Mary Ryan Lactation & Infant Support

12/11/2023

07/11/2023

https://honey.nine.com.au/parenting/lactation-consultants-not-recognised-under-medicare/08fac976-2549-4c0c-bf5c-3b23f6bcaf38
Good article

'I was at my breaking point: Service mums are crying out for excluded from MedicareBy Victoria Owens| 5 days agoWe're starting to see the effects of the largest investment in Medicare in 40 years.But while millions of Australians are now benefiting from easier access to bulk billing with their GPs,....

11/08/2023

Often when helping women in their breastfeeding journey I ask them about the support and education they may have received in pregnancy- often the answer is around a dedicated 30 minutes in the birthing education classes, or none at all. Think about it, your labour and birth lasts maybe a few days at most, yet when wanting to breast feed a year or more, hardly any training goes into it.
Contact an IBCLC to help you prepare for your life in breastfeeding 💜🤍💜

16/07/2023

Your baby’s sense of smell is incredibly strong. When they are born they use this sense to help guide them towards the breast. Studies show when provided with scents of their mother vs a control, they predominantly responded to their mothers scent with mouthing (the action babies make when wanting to breastfeed). One of the ways to help your breastfeeding along- is to not wear any strong scents at all (whether perfume, deodorant or essential oils) as this can confuse your baby and interfere with the process. The more natural smells and odours coming from you, the better 💜🤍 As an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and Registered Midwife- I NEVER wear scents to work. Natural smells for your baby is best 💜🤍💜

I’m a passionate International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) based in Echuca

12/07/2023

Often when formula is given, it is in the first few days in hospital. CAVEAT- this post is in NO WAY a sledge on the wonderful, exhausted mothers who give formula. It is a look into why care givers who had breastfeeding in mind wind up with formula in their journey when it was not always necessary.
Reasons for unnecessary formula given in hospitals I have found include the following: 1) baby was unsettled 2) just gave baby a small top up 3) a way for dad to bond with baby 4) to know "for sure" how much baby is getting 5) to give until the milk comes in 6) to help my baby sleep longer...there are many reasons given. If a person decides to formula feed, just because they want to and have all the information that is fine & their decision; however, when people give formula simply because they don't know what to expect, aren't informed on what is normal newborn behaviour or are offered this option by hospital staff who you figure would be education in that respect, that is not always the case. It is normal & expected in the first few days for babies to feed frequently, at all times of the day or night. This frequent feeding is for multiple reasons: because when they're born, their stomach is about the size of a cherry, capable of holding 5-7ml of colostrum. In order for this milk to transition to mature milk in larger quantities, the breasts need frequent stimulation and draining to help boost the supply. If this isn't happening (ie- if a baby is given formula instead) then the process that would normally happen to bring in your milk is being interrupted, and baby's stomach is being stretched in the process & microbiome disrupted. If your baby is suffering from excessive weight loss (HIGHER than 10% weight loss, without appropriate amounts expressed breastmilk [EBM] available to supplement baby with) or jaundice or low blood sugar (all in the absence of adequate EBM) these are potential reasons for supplementing with formula or donor breastmilk. However, my goal is for people to be educated on normal newborn infant behaviours so that unnecessary supplementation doesn't occur when a woman's goal is to exclusively breast feed.
Education & information is best
-Mary

26/06/2023

I have a few thoughts on these statistics... firstly, these stats certainly show that the intention is there to breastfeed, in most women. HOWEVER obviously along the way, people change their plans through one way or another- but my guess is: lack of support and lack of education. Does our society make it easy for women to breastfeed?? Your first thought might be, yeh 20 weeks paid maternity leave (at minimum wage), then you've got full time jobs, rising cost of living, lack of physical spaces specifically for breastfeeding (not bathrooms or breakrooms with no privacy) limited capacity to duck out to feed your baby.
Next problem: LACK. OF. EDUCATION. We need to normalise breastfeeding as much as possible. Give women the support they need in the home to access breastfeeding services (starting with putting IBCLC's on Medicare) As we know breastfeeding reduces future rates of obesity, asthma, cancer, diabetes, respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal issues. So it not only makes sense in an immediate way of supporting these women, but in the future there would likely be less pressure on the healthcare system. If we can give women and their families more education on the benefits of breastfeeding that unfortunately you just can't get from formula, imagine the healthcare system years from now...

24/06/2023

A topic I’m passionate about. There is lack of support and education in this area in my opinion 💜🤍💜

18/06/2023

As babies get older, they’re much more likely to start getting distracted at the breast. They’re starting to discover the world around them, and can’t quite seem to sit still whilst feeding, though still wanting it.
Tips include feeding in a dark, quiet room, no other people (or siblings) around, hug your baby close to your body. You may find it helps to sway or move about yourself to help satisfy their desire to be “moving” about. It can be frustrating, but it does pass. Keep going mummas.

14/06/2023

At the beginning of your breast feeding journey, it can be exhausting and hard work. However when it works out it can be so rewarding. In those early days, even later on, skin to skin is such a wonderful thing you can do for your baby AND yourself… it’s boosts oxytocin levels, regulates baby temperature, blood sugar levels and breathing. It is the way your baby finds the ni**le in those early days… so be sure that when you begin, put them skin to skin 💜🤍💜