Bloemfontein Breastfeeding&beyond

06/02/2026

06/02/2026

When Should You See a Lactation Consultant?
Breastfeeding is natural — but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Many parents wait until they’re exhausted or overwhelmed before asking for help, when in reality, seeing a lactation consultant early can make a world of difference.
Here are some common situations where extra support can really help.
1. In the Early Days After Birth
The first few days and weeks are a critical time for establishing breastfeeding. A lactation consultant can help with:
Latch and positioning
Understanding milk supply and normal newborn feeding patterns
Sore ni***es or breast discomfort
Building confidence in those early feeds
Early support can prevent small issues from becoming bigger challenges.
2. If Feeding Is Painful
Breastfeeding should not be painful. Ongoing pain, cracked ni***es, or damage are signs that something isn’t quite right. A lactation consultant can assess:
Baby’s latch and oral function
Positioning and feeding technique
Possible tongue or lip restrictions
Addressing pain early helps protect both your comfort and your milk supply.
3. Concerns About Baby’s Intake or Weight Gain
If you’re worried that your baby isn’t getting enough milk, a lactation consultant can:
Weigh your baby
Observe a full feed
Assess milk transfer
Help you understand wet nappies, stools, and feeding cues
Reassurance — or timely intervention — can ease a lot of anxiety.
4. Low Milk Supply or Oversupply
Whether you feel you don’t have enough milk or you’re struggling with engorgement and oversupply, support can help you:
Protect and build milk supply
Manage engorgement and blocked ducts
Create a feeding or expressing plan that works for your body and lifestyle
5. Pumping, Expressing or Returning to Work
Many parents need guidance with:
Choosing and using a breast pump
Hand expression
Milk storage and handling
Balancing breastfeeding, expressing, and work
A lactation consultant can help you create a realistic, sustainable plan.
6. Special Situations
Extra support is especially helpful if:
Your baby was premature or had a difficult birth
There was a NICU stay
You’ve had a caesarean section
You’re breastfeeding twins or multiples
You’ve had previous breastfeeding challenges
7. Even If Things “Seem Fine”
You don’t need to be in crisis to see a lactation consultant. Many parents book a visit simply to:
Check that feeding is going well
Gain confidence
Ask questions
Receive reassurance
Sometimes knowing you’re on the right track is support enough.
You Don’t Have to Struggle Alone
Breastfeeding support is not a sign of failure — it’s a form of care. A lactation consultant offers evidence-based guidance, practical help, and reassurance during one of the most vulnerable seasons of parenthood.
If you’re unsure whether you need support, that alone is a good enough reason to reach out.
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06/02/2026

06/02/2026

Estherea's Baby Clinic offers several services, including the well-baby visit (aka weigh-and-measure visit), immunisation, breastfeeding consultations, and home visits.
The first six weeks after birth can be grueling, both physically and emotionally, for new mothers and babies. Weekly weigh-and-measure visits during this time help to ease some of the anxiety commonly associated with this period.
During this visit, the infant will undergo a nutrition, growth, and development assessment. and the mother will be screened for symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety.
Based on these assessments, health problems in either the baby or mother are identified in a timely manner. Quick intervention, management, and/or referral of these problems lead to better outcomes for both mother and child.
Immunisation visits are similar to the well-baby visits described above, with the addition of administering vaccines as prescribed by your chosen physician.
All of Estherea's midwives are qualified breastfeeding consultants, and all of us have breastfed our own children. These consultations are usually longer than the average well-baby visit and are tailored to the specific situation that is causing breastfeeding difficulties.
Home visits include a well-baby visit and a postnatal examination of the mother in the comfort of your own home.
At Estherea Baby Clinic, we want to help you and your baby thrive during this new season of your lives.

02/02/2026

💗 Estherea Antenatal Workshops - Important update:
To better support you and your partner during this important season, our antenatal workshop has been gently restructured. Instead of one full-day workshop, the content is now offered over two relaxed Saturday mornings, creating more space for learning, reflection, meaningful discussion, and rest.
🌸 Saturday 28 Feb: Birth Preparation & Labour
Explore the birth process, practical preparation for labour, comfort measures and pain management, partner support, and how to make informed (not fear-based) decisions.
🌸 Saturday 7 March: Postnatal Care & Breastfeeding
A focus on recovery after birth, newborn care, breastfeeding support, and settling into life with your baby.
By splitting the workshop, information can be absorbed more gently, questions can unfold naturally, and families leave feeling grounded, confident, and supported.
✨ Special booking offer:
When you book and pay for both Saturday workshops together, a discounted total fee of R1 500 applies.
Led by trusted midwives, these workshops are designed to help you move from feeling unsure to feeling calm and confident, while connecting with others on the same journey.
💻 Book your spot here: https://forms.gle/4hZoHYQ3fRYshzPC7
📞 Questions? Call 083 728 7103 or email info@estherea.co.za
☕ Light refreshments included.
We can’t wait to welcome you to Estherea 🏡✨

19/01/2026

🌼 Mom & Baby Support Group, starting this Thursday! 🌼
All moms are warmly invited to join our Mom & Baby Group, a gentle, supportive space where you can learn, share, and connect during the early months with your baby 💛
🗓 Thursdays | 09:00 – 11:00
📅 22 January – 12 March 2026
💰 Cost: R50 per class
Each week we explore topics that matter to you as a mom, guided by caring and experienced professionals:
✨ Weekly Topics:
• 22 Jan: Breastfeeding & Postpartum Hormones
• 29 Jan: Head to Toe Baby Care
• 05 Feb: Play, Led by Play Therapist – Sinead v Niekerk
• 12 Feb: Reflux & Crying
• 19 Feb: Share Your Birth Story
• 26 Feb: Baby Safety – Sr Carlie Theron (CPR Instructor)
• 05 March: Introduction to Solid Foods
• 12 March: Returning to Work as a Mom
Whether you’re a first-time mom or growing your family, this group is a safe place to ask questions, gain confidence, and build friendships 🌸
📩 Please message Sr Barbara to book your spot & add you to the WhatsApp group - 083 785 5248
We would love to welcome you 💕

19/08/2025

Your baby needs all the care and attention you can give.
Trust your maternal instinct. – that inner voice that tells you to comfort your baby when he cries.
Newborn babies cannot self-regulate. They are bombarded with smells, noise, touch, being bathed etc. Their sensory integration is not fully developed. By responding to your babies needs you help them to learn how to trust and calm themselves.
Newborn babies are too young to purposefully manipulate or annoy you.
Crying is their only way to communicate their needs, whether it is for hunger, thirst being lonely, cold, need a dry diaper, or a little cuddling with Mom or Dad.
When you respond quickly to your baby, you're building his sense of self-worth.
You're also establishing a foundation of trust that can last for years to come.
If you give your baby prompt attention, he'll feel more secure and less anxious, giving him the courage to explore the world on his own.
Once your baby understands that you take his cries seriously, he'll be less likely to cry for no reason.
In the long run, responding quickly to your baby's needs will make him less clingy and demanding.
By the time your baby is 6 to 8 months old, he'll be paying close attention to cause and effect – noticing, for instance, that his bowl falls when he drops it from the highchair.
He'll also start to see a direct link between his actions and your responses. At this point it's okay to set some limits.
If your baby starts crying to get something he doesn't need, hold your ground and give him a hug when he calms down. Similarly, give hugs and praise for good behavior and gently redirect him when he's doing something hazardous.
The right blend of love and guidance will eventually help your child understand his place in the world.
But for now, your focus should be on giving him as much attention and comfort as you can. No matter how much you give, it's not more than he needs.

19/08/2025

How to increase breast milk supply:
Wake the sleepy baby (especially if baby is jaundiced or premature) for feeds. Make sure baby feeds at least 8-10 times a day.
a. Switch nursing: feed on both sides
• Start feeding on one breast and if baby falls asleep or stops sucking switch to the second breast and again to the first one.
• Frequent emptying of the breast will stimulate the milk supply as well as switching will help the sleepy baby to be more wakeful and take in more milk.
b. Empty and drain the breasts well after feeds.
• Too full breasts that are not drained frequently can cause the feedback inhibitory system to slow down milk synthesis and reduce the supply.
c. Hand express or use a pump to drain the breasts well after every feed even if only small Monitor for swallowing and active feeding.
• Infants can spend a long time on the breast doing non-nutritive sucking and not removing any milk. They fall asleep and it can be confused with good feeding.
• Watch out for signs of active Nutritive sucking and deep jaw movements and signs of swallowing.
• The breast would feel softer after a feed if the baby fed well.
d. Breast compressions:
• Compressing the breast when baby is sucking but not drinking will help to increase the supply and help to continue the milk flow when baby is only sucking. It will stimulate the let-down reflex and encourage baby to feed
• Breast compressions are helpful if your baby is lethargic or jaundiced or has a low muscle tone and uncoordinated SSB cycles (premature infants).
e. Breast massage prior and during feeds
• Massage your breasts before and during a feed. Cup the breast with your hand and massage toward the ni**le with your thumb.
• Massage will stimulate the let-down reflex as well as increase the caloric intake of hind milk. It will also stimulate oxytocin to be released.
• amounts can be expressed

28/07/2025