The Breast Room

09/12/2025

Here's a wee reminder about the safety of covering prams and buggies in hot weather:

Spring is here and the weather is slowly starting to warm up, even though there is sometimes still a bit of a chill wind. Already there are quite a few people out walking with their baby in a pram or buggy, many with a blanket over the hood to protec...

08/12/2025

Kia ora!
We are open as usual this week on Thursday at Te Whānau Arohanui, 137 Victoria Rd, St Clair.

Come in for a cuppa and a chat, and have any of your feeding or babycare concerns answered.

Your friendly faces this week are Denise, Sheryl and Tessah.

Arrive anytime between *1030am and 1145am* so we can see you before we close.
Partners, family and friends are very welcome come with you.

08/12/2025

Thank you for supporting us! We really appreciate it!

06/12/2025

🎄 Win $1,000 for Your Community Group with Reillys Towage&Salvage!🎄

Do you know a community group or charity that could use an extra $1,000 this Christmas? Whether it's a cause close to your heart or your own group, we want to help spread some holiday cheer!

Nominate your community group by commenting below!

What happens next?
✨ Four groups will make it to Week 2.
✨ Then, it’s up to the More FM listeners to vote for their favourite!

It’s the Spirit of Christmas with Reilly’s Towage and Salvage - in an emergency you can rely on Reilly’s.

04/12/2025

Today is International Volunteer Day and we want to celebrate the amazing volunteers at The Breast Room in Dunedin.

They regularly give their time free of charge to help families in our community with their feeding and parenting questions. Aren't they the best?

If you feel like leaving a message for one of our brilliant volunteers, just comment below.

01/12/2025

Kia ora!
We are open as usual this week on Thursday at Te Whānau Arohanui, 137 Victoria Rd, St Clair.

Come in for a cuppa and a chat, and have any of your feeding or babycare concerns answered.

Your friendly faces this week are Denise, Carrie and Sam.

Arrive anytime between *1030am and 1145am* so we can see you before we close.
Partners, family and friends are very welcome come with you.

29/11/2025

Hey everyone, just wanting to give you all a heads up really.

We're pretty maxed out as we head to the holiday season, so we're going to find it tricky to fit in home visits or birth debriefing sessions (with Denise) betwen now and the new year.

We'll do our best as always, but please be kind if we can't meet all the needs every time.

29/11/2025

It's definitely getting into that crazy time into the holidays!

Our last drop-in clinic will be 18 December, we will then re-open on 15 January.

During the holidays, messages will be checked EVERY day. You have a variety of ways to contact us, all detailed in the image below.

27/11/2025

It's HOT!!! How are you all coping?

*Does your breastfed baby need water in hot weather?*

No - breastfed babies don't need additional feeds of water in any weather. Babies get all the hydration they need from breastmilk, providing they are able to feed as often as they want to, for as long as they want to. Make sure your baby is latched well at the breast and they will get all they need. Once your baby starts eating solid foods, then you will probably want to offer a small cup of water with the meal, but this is more for fun and learning than actual hydration.�

So, why don't babies need extra water if they are breastfed? Breastmilk is around 88% water. In addition it contains very few solutes, which means that a young baby’s kidneys do not need extra fluids to flush any solutes through their system. �

The amount of water available to a baby in breastmilk, even in very hot, dry climates exceeds a baby's water requirements.�

Breastmilk is also nutrition for the baby, so if the baby fills up on water then not only does he or she not get the calories and nutrition required, they are likely to miss the breastfeed they would normally have.
�
A baby's stomach is small and it doesn't take much to fill it. If a baby drinks water rather than breastfeeding, this can quickly lead to a drop in milk production in the mother - especially in the early weeks. Water and implements used to feed a baby, are also a means of introducing bugs and germs into a baby's digestive system, leading to illness. Bottled waters can also be dangerous and may contain too high levels of various minerals, including sodium.�

Babies who are fed artificial baby milk, may need small quantities of water if dehydration is a concern. Advice on the suitability of water in each country should be sought from medical professionals.�

So, in hotter weather than usual, or on visits to hot countries, you may find your baby feeds more often, and may take more frequent, shorter feeds for a few days while both they, you and your milk adapt to the difference. You may find that relatives and well-meaning friends encourage you to give your baby water - perhaps because that's what they did - but you can rest assured you don't need to. �
�
Breastmilk is everything your baby needs for the first six months of life, and is then the only other fluid required (aside from water) for at least the first year of his or her life - maybe longer. Breastmilk will also help protect your baby from many illnesses, including gastrointestinal bugs.�

For more information about the composition of breastmilk, have a look here:

https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/resources/breastmilk-composition-whats-human-milk

26/11/2025

A message from Plunket, Dunedin.

Need some low-cost second-hand clothing for your Pre-Schooler? Then come to the Plunket Hub this Friday, and Fill-A-Bag or two! 👕👗👚🥿
Some pregnancy clothing is also available.
Yes, there will be space for pushchairs.
Donation clothing can be dropped off to Tina at the Plunket Hub before Friday or bring it along on the day.

26/11/2025

Breast milk production is driven by one core principle. Milk must be removed for milk to be made. Your body does NOT produce based on time or assumption. It produces based on what is taken. When milk is emptied regularly the body gets a clear message that more is needed and increases production. When milk stays in the breast the body interprets that as a lower demand and begins to slow down supply.

Milk removal can happen through direct nursing or pumping. The method is less important than the effectiveness. A deep latch from a baby who transfers milk well or a properly fitted pump fl**ge all support good removal. When milk is not being transferred fully the body never receives the strong signal to refill the milk making cells.

Breasts are not storage containers that fill on a schedule. They are part of a supply chain that is *constantly* adjusting. The more often milk is moved out the more active the supply becomes. This is why cluster feeding sudden increases in feeding frequency and growth spurts are normal. Babies naturally increase removal to boost production. It is a built in system that allows supply to match needs during rapid development.

Long stretches without removal skipped feedings and consistently full breasts can cause supply to dip because milk sitting in the breast releases a protein that slows milk production. This is the body’s way of preventing overproduction when demand appears low. It is not a failure. It is a biological response. On the other hand frequent effective removal tells the body that milk is needed around the clock. This repetition strengthens supply over days not minutes which is why consistency matters more than a single feeding. Supply is maintained by patterns not by one session.

Pumping mothers are part of the same system. Regular pumping that mimics the frequency of a newborn helps maintain supply because it removes milk often. Skipping pumps or using fl**ges that are too big or too small can reduce milk transfer and therefore reduce the signal to produce.

Milk supply is responsive adaptable and designed to follow the needs of the baby. When milk out stays steady milk made stays steady. When demand rises supply rises. When removal slows supply slows.

The body is always listening.
Every effective feeding is communication.

💕

26/11/2025

Are you pregnant and thinking about breastfeeding? Come along to our free antenatal breastfeeding class and learn all about how breastfeeding works, common problems and how to deal with them, positions for feeding, getting a comfortable latch, how your partner and family can help, how your labour and birth impacts feeding and more! To book or find out more email breastfeedingclass@thebreastroom.org or scan the QR code.