Elna's Preggy and Baby Centre

25/11/2025

Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) – holding your baby skin-to-skin – is a game-changer, especially for preemies. KMC helps stabilize baby's heartbeat and breathing, regulates temperature, and stimulates your milk-making hormones! It's the ultimate bonding moment and supply booster rolled into one. Ask your SACLC or NICU team about safe KMC practices. ✨

11/10/2025

Sometimes, all it takes to make breastfeeding more comfortable and effective is a small change in position. There's no single "right" way to do it—what works for you and your baby is what matters most. Experiment with these different positions and see which ones feel best!

28/09/2025

🥦 If solids are offered before your baby is ready, mealtimes can turn messy and frustrating. Babies often push food right back out with their tongue until that natural reflex fades.

Waiting until your baby shows signs of readiness helps them become an active participant at the table. This way, your baby learns to follow their own fullness cues and to explore new tastes at their own pace. 💚

Signs of readiness include being about six months old, able to sit without support, no longer pushing food out with the tongue, and beginning to pick things up between fingers and thumb.

✨ Remember, your milk remains the most important food until your baby’s first birthday. Solids at this age are mainly about fun, learning, and discovery.

👉 Read the full article here: https://llli.org/breastfeeding-info/starting-solids/

24/09/2025

🌷 Breastfeeding doesn’t have to be perfect—it’s about progress, love, and connection. Small steps and gentle guidance can make all the difference.

19/09/2025

For many parents, breastfeeding feels like an essential part of welcoming their baby into the world. It’s a way to nourish, to comfort, and to bond in the most intimate of ways. But what if you haven’t given birth to your baby — perhaps because you’ve grown your family through surrogacy or adoption — and you still long to breastfeed?

The good news is: it’s possible. With the right support, guidance, and preparation, many non-gestational parents can breastfeed their babies through a process known as induced lactation. At SACLC, we often work with parents who have walked this path, and we know just how deeply meaningful it can be. Read about this topic on our blog...

01/08/2025

01/08/2025

Tomorrow, 1st August, is the start of World Breastfeeding Week.

The slogan for 2025 is "Prioritise Breastfeeding. Create sustainable support systems."

In South Africa, as in many countries around the world, the initiation of breastfeeding rate is relatively high, but sadly rates of exclusive breastfeeding drop dramatically over the first 6 months.

Clearly more support is needed to sustain breastfeeding for longer.

info@milkmatters.org
082 895 8004

19/05/2025

🧬The Science of Breast Milk Adapting to Baby’s Needs
Did you know that breast milk composition changes in response to environmental conditions, including temperature and your baby’s health status? A fascinating study published in Cell (2021) demonstrated that breast milk contains microRNAs and live immune cells that shift based on a baby’s illness or exposure.
This means during winter—when viruses and bacteria are more prevalent—your body may naturally tweak milk composition to offer extra protection. That’s nature’s way of supporting your baby’s evolving needs, no matter the season.

07/05/2025

Winter Immunity Boost: Breast Milk’s Natural Protection
Winter often brings a rise in colds, flu, and respiratory infections. Fortunately, breast milk is tailor-made to help your baby fight off infections. Rich in immunoglobulins—especially IgA, which lines the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract—breast milk acts like a personalized immune shield. A 2020 review in Nutrients confirms that human milk contains active antiviral properties and enhances the infant’s immature immune system.
Breastfeeding in winter doesn’t just nourish—it protects. Babies who are breastfed have fewer respiratory infections, shorter illness durations, and reduced need for hospitalization. If you're feeling under the weather yourself, your body produces specific antibodies that pass through your milk to your baby. It's not just okay to keep breastfeeding when you're sick—it's actually one of the best things you can do.

19/04/2025

Vibrant, passionate HCW - rigorous course to become a certified lactation consultant ! To pass we need 70% a 3 hour exam, other practical and theoretical knowledge . We love helping dyads pre and post partum! Your CLC must be updated ask about their CPDs