Mums Express

04/03/2026

Did you know that your breast milk is deliciously sweet because of lactose, a naturally occurring sugar? Lactose is the main carbohydrate in breast milk, ideally suited to meet the high-energy demands of your baby's rapidly growing brain. It supports your baby's developing immune system and aids in the absorption of calcium, iron and zinc. Breast milk is simply amazing!

28/02/2026

Breastfeeding before and during vaccinations can be an effective form of pain relief for babies. Check out this short video produced in Canada under the direction of Prof Denise Harrison, an Australian neonatal nurse, to show how this can be done!

Vaccination Time: How to reduce crying and pain during babies' immunizations!Be Sweet to BabiesResearch shows - for infants less than 12 months of age:1. Bre...

21/02/2026

If you would appreciate some insights into your baby’s biological need for closeness, and the incredible changes in a mothers brain, get in quick and sign up for this FREE live one hour webinar on 21 March.
Pip at Birth Savvy Bub Savvy is a fantastic resource, I know this will be excellent 💗

20/02/2026

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common pregnancy complication, putting women at higher risk of Type 2 diabetes within 7-10 years of birth.
Breastfeeding plays an important role in preventing diabetes. Did you know that for every month that a woman produces milk, her risk of diabetes reduces? Especially important for women with GDM! If you would like support in preparing for a great start to breastfeeding and a plan for those early weeks, please reach out.

20/02/2026

So true! In those early weeks and months breastfeeding throughout the day and night is so normal.
Before birth babies get continuous nutrition from the placenta…after birth they are dependent on frequent breastfeeds to fuel that rapidly developing brain!

"I really wish that all new mothers were told that the majority of newborns want to breastfeed much more frequently than every few hours. And many even want to stay latched on, suckling for extended periods of time. This can understandably shake a new mother’s confidence and make her second guess if she’s producing enough milk to keep her nursling satisfied. Women are usually just told that their baby should nurse ‘every 2-3 hours’, but frequent (and lengthy) nursing is a totally normal thing for newborns to do! It helps keep them close to mama while regulating her milk supply.
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Often babies won’t have these longer stretches between feeds until they’re a little older. Even then, there are several things that could make them want to nurse more, including (but not limited to) teething, sickness, unfamiliar surroundings, or feeling tired. I can’t imagine how miserable it would be to have a fussy baby in your arms but feel like you shouldn’t breastfeed again because it’s “not time yet”.
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This isn’t discussed often enough and new mothers need to be reassured. If baby is gaining weight, then there’s absolutely nothing wrong with breastfeeding more often than what you’ve been told is ‘normal’. The postpartum period is all about surrendering, so cozy up with your babe and forget the clock."

-Words by Oh Baby Nutrition

19/02/2026

We love the work of Canadian human milk researcher Prof Meghan Azad! Check out her clip explaining how incredible your breast milk is in protecting your baby!!!

10/02/2026

Transitioning from pumping to fully breastfeeding can be a tricky time. There are some key things to keep in mind during this time
- a baby will feed according to appetite, sucking and pausing and even sleeping during a feed. this means that unlike a pump, the baby will not remove most of the milk from both breasts at each feed - and that is okay and normal
- if your breasts are used to having most of the milk removed every few hours, they can become overfull and even uncomfortable as the milk ducts are stretched over longer periods of time. Be sure to check your breasts after each breastfeed, and if they feel quite full or lumpy go ahead and offer another breastfeed, or do a quick pump so they are soft and comfortable
- it may feel like you are breastfeeding ALL the time! Young babies can feed 8-14 x day so lots of snacks amongst the bigger breastfeeding 'meals' is completely normal (and not forever!)
- sometimes having overfull breasts over an extended time can result in breast inflammation or even mastitis. First aid for sore breasts includes
- applying ice packs (a bag of frozen peas is great!)
- taking regular anti-inflammatory medicine and paracetamol
- continue breastfeeding to soften the breasts
- if you feel unwell, or if your breast is very painful please see your doctor as you may need treatment with antibiotics (that are safe for the breastfed baby)
This transition period from pumping to full breastfeeding can take a week or two. In the meantime monitor your breasts and baby's nappy output, and please reach out for our support if you feel stuck

09/02/2026

Are you feeling not quite yourself after having a baby? Check out this article that describes the massive physiological changes that come with postpartum …and share with your partner.
If you are having more bad days than good, or troubles with falling asleep please do talk to your family doctor.

The postpartum phase is not a mood shift, an emotional dip, or a “rough couple of weeks”. It is the single greatest hormonal crash in the human lifespan, a biological event so extreme that if it happened to anyone outside of childbirth, it would be treated as a medical crisis, not a personality change. Within just 72 hours estrogen and progesterone collapse more than 1,000% (meaning they fall to 1/10th of their level), dropping from the highest levels a human will ever experience to nearly zero. And, women endure this while healing from birth, producing milk around the clock, and surviving some of the worst sleep deprivation ever documented.

This crash doesn’t just affect mood, it impacts cognition, physical functioning, emotional regulation, and stress tolerance. Brain imaging shows that postpartum mothers temporarily shift into survival mode: heightened threat awareness, reduced cognitive bandwidth, and amplified emotional load - not because they’re overreacting, but because their brain is actively rewiring itself to protect a newborn who cannot survive without them.

At the same time, the body is rerouting nutrients, pulling minerals from the bones, healing tissues, stabilizing organs, and producing milk that costs 400-700 calories a day, and yet society expects mothers to “feel like themselves” within 6 weeks — a timeline completed disconnected from biology.

Postpartum isn’t weakness, it’s physiology under maximum load. If we truly want to support new mothers, we must start acknowledging the science: healing requires time, nourishment, help, support, and protection from overwhelm. When we honor the mother’s recovery, we strengthen the child she is raising, and that is how generational health begins.

SOURCES:
Schiller et al, Nature Neuroscience (2016): Hormonal shifts postpartum and brain remodeling.
Glynn, psychoneuroendocrinology (2010-2014): Postpartum hormonal crash and cognitive effects.
Buck Walter et al., Journal of Neuroscience (1999-2011): Postpartum brain structural changes and emotional regulation

31/01/2026

MYTH BUSTER: You shouldn't try to lose weight while breastfeeding.
Women are often told that reducing their dietary intake will result in a reduced milk supply. When done carefully this just isn't true. A study conducted here in Perth showed that when breastfeeding mums changed to a low-fat, low-sugar diet with a caloric intake of 1700kcal/day, they lost body fat and maintained their milk production and milk quality.
For more information read the (free access) article in the link below. If you have special dietary needs, reach out to Tanya at Tanya@mumsexpress.com.au
doi.org/10.3390/nu13061892

25/01/2026

BABY WEIGHT GAINS
Your baby's total milk volume intake is the main factor that influences weight gain. Breastfeeding according to your baby's appetite (with frequent feeding in the first few months) will help you to continue producing what your baby needs.
Babies typically gain 150-200g/week in the first 3 months, and then 100-150g from 3 - 6 months. There is a wide range of normal with some variation from week to week. Temporary slower weight gains can occur when a baby has an illness or infection.
If you have questions about your baby's growth and your milk production, reach out to us for an individualised assessment and consultation, available online or at your home.
🌼Steph 0434 587 355
🌻 Rebekka 0419 909 068

24/01/2026

Did you know that breastfed babies don't need to empty the breast at every feed? Babies have an appetite that changes across the day, just like adults. Sometimes a breastfed baby wants a quick snack, sometimes dinner and dessert, and other times going back and forth to the buffet for lots of little feeds (think cluster feeding). Feeding 8 - 14 x day, and sometimes as much as 18 times, is completely normal and allows a baby to stay in charge of their own appetite control.

18/01/2026

Visiting the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Adelaide Botanic Garden’s Bicentennial Conservatory I was captivated by this beautiful image titled “A tranquil moment” by .art.by.vinod

Winning the “behaviour:mammals” category, Vinod perfectly captured that beautiful moment between a macaque baby and his mother that we recognise in our own human babies when they drift off to sleep in the safety of mum’s arms after a breastfeed! Those tranquil moments are priceless, don’t you think?