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Breastfeeding
Research Update: Breastfeeding and COVID-19 Vaccination
Below is a transcript of the video research update I recorded on the 1st September 2021 and loaded to my social media channels on 2nd Sept 2021 regarding breastfeeding and vaccination against COVID-19. As per the disclaimers made in the text below, this is for information purposes only and does not replace discussions with your medical team regarding your personal vaccination choices. If you wish to clarify your understanding of the information I've provided here or ask any questions you are wel…
Postbirth Pelvic Floor Tips
If the idea of jumping on the trampoline or chasing after a bus sends shivers down your spine, it’s very likely your pelvic floor has some room for improvement.
The official stat is that 1 in 3 women who have ever had a baby wet themselves, but the figure is probably higher if we counted those women who avoid aggravating activities or just lose a little bit of wee when they laugh or cough or pick up a heavy kid when they’re busting for the loo.
Regardless of whether your baby was born last…
Things they don't tell you about motherhood #2739 (and 10 things that help)
I have never felt so angry in all my life as in the last two weeks.
I'm certainly not immune to anger, but it often passes pretty soon. Until the last fortnight, the worst bout of anger I've had in recent years was the week I spent writing my book chapter on anger (funny that).
This time though, it's been epic. I didn't have a blue with my partner, and nothing particularly awful happened, but every tool in my tool-belt has been called on to avoid throwing the child I love most in the world acr…
What's wrong, Mama?
Why breastfeeding is about way more than boobs!
Your hormone balance and mood in the early weeks relies on frequent suckling from the baby, which releases a hit of oxytocin to make you feel loved up and makes you more resilient to sleep deprivation (maternal health, science).
Babies expect to be in arms and studying your face at close range lot. They are calmed by sucking and feeling your breath pattern, and their brain is making connections about feeling safe as you feed them (infant development).
Understanding latch, mechanics and feeding on …
Why the silence around breastfeeding as pain relief for teething is a pain in itself
An insta post grabbed my eye this week: a pretty graphic titled "How to soothe your teething toddler".
With my bub struggling through I don't know how many teeth (including molars) coming at once, I was all eyes and ears.
The ideas shown suggested I should "give dummies or chew toys" and "distract with milk" with a picture of a bottle.
As I sat on the kitchen floor breastfeeding my child for the zillionth time this week, the message "your child is using you as a dummy" was loud and clear as…
Baby Blues? This is why your mood crashes on day three
Many mums experience a glistening high or adrenalin rush the first couple of days post-birth. Sometime around day three to five, they suddenly feel like they've been hit by a steamroller. Tiredness catches up with them and they can feel fragile, teary and a little lost in her new role. Mama's mood slumps, she may be irritable or have difficulty sleeping, and she can start to question herself - am I really cut out for this? Here's what is actually happening behind the scenes hormonally.
During…
When Breastfeeding Feels Never Ending
Again, already?!
Ummm yeah.
Newborn tummies are tiny and breastmilk is very easily digestible. Feeding schedules are made in response to infant formula, not boob. As much as some professionals still recommend watching the clock, this has been debunked for years.
Watch your baby, call for back up so others can do every other task on your to-do list, and get cosy on the couch for some serious cluster feeding.
Cluster feeding is frequent/non-stop feeding, which is most common in the evenings …
How to Set Boundaries On Visitors (Without Sounding Ungrateful)
When you have a baby, visitors can be a blessing or a curse. Here are some ideas on how to set boundaries around visitors during the time when your needs are just as high as your baby's. This is an area where your partner or support person is vital in enforcing your agreed rules - healing post-birth, feeding a baby and maintaining any kind of adult conversation is hard enough without having to get up the courage to tell your mother-in-law it's getting late and time to leave.
- Set up a time for…
You and me baby ain't nothing but mammals.
There’s nothing quite like a horror bushfire season and a pandemic to make me thankful for mammalian breasts (my own, to be precise). Yes the first six or eight weeks of breastfeeding my little leech were relentless, those later patches of cluster feeding were a smash, and then the teeth started coming... but right now being my child’s portable milk bar has never felt so reassuring.
Earlier in the year as fires raged across as Australia, a piece from The Conversation about what to pack in b…
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