Catherine Grinbergs Lactation Consultant

14/11/2024

Pregnancy loss can lead you to grieve for not only the pregnancy but also your sense of self and your hopes for the future as a mother or father of that child.

Although the baby may no longer be physically present, you may still feel a continued bond and attachment. Even if the pregnancy ended very early, the sense of bonding can still be strong.

Following miscarriage, you may experience a rollercoaster of emotions such as numbness, disbelief, anger, guilt, sadness, depression, anxiety, confusion and difficulty concentrating. In addition, the process also often requires a mind shift, as you may already have started planning (consciously or unconsciously) your future life with your baby.

The time taken to come to terms with a miscarriage can vary greatly from one individual to another. So, it is important to acknowledge how you are feeling and when you and your partner may be ready to try to have another baby.

For some, there may be a sense of urgency to have another baby. If this is driven by your need to recover from feelings of grief or sadness, however, you may need to consider giving yourself some time to process your loss.

While miscarriage may be common, it can be extremely distressing. There are a range of professionals and services with expertise in providing support for coping with a miscarriage. You can find a service in your area by searching under the category of perinatal loss on the eCOPE directory

03/11/2024

So many mums feel they need to put on a brave face and hide how they’re feeling.
But taking off the mask is the bravest thing you can do ❤️

Art by

28/10/2024

https://www.cprkids.com.au/2024/10/11/understanding-colic-what-it-really-means/

Discover what 'colic' really means for your baby and learn practical tips to manage excessive crying with our comprehensive guide. Understand the normal crying curve, explore the PURPLE Crying Program, and get expert advice from Dr. Howard Chilton on soothing strategies. Plus, find out when to seek....

26/10/2024

Self care can help with breastfeeding but can be hard to think about when caring for a new baby. Finding a moment can make a difference to your well being.

22/10/2024

Keep baby close. You are their world. ❤️

(📸: Carrying Matters - Dr Rosie Knowles)

20/10/2024

The Australian Breastfeeding Association is a great resource for breastfeeding questions. Information is well written, presented clearly and based on evidence based practice.

Connect online with other new parents and have your questions answered!ABA’s Newborn Virtual Village provides you with information and support in the early days and weeks after giving birth. Drop into one of our live, twice weekly sessions, whilst you're still in hospital or from the comfort of yo...

11/06/2022

Another great article from Professor Amy Brown dispelling some of the common myths around infant sleep. As always each baby and family is unique so this won't be relevant for everyone but definitely worth a read.

Here’s a round-up of the most common baby sleep myths. Frequently asked questions on baby sleep. Expert advice on baby sleep.

20/05/2022

This is a great article by Professor Amy Brown and Lyndsey Hookway on the benefits of responsive settling. Of course not all ways are right for everyone and in the end its about what is best for you and your baby.

Many baby books promote sleep-training methods that involve leaving babies to cry at night. But there are gentler ways to get a good night’s sleep.

18/09/2021

Induced lactation has challenges but is certainly possible and is another way for both mothers to be involved in feeding their baby and experience breastfeeding.

A viral photograph of a couple breastfeeding their twin babies has highlighted the process that allows a woman to nurse a child she has not carried. So how does it work?

09/09/2021

I know this is something I went through, particularly with my first child. I wish I'd had Lyndsey's resources back then. It would have helped me realise that practical support is out there. Self care is so important to new parents but it's one of the hardest things to do.

Hands up who can relate? I’m often contacted by people who know that their baby is not waking an excessive number of times, and yet it’s problematic because they themselves cannot get back to sleep easily once woken.

Or other parents tell me that they lie awake in bed, unable to drift off, because they are anxious about when their baby will wake up.

I’m not an expert in adult insomnia or sleep problems, so I strongly urge you to seek support from your doctor if you are really struggling. Sometimes these problems are caused by anxiety or depression, and even improving sleep won’t necessarily help if these conditions are underlying. There IS help available – please keep asking.

But I’m certainly happy to share some self-care tips, and simple sleep hygiene ideas that your doctor will probably want to know you’ve tried first.
· Have a predictable bedtime routine (even if it’s just 5 minutes of reading)
· Try to only go to bed when you’re actually tired. Lying in bed awake can create an association of wakefulness with your sleep space which isn’t helpful. If you’re wide awake, lie down somewhere else to rest – like the sofa, or the grass!
· Remove clocks from your room at night – you’ll only obsess over how much time asleep you have left otherwise
· Eat well, drink plenty of water, and exercise every day
· Limit caffeine and alcohol in the hours before sleep
· Try a soothing cup of peppermint or camomile tea and a warm bath before bed
· Try to avoid scrolling on your phone when your baby wakes up at night (to be clear, if this relaxes you, then I’m not judging – remember this is a post primarily for folks who are really struggling to return to sleep)
· Try listening to a meditation, audiobook, guided relaxation or an affirmation

If you can relate, share your tips to help other parents… What worked for you?

04/09/2021

Hugs are so important to a child's development. You cannot spoil a child with hugs ❤️

Don't be scared of creating a 'clingy baby'!!

All mammal babies need to ‘cling’, human babies included. This normal and natural behaviour is not a bad habit, it’s not created by holding your baby too much and it is most definitely not detrimental!

Avoiding holding your baby when they need you, for fear of creating clinginess, flies in the face of thousands of years of evolution. Fighting nature because of the (non evidence-based) opinions of a few people is akin to insanity!

02/09/2021

"Waking during the night is biologically normal and healthy. Understand that your child doesn't understand the rules and just desperately needs your love." Sarah Ockwell-Smith "The Gentle Sleep Book"

The Gentle Sleep Book: Gentle, No-Tears, Sleep Solutions for Parents of Newborns to Five-Year-Olds