, B, Lundberg, U & Wijma, K 2005, ‘Fear, pain and stress hormones during childbirth’, Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, vol. 26, pp. 153-165.
[vi] Goer, H, Leslie, M, S & Romano, A 2007, ‘The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services: Evidence basis for the ten steps of mother-friendly care: Step 6: Does not routinely employ practices, procedures unsupported by scientific evidence’, Journal of Perinatal Education, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 32S-64S.
[VR1]Add link to blog: https://hypnobirthingaustralia.com.au/directory/
Confessions of a maxed-out mama!
/What you can do to make those early weeks and months easier on yourself as a new mum?
When I was pregnant with my first child, I envisioned my baby sleeping twelve hours a night, breastfeeding like a champ, and slotting easily into a life of part-time study and brunch dates with the girls. I know, ridiculous right? But I’d never heard otherwise. I became a mum before most of my friends and, according to my own mum, I’d been the most easy-going babe on the block.
But my reality was the marked opposite of my mum’s experience and the fairy stories I’d told myself. My son screamed bloody murder after every feed, due to dairy intolerance, wind and a gnarly case of not-so-silent reflux. Rarely did he leave my arms.
Even short trips in the car were riddled with anxiety and tears (mine and his!). I adored the endless cuddles, but I was maxed out, physically and mentally. Bub’s colicky cries had me in a constant state of fear – nervous and panicked that a barking dog or door knocker would wake the light-sleeping angel I’d just spent two hours rocking to get to that state.
I was afraid to shower, were he to wake crying and I wouldn’t be there. I was afraid to leave the house with him, lest I feel judgemental stares burn into my soul, should I be unable to settle my screaming baby.
I became incredibly isolated. Friends stopped calling because I wouldn’t venture out of my hermit cave to spend time with them. Family miffed I wasn’t all smiles when they rocked up to suit themselves and cut into the precious little time that my touched out, exhausted and anxious self wasn’t rocking a crying babe and agonising over what might be wrong.
Throw in a case of mastitis, oral thrush in bub, breastfeeding challenges and recovery from birth-related health complications and I honestly don’t know how I made it out of those harrowing early months.
Yes, friends, motherhood can be a mothereffer.
Despite the immeasurable joy, unshakeable love, and heart-swelling pride – all the many wonderful things you hear about motherhood that make it such a worthy and rewarding endeavour – I have been at my tipping point more times than I care to recall.
And while the sleepless nights and relentless cries have long been replaced by school runs and sibling squabbles, adrenal fatigue and social anxiousness persist – tattooed on my DNA from a time that I lived in constant fight or flight mode, subsisted on toast, and shut myself off from the world.
Motherhood is a mammoth task and it’s not uncommon for new mums to have trouble finding their feet. Around 1 in 7 Aussie mums experience postnatal depression, and postnatal anxiety is just as common, with some mums experiencing both.
The chances of developing postnatal depression and anxiety are heightened by a history of anxiety/depression, a family history or mental illness, a difficult or complex pregnancy, a premature or unwell baby, birth trauma, sleep deprivation, feeding/settling issues, pre-existing physical illness, ongoing stress, and limited support.
While it’s certainly not the case that every new mum will struggle, early motherhood is a period of momentous physical and lifestyle change, and a steep learning curve. It pays to arm yourself with a support system, well in advance of your babe’s birth.
It was through a wonderful lactation consultant, copious research and finding my village in a small Facebook group of likeminded, knowledgeable mums that I was able to get the better of our feeding and digestion issues, sonny and I started sleeping better and I was able to conquer my postnatal funk, enough so that I was ready for round two once my son turned one.
There are so many wonderful supports popping up, which recognise that modern mums need their village now, more than ever. Villagehood, in Adelaide’s west, provides fun fitness, art and cooking classes for mums in a relaxed, non-judgmental setting, with an onsite creche for children aged six months and over. The Golden Month provides a mix of in-home acupuncture and massage, nutrient-dense home delivered meals and make-at-home meal bases and lactation treats. And private midwives, lactation consultants and postnatal doulas are becoming more widely available, who can visit you in your home to help care for you and baby and answer the million and one questions that every new mother has.
Community is everything
For more than ten thousand years, we humans lived in a tight-knit village setting. A sisterhood of female relatives and friends rallied around the new mother, providing care, nourishing meals, and some respite from the demands of early motherhood. But in modern times, our sisterhood has disbanded.
It’s not that we don’t have women in our lives who care about us, it’s that they most often don’t live in the same suburb, our mothers are working until later in life, thanks to a skyrocketing cost of living, and our sisters and friends are doing the work/motherhood juggle and contending with limited support themselves.
Human connection is soul medicine. If you don’t have a circle of support nearby, get connecting. I can’t express enough how important it is to link up with mums of young children, particularly those who share your values and parenting style. They will be a wealth of support and knowledge as you navigate raising a teeny human.
Early on in your pregnancy, look up mothers’ groups in your area, join Facebook parenting groups and begin putting together your pre- and postnatal support team, which might include a midwife, doula, board-certified lactation consultant, naturopath, massage or physical therapist, acupuncturist and even a darn good meal delivery service and cleaner. Ask for vouchers for these services in lieu of too many onesies and ALL the useless baby paraphernalia, like automated nappy disposal, glowing owls, and room thermometers.
Hypnotise yourself Zen
You’ve likely heard of Hypnobirthing Australia ™️, a method of achieving self-hypnosis and deep relaxation to reduce fear and pain and promote calm during labour, but HypnoMothering ™️ is a lesser-known technique which helps mums to retain a sense of peace and balance during parenting’s more trying moments.
Persistent crying, frequent night waking and a babe who just won’t sleep can all push you to your limits. It can be difficult to keep calm in these situations and the more stressed you get, the more taxing these situations feel. In just a couple of hours, a HypnoMothering ™️ provider will equip you with practical tips for fast relaxation, tapping into positive emotions and achieving deep, restful sleep, even when you’re catching an hour or two at a time. It might sound a little woo, but hypnosis is simply a safe, natural state of selective, focused attention and a handy instrument in your parenting toolkit.
Postnatal care is *just* as important as prenatal care
As expectant mothers, we’re carefully tended to by our healthcare providers for nine months; complete strangers show interest in our wellbeing. We take care to eat all the right things and take our vitamins, and then bub arrives. Suddenly, we’re adrift in a sea of nappies and spit-up, often more physically depleted than ever before and essentially left to fend for ourselves with the most important gig we’ll ever have. We feel “lucky” if our partners can afford to take their government-allotted two weeks leave at minimum wage or have some annual leave saved up to support us in our new role but, even so, the responsibility of caring for this brand-new human falls largely with mum.
Maternal depletion is no joke. Described as physical and mental deterioration caused by birth and breastfeeding, as well as the trials and stresses of motherhood, maternal depletion is characterised by extreme fatigue, hyper vigilance and constant overwhelm. I realised just how much I’d been neglecting my health when my breastmilk dried up, 18 months into feeding my second child, and my period took an additional six months to return. A blood test revealed that I was despicably low in many major nutrients that are vital to immune function and energy.
Unchecked depletion can snowball into ongoing health issues. As mums, we tend to bury ourselves in our role and deprioritise our own needs, postponing health appointments and exercise, and spending our often heavily reduced income on our little ones instead of things that we desperately need.
Commit to making yourself a priority. If you need any excuse other than you’re freakin’ worth it, your family will be happier and everything is easier when you, mama, are happy and healthy. When you’re rundown and stressed, the smallest stressors feel unbearably taxing. Invest in yourself and your motherhood journey will be *so* much smoother.
To book postnatal packages in Adelaide with us - Book Here
Hypnobirthing Australia Positive Birth Courses with Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing
/
Hypnobirthing Australia™
As a nurse, midwife and an IBCLC I feel privileged to work with women throughout their pregnancy and into the postpartum period. I am passionate about empowering women to trust their instincts so they can have the positive birth and breastfeeding experience they desire. With this in mind, I am a proud Certified Hypnobirthing Australia Practitioner and love teaching the Hypnobirthing Australia™ course.
After more than 20 years in the field of education, birth, breastfeeding and newborn support I’ve had experience with many childbirth education programs. I believe the Hypnobirthing Australia™ course is well thought-out, provides current research-based techniques and information, has amazing and empowering birth stories (in an Australian accent), and is very geared towards Australian couples and the Australian Health Care system.
I wholeheartedly believe this program works and have seen it in action! Need more evidence? You can read more here about the positive benefits of hypnosis intervention in pain management and improved birth outcomes.
What is Hypnobirthing Australia™?
Here at Adelaide Lactation Consultants and Midwifery we exclusively teach the Hypnobirthing Australia™ program. “The original Hypnobirthing Australia™ program is uniquely designed for Australian mothers and their birth companions. It is the natural approach to childbirth!
Hypnobirthing Australia™ classes prepare you with the knowledge, confidence and tools you need to birth calmly.” In short, the program can help any birthing couple prepare for their baby and is designed for either natural or caesarean births. The preparation during pregnancy ensures Hypnobirthing Australia™ couples are equipped to approach their birth and its outcome as best they can.
Is this the course for you?
It’s my belief that there are many reasons to the Hypnobirthing Australia™ program is a great fit for new families. However, if I had to narrow it down, here are my top four:
You want your birth partner to feel included and know how to support you in your labour.
This course helps prepare birthing partners to understand the physiology of childbirth, what your partner might need throughout labour and how to really help during this amazing time of change. Birthing partners are an integral part of the Hypnobirthing Australia™ philosophy.
You are worried about the pain associated with childbirth and how you will cope with this. The Hypnobirthing Australia™ course prepare women to focus on the pain as being a positive part of childbirth and giving you the tools and techniques to achieve a calm and positive birth. Preparation and practice is an important tool for birth. Visualisation, touch and breathing are some of the techniques used and all help women feel in control and calm.
You ideally want to have a low-intervention and natural birth and do not know how you are going to achieve this! The Hypnobirthing Australia™ course prepares couples for the normal events surrounding labour, unexpected changes to this plan and everything in between. By being prepared, empowered and educated you will be able to approach your birth with knowledge, which is super important. You and your partner will feel confident to ask any questions about your care pathways in partnership with your care providers.
The Hypnobirthing Australia™ course with Megan is an affordable and in-depth hands-on course. You value your transition into motherhood and want to ensure your labour and birth are a special and sacred time. There are several course options at affordable rates, you can feel confident you’ll be prepared for almost anything!
Hypnobirthing Australia™ Course details….
The Hypnobirthing Australia™ course is conducted over 12 hours and broken down into four Units. It’s recommended that you begin class between 20-30 weeks pregnant, but I’ve seen positive outcomes on many time schedules. We can also tailor a course option to suit you and your birthing partner. Here’s just a sampling of what you’ll learn in our course.
Unit 1 - Creating and Maintaining a Positive Mindset
Introduction to the positive mindset of Hypnobirthing
how our brain is wired to birth
the role of our caregivers
mind/body connection
what is self-hypnosis and how will we use it for birthing?
reprogramming the subconscious
birthing environment
Unit 2 - Our Toolkit for Birth
self-hypnosis tracks
birth music
conditioning with scent
hypnotic anchors and triggers
releasing endorphins through massage and touch
acupressure techniques for pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding
visualisation for pregnancy, labour and birthing
surge breathing - the best tool ever!
breathing tools
instant relaxation techniques
Unit 3 - Preparation & Choices for Empowered Birthing
Bonding with baby
birth preferences - having open communication with your caregivers
knowledge is power - common interventions and procedures
birth partner as advocate
inductions - things you’re not always told
achieving a natural start to labour
self-hypnosis, meditation and deep relaxation techniques
Unit 4 - Birth- Bringing it all Together
what to expect in the weeks and days leading up to birth
signs that labour is starting
what to expect through labour
when to call the midwife/go to the hospital
accidental home/car birth - what to do!
birth partner’s role
using water during labour and birth
upright positioning, movement and birth positions
Special circumstances (including caesarean birth)
cord clamping and placenta delivery
undisturbed bonding and breastfeeding time - skin to skin
Self-Hypnosis - rehearsal for birth
a practice routine - preparation for birth
Book a course with me today to help you prepare for the birth you want. Birth can be amazing and empowering - not scary and overwhelming. I would love to work with you and your birth partner during this precious and amazing time. If you want to book an Adelaide in person or live online zoom course with me - Book Here.
How to survive your first weeks with a newborn!
/The thought of taking a baby home for the first time is terrifying for most parents. I mean lets be realistic the idea that YOU are responsible for all everything that child needs to survive is so daunting. But rest assured with a few simple tips you will be a confident and capable parent before you know it!
A mothers intuition beats a text book, Facebook and GOOGLE. You might be new to parenting, but trust those mothering instincts and let your instincts and baby guide you. New parents are much more relaxed when they do not compare their baby to what the books say. Baby’s are so individual and will vary hugely in what is still considered normal variations.
There will be minimal time to prepare gourmet meals in the first two weeks. Well lets be honest the first 2 months. Lots of preparation before baby arrives to make casseroles, soups, curries, pasta sauces that nourish you from within will be invaluable. Use the grandparent’s amazing cooking abilities and willingness to help you and stock your freezer up. Get take out (occasionally) and make things easy for you. I even have families I see use services such as Marley Spoon, Lite N Easy and others to take the guess work out of cooking and meal times. Friends and family can bring ready meals or snacks when they visit.
You will forget how good sleep is! Expect chunks of 1-2 hours at a time (and yes this is NORMAL). It is hard to adjust to broken sleep, but nobody decides to have a baby to sleep a whole night through :) Maybe for the morning nap time, have quick shower (this should be your daily goal) and breakfast, then for other naps during the day - jump into bed too. The old adage to sleep when baby is sleeping is imperative and the only way to cope. Even simply being horizontal will rejuvenate you somewhat. Safe co-sleeping is a great way to get more shut eye and can mean you may have a more settled baby. Partners can change and settle baby after feeds, so mums can get a bit of extra sleep.
Don’t forget your partner will be tired and adjusting to new parenthood also. They will need some time away and nourishment too. Be kind to each other, you are each other’s supports during this time. A sneaky kiss on the cheek, hug or praise can go a long way for your relationship.
You will be a hormonal, sweaty mess. This too is normal and expected within the first 2 weeks. If you feel it is continuing beyond that time - then seek help sooner rather than later. There are some amazing perinatal mental health support workers in the community that can help. See your GP first. You will need lots tissues and chocolate.
Breastfeeding sucks at times. You will feel like all you do all day and night is breastfeed, express, top up, burp……. repeat. Cracked and bleeding nipples are variations on normal - but seek help early if you cannot achieve a painless and damage free latch. IBCLC’s are highly skilled professionals who can provide up to date - evidence based guidance to help you succeed. There is help out there, you just need to search. Medicare rebates and private health funds often will cover some of the consultation fee too. Breastfeeding around the clock is necessary within the first 6-12 weeks to fully establish feeding. Do not miss a feed for your partner to give a bottle - this WILL negatively affect your supply. Hold off on the introduction of bottles and missing feeds for at least 6-12 weeks to avoid messing with nature. Partner’s can support mums in many other ways while breastfeeding. They aren’t missing out - there is plenty of time for bottles/feeds when baby is older.
Yellow, runny, slippery, messy poonami’s are normal! Do not Google poo pictures as you will never eat pumpkins soup, peanut butter or Christmas pudding custard again! Breastfed baby poo’s do not smell, they have a sweet aroma to them. Formula makes poo’s firmer consistency and smelly. Babies often struggle with wind and passing bowel actions, but will get there eventually. They may need some help by rubbing their belly, warm baths, cycling legs and other poo relieving actions! Most breastfed babies will have regular bowel actions within the first few weeks - most nappies in fact especially if they are getting an adequate intake. As long as your baby is alert, feeding and putting on weight - all is ok. Obviously there are variations on yellow poo’s such as blood, green and smelly which can be something to be alerted to.
Babies cry… sometimes a lot. It does not necessarily mean something is wrong - just that they cannot communicate in any other way. Hold, rock, pat, shoosh, feed, walk, bath, massage or sing to them to see if that helps. Often each day at some time (generally later in the day/evening) babies will cry for an extended period. This can be hard to deal with especially when tensions are already frayed. It is often referred to as the witching hours and can be emotionally draining. Hang in there it will pass.
Accept help from your network - whatever that looks like. Many families are blessed with supportive families who live close by, others will rely on their friend and each other to get through this tough time. There are support groups in the community that can be a life saver for many isolated families such as the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Find your village and lean on them.
If you have had a difficult birth or a c-section - keep up with regular pain relief and anti-inflammatories to help you recover. Ice pack to your vaginal stitches if you have them, will help reduce the swelling. Drink lots of water, eat lots of fibre rich foods and fruit and veges to eliminate any constipation.
Finally, do not worry about the tidiness of your house! That can wait.
Please seek help if you feel you are not coping, have unanswered questions or need support. IBCLC’s are attuned to new parents and supporting you through this time. Enjoy this precious bundle - it goes so quickly and remember to laugh regularly. At each other, the baby and in general. Also remember why you chose to have a baby in the first place!
If you would like to book an in-home lactation consultation in Adelaide - Book here.
Antenatal Expressing
/A common question I get asked by mums-to-be is "How will I know I have enough milk for my baby?" In most circumstances, Lactogenesis II and III (milk coming in and ongoing production) happen seamlessly, but for a rare few - milk supply does not come in as it is meant to.
In these cases, antenatal preparation in the form of education, expressing and storage of breastmilk during the pregnancy (from 36 weeks) may of been beneficial for those women. The recently published DAME study in the LANCET 2017, indicated a benefit to those women particularly with gestational diabetes, but also dairy/food intolerances, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), maternal breast surgery, known cleft lip and/or palate and other conditions that may indicate the possibility of early feeding problems such as kidney or heart issues.
Knowing what is right for you and when/how to express should be done under the guidance of an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). There are some instances where antenatal expressing is not recommended, therefore a thorough history and education should be part of your care.
Make an appointment today with Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing to discuss your breastfeeding plan. Antenatal preparation is vital for long term breastfeeding success. We offer antenatal breastfeeding education in -person (Adelaide) and online options which both will include information about expression and storage of breastmilk. BOOK HERE.
Low milk supply
/Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing
Most mothers produce enough milk for their babies. Your milk supply is considered low when there is not enough breast milk being produced to meet your baby’s growth needs.
Many mothers worry about their milk supply, especially in the early stages of breastfeeding. In fact, women who have stopped breastfeeding will most commonly say it was because they ‘didn't have enough milk.’ However, most mothers do produce enough milk for their babies. Often the reason for ceasing breastfeeding is lack of support or knowledge about what is considered normal and expectations surrounding breastfeeding. The support of close family and friends is important to guarantee success. Sometimes well meaning relatives make mums doubt their abilities unnecessarily.
If the breast milk supply is genuinely low it is usually a temporary solution and can be improved with appropriate support from a Lactation Consultant.
There are some common reasons why women may think their milk supply is low:
My baby feeds often, sometimes every 2 hours
Babies naturally feed frequently (between 8-12 times in 24 hours), and in the early postnatal period babies can be very unsettled as they try to figure life out.
My breasts always feel soft
When your milk supply adjusts to your baby’s needs your breasts may not feel as full (generally this is 6-12 weeks after birth). As long as your baby continues to feed well, your breasts will produce enough milk.
My baby has started to feed more frequently
Your baby may want to feed more frequently during ‘growth spurts’ or ‘wonder weeks,’ but this increase in feeds over a few days/week will increase your overall supply and meet baby’s requirements for growth.
My baby feeds for a short time
This is no cause for concern as long as your baby is happy and continues to grow. After two or three months your baby becomes more efficient at feeding therefore will take less time at the breast.
Signs your baby is getting enough milk:
After the first week following birth, your baby should:
Wake and demand for feeds by themselves
Have at least 6-8 soaked nappies (4-5 heavy disposables) in 24 hours
Settled between most feeds
Pass soft yellow stools at least once per day
Your baby should be back to birth weight around 2 weeks of age and gaining approximately 150grams per week for the first 3 months of their life. Growth can slow after this time.
Possible causes of low milk supply
Your baby is not attaching well at the breast. This may also cause nipple pain and damage.
Your baby does not feed often enough
Your baby does not feed effectively at the breast
You have recently had mastitis or have been unwell
Baby may have an issue with their mouth/tongue e.g. thrush, tongue, lip ties
Your are taking oral contraceptive pills containing oestrogen
You have started using formula (for even one feed) as well as breastfeeding.
You have had breast surgery that is effecting your milk supply e.g. breast reduction/augmentation
You may have some medical conditions that can affect the amount of milk you produce (occurs in less than 5% of mothers) such as Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, Thyroid disorders
You smoke
Some medications can effect supply including herbal and over the counter preparations
How to increase your milk supply
There are many ways to increase you milk supply. This may take some time and it is important that you seek advice and support from an experienced lactation consultant who can guide and encourage you.
Talk to Adelaide Lactation Consultants & Midwifery about strategies to manage feeding and expressing while you are increasing your supply. Often it can take about 1 hour to feed and express. Then you and your baby can rest between feeds. Your partner or support person can settle baby, while you express so you do not feel overwhelmed.
BOOK NOW for Adelaide-based lactation consultations.
If I could tell a new mum a few simple things to remember.....
/You can legally refuse anything. Vaginal exams, induction, c-section. It's your right to refuse, ask for more information, ask for a compromise on your providers care..... negotiate a mutually agreeable solution. The medical/midwifery team all have one common goal... to ensure a safe birth for you and a well baby. Simple.
Birthing while laying on your back narrows the pelvic diameter, it also means you are pushing uphill making it more difficult and thus lengthening labour. Most women find this position can be more painful. Try squatting, standing, onto all fours, kneeling, these positions all have gravity on their side.
Labour is hard..... very hard. Research has proven that drugs used in labour can slow labour down, increase the need for medical intervention and impact breastfeeding outcomes. Try to adapt a positive mindset to ensure you can get through labour. Surround yourself with a birthing support network who are all on the same page. Don't have your friend or sister there if they are going to push you to have an epidural (because they had one), if you do not want one. This will erode your willpower and make you second guess your choices/preferences. Remember.... it is one day..... and it is hard work!
The midwives are there to help you. They will discuss your birth choices and negotiate with you accordingly. You are the boss! But do remember that midwives also work within a medical model of midwifery, where the doctor and hospital protocols are what govern decisions/choices. If you are well researched and discuss with the medical team your wishes, a mutually agreeable care plan will be negotiated.
Cutting the umbilical cord before it has ceased pulsating means your baby can lose up to 1/3 of their blood volume! This is routine practice in most delivery suites, however discuss this with your midwife/obstetrician. It can also be done at C-section.
Skin to Skin following birth for at least one hour is very important. Ringing/texting people can wait until after this special time. You never get these precious minutes back again and some babies find their own way to the breast and attach themselves!
Delay weighing and bathing the baby after birth. The special sticky white vernix over most babies acts as a moisturiser and antibacterial. Baby is used to smelling this fluid and it is familiar to them. If baby is placed directly skin to skin following birth, the vernix is around the breast... again offering a familiar scent for baby. Think Hansel and Grettel and the crumbs!
Doctors, nurses and midwives often get minimal breastfeeding education. There is very little, if any, in a medical degree. Some hospitals are BFHI accredited and therefore all staff dealing with babies are to have 20hrs of breastfeeding education. If you are not getting the answers you need to support you to breastfeed, such as tongue ties, thrush, weight gain, positioning and attachment issues, seek further advice or ask to make an appointment with a Lactation Consultant. You know your baby and you know what is working and what isn't. If you are experiencing a concern, always talk to a International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) or breastfeeding counsellor.
If you do need a c-section, it does not mean you cannot have a natural birth next time. Your obstetrician will discuss with you their recommendations for future pregnancies and what is safest for you. A healthy mum and healthy baby should be what matters most.
Download my guide to prepare for your upcoming birth here
