Lactation Consultant Wollongong - Louise David

Dreaming of breastfeeding ~ 

Im dedicated to my profession, thats for sure.

I share my passion and respect for all things breastfeeding and birth with my sons daily.

Every evening we talk about our favourite and least favourite things from that day, cuddling a new babe or seeing a babe take to the breast after some difficult time often tops my list.

Last night i dreamt that the children were given a passage of writing to analyse for their homework, they had to read it and share with the class what it was about. I was proud of my boys because they were so familiar with the scene that they were almost bored with it. The rest of the class were in fits of giggles and disbelief, how sad that my boys beliefs would be challenged by their reactions.

I always have the most vivid of dreams and i remember them with great detail. I write here the passage as i see it in my dream from a print out the teacher pasted in their homework book....

"Jamie looked intently, pink flesh against bulbous white. Warmth radiating he could feel it from across the mattress. The noises were familiar, but from some time ago.

He didn't know how to name the feeling he felt or even why he did. 

He wanted to shoo the little creature out of the way and take its place.

Soon enough his mamma invited him to her embrace.

As the warm flow of love reached the depth of his stomach that little ball of angst melted away.

Jamie was home, he is happy. "Happy birthday Jamie" his mamma said. Jamie is 5 today"

My boys that inspire me xxx

Way to go dream land.... where will i go next.

Happy days,

Louise x

Boob Sandwich ~ getting that perfect latch....

There is so much focus on the baby's position when coming in to the breast, her nose position, her open mouth, tongue down etc etc. We often forget about some of the other basics.

Nearly all nipple pain is a result of a shallow latch and one of the most common reasons for the shallow latch is so so easy to fix.

This is the most common and most simple correction i make when i assist mums and babies with latching.

The mother's hand position....

Not this - Fingers are too close to nipple. Baby will not be able to latch deeply. 

1- step 1 - take handful of breast deep into the breast with your free hand.

2 - step 2 - press thumb into breast, this leads to the tilting of the breast in photo 3. The boob sandwich.

3 - the tilt of the breast in this photo is a little exaggerated but the aim is to present a large amount of breast tissue. The tilt ensures an asymmetric latch. In this position the baby's nose is towards the thumb and chin towards the fingers.

... and again but this time the hand position is for football or underarm hold.

Not this - fingers too close. This is where baby's mouth needs to be.

1 - Deep handful of breast tissue. Nose towards thumb, chin towards fingers.

2 - Thumb into breast to tilt and present breast tissue to baby. Make a boob sandwich.

3 - Move those fingers right away. This is where the chin and bottom lips need to come in.

football hold - mums view

It's simple, how can baby get enough breast tissue in his or her mouth when mums fingers are where the mouth needs to be?

Move your fingers right back, and with a few other tweaks watch baby get that deep latch every time and say goodbye to sore nipples and a fussy baby because now she can get more milk!

Why baby needs a deep latch....

Pain and comfort levels aside, if the baby is not latched deeply into the breast she has to rely very much on the vacuum component of her suck to remove the milk. If she is positioned deeply then the milk is more easily removed. 

See here the deep latch, see how being latched well is important for transferring the milk from mum to baby.

This latch is too shallow. You can even see milk in the corner of his mouth, evidence of a poor latch. If the breast is to full and firm to "sandwich" well, hand expressing to soften around the areola is very helpful.

The "Boob Sandwich" can be a helpful when older babies are teething and doing a lot of busy on/off feeding, always ensuring a nice big mouthful of breast and protecting the nipples.

I hope this has helped, especially if you're in the early days where its so normal to be all fingers and thumbs and it just feels awkward. Keep at it, before you know it you'll be breastfeeding with your eyes closed, quite literally hopefully!

look at this gorgeous latch....

Louise x

Louise David ~ Birth Photography

Wollongong Birth Photographer... 

Louise David Lactation Consultant.

Many people less appreciative of the birthing process than i ask, "why on eath would someone have a birth photrapgher present at their birth?". Our inability to comprehend each other is equal. Them, why you'd have one? and i, why you wouldn't? ...

To me, as a mother and a practicing midwife and Doula, birth is an unequivocal event in ones life. The anticipation of months of growing up and dreaming of this little life inside you is shared by your partner and loved ones by your side. To think you could fall so much in love with something you've not even laid eyes on yet.

Finally the physical and emotional preparation for the labour and the birth pay off as your innate birthing ability takes over. The lounge room, bedroom, bathroom, hospital room or operating theatre is overpoweringly taken over by emotion. Palpable raw energy of this powerful process that is going on. Finally, inevitably the baby arrives. The feelings that those witnessing would have thought couldn't get much more, explode exponentially! There are always tears... happy ones.

This is why one would want a birth photographer. 

To capture this magic. 

Im so excited to offer my service to women of the Illawarra. 

Whether your birthing at home, Wollongong hospital or out of the local area, consider inviting me to join you. For someone who respects birth and birthing women so much it would be an honour to capture you in your finest moment.

"I love to look back over my birth photos, i see a photo that captures the pain of a contraction and then a photo that captures the moment of his birth and i can relive that extraordinary explosion of feeling relief, pride and every other exquisite emotion all at the same time... I'm so happy i have my birth journey captured, it really is my finest moment"

Sarah on the photography of baby Taj's home birth

Click on the link below to see the photo montage of Hannah's labour and Eden's birth.

Edens Birth


I was so humbled to be present at and photograph the birth of my oldest friend as they welcomed their first baby to the world.  Hannah was such a goddess as she stayed strong through the relentless hours of contractions. The lack of fear and the control she possessed made me so so proud of her. She reminded me why i am a midwife, why i love birth and home birth and why i want to immortalise these moments in time by doing this.

 Wollongong Birth Photographer - 

Louise David Lactation Consultant

Take a look at my website for more of my work. You can see more photo montages and find out about birth photography prices and what i offer.

You can also find out about the other services i offer including home visit lactation consultation, breastfeeding education, Doula services and postnatal midwife services.

Don't hesitate to call or email me to find out more.

Until next time, 

Louise x

Finding your breastfeeding groove ..... how to find it sooner.

Part 2 

Apart form sore nipples weeks down the track that are usually easily turned into normal nipples with a simple adjustment here and there, the other common reason holding mums back from finding peace within their breastfeeding experience is the doubt that their baby is getting enough because of how frequently baby feeds. Once it is clear to mum the reason baby feeds so often and mum embraces the frequent feedings mum can then embrace breastfeeding with peace.

Why do babies feed often?

In the early days (days 0-3) they are getting hungry. Baby is waiting for mums milk to come in.  Baby isn’t trying to bring mums milk in, baby doesn’t know its not there yet, all baby knows is that the breast is the source of food and after 48hours or so some babies are getting quite the appetite and the small volumes of colostrum aren’t quite cutting it any more. This is normal, baby does not need any formula to top her up, she simply needs access to the breast, the milk will come in and baby will soon be sated. It really is patience on mums behalf and an understanding that baby isn’t starving; the colostrum she’s getting is nourishing her plenty even if she’s adamant she wants more.

Breastmilk is a complete food, baby uses up every last bit of milk, and there is very little waste product. Breastmilk is largely water and is digested very readily. 

Babies regulate their own intake. Unlike bottle feeding where for example 150ml is taken in on time, every time. A baby feeding at the breast will take in a different amount every time. What she takes in is dependent on her appetite, when she last fed, how sleepy, how warm or cold she is, among many other factors. How much she takes will then directly affect when she feeds next. Little feed, little sleep. Big feed, big sleep. In theory J

Breastfeeding is so much more than just food. Do you only eat breakfast, lunch and dinner? All your baby needs is access to the breast and she will tell you how much and how often she wants it. It might feel like a lot. Its not a lot though, when you consider that’s what your baby needs to grow and thrive and be content because she’s not just hungry, she’s thirsty, she’s cold, she's tired, she’s lonely.... she’s smart.

 

Baby Louie at the boob.

Louie is slung in mums arms, he is grizzly after a car ride to the park.
He boobs.
He breaths, he drinks, he sleeps.
He lets go the boob, he's warm and full.
Brother comes bounding.
He wakes with a start,
Hes ok.
He looks all around, he's cold.
He cries.
He boobs.
He coughs and splutters, he goes back in for for more.
He's done.
He gets passed around.
He doesn't like that much.
Back to mum.
He boobs.
He's not happy, he fusses, he farts.
 He doesn't want to be put down so brother can be tended to.
He gets mum back.
 He gets the other boob.
He breathes, he drinks, he sleeps.

baby louie 6 weeks

Finding your breastfeeding groove....... and how to find it sooner! (The myth of the magic 6 week mark)

Part 1 ~

I remember as a midwife, before I had children, I used to teach mums that there was nothing to worry about if they were having breastfeeding difficulties in the early weeks, not to worry because it will all magically get better as soon as the baby turned 6 weeks old.

Then I had my twins, they were 9 weeks premature so by the 6-week mark they were only just beginning to really feed from the breast. Ok so 6 weeks corrected age must mean it will all be sorted… Still no. The nurses that visit my home tell me “oh it’s because there’s two of them, it will all be good by 12 weeks”. 12 weeks?!?! That’s 3 months of sore nipples, annoying nipple shields, managing with low supply and medications and herbs to boost such supply. And two babies feeding on and off around the clock. I was struggling.

The question to continue and persevere or wave my arms in surrender tormented me, mostly during the long lonely days when everyone else was at work. The family and friends that were a steady flow of traffic in the early days had pretty much disappeared, after the exciting arrival of the twins their lives all returned to normal, mine didn’t, I was trying to come to terms with what my life now was. By now I had postnatal depression, somehow I knew that for me to give up breastfeeding would have made me spiral down worse. I pushed through, the following months were a struggle and a bit of a blur but I do remember a very gradual feeling of things slowly looking up.

I remember when the boys started eating foods at around 6 months I felt the pressure ease a lot. With the load lifted off me a little I was able to come off the herbs. At 8mths old someone said to me “Geez, they’re nearly 1 are you going to stop breastfeeding soon?” STOP? I only just got the hang of it!

My twins at 8 months, breastfeeding was finally a breeze. 

So for my first babies, all be them twins I hit my breastfeeding groove at 8mths of age. My third baby, 5 years later, I was shocked to find that at 10 days of age I found my self with really sore cracked and grazed nipples. I reminded myself how diligent I had to be with attachment, soon enough I hit my groove. I was on day 12.

The breastfeeding groove is simply defined as when breastfeeding becomes easy. When breastfeeding goes from taking a lot of time and effort, to just happening with out even thinking about it. When it goes from a lot of painstaking agonizing about whether it’s the right thing to do, to keep going. To it becoming a quiet peace in your mind, you realize you haven’t thought about it for a while now, it feels right.

As you can see, from my story alone, reaching that peace, the breastfeeding groove, takes time. The amount of time is different for everyone. And different for each baby. When I think about what slowed me from reaching my groove sooner I identified two main things, these were also common in all the women I see in my practice. The two things that I believe will impact how soon you reach your breastfeeding grove are understanding what normal breastfeeding should feel like and what breastfeeding babies behave like. (The latter will be discussed in part 2)

“Your nipples might be sore, but breastfeeding shouldn’t HURT you.” After sifting through and tossing out a lot of “what breastfeeding should feel like” quotes I decided on this one of my own. Words like Breastfeeding should be 100% pleasant and comfortable and pain free can be wrong on so many levels.

Nipples that have never been sucked on before, or not sucked on in a while (be it years, months or weeks) will become quite tender from all the sucking. They might be extra sensitive if you brush past them, you may need to protect them in the shower as the water streams can feel like needles.

Nipples can be sore when the baby first latches but as the breastfeed continues breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt. When the baby first latches, you have newly sucked on sensitive nipples adjusting from being warm and soft and safe inside a bra to firm and erect and stretched down to the soft palate of the baby’s mouth. Tender, yes, toe curling even, but it’s normal, its not causing damage so its not HURTING you. This whole process might take 10 or 20 even 30 seconds. After the nipple reaches the soft palate and baby sucks rhythmically any pain should disappear. If the pain continues then the latch is not right, it is no longer normal; the feed will HURT you because the pain is signifying there is damage occurring.

What do I do if pain is continuing throughout a feed? Seek help. Someone well trained in breastfeeding support should be able to identify the source of pain and work with you and baby to find strategies to help resolve the pain so that breastfeeding no longer hurts and damage is no longer occurring. The source of pain may be easy to identify, simply a positioning issue perhaps. It could much more difficult to pick up, something like a posterior tongue-tie or an oddly shaped palate could be the culprit.

Don’t let anyone tell you that your baby’s latch at the breast looks good so it must be ok. It might be textbook picture perfect as far as your midwife/nurse is concerned. Big wide mouth, flanged out lips etc. if you are experiencing pain throughout the duration of the feed you need a thorough feed assessment to ascertain the source of pain. (And visa versa, you could be told the latch looks terrible but if you are pain free and comfortable and you observe baby taking in milk it can look as crap as you like.) 

Rhys' latch here on around day 7 was really uncomfortable. Initial latch was 

very painful and a dull pinching pain continued through out the feed. To look 

at it nearly "ticks all the boxes" of a good latch. When i put my LC hat on and

adjusted a few things, the comfort levels were much improved, and from there 

my nipples were able to heal and got better from here on in.

Adjustments made here to improve this attachment: Rhys had to be lifted higher 

across my other breast and turned in more tummy on tummy. Bringing him in

 closer so his chin is compressing the breast and allowing him to latch deeper

 into the breast. His top lip often had difficulty turning out. I was able to flip it out

 with my finger, allowing him then to draw the nipple back a little further.

  By releasing this latch and retrying for a better one, a better, more asymmetrical

(more of the breast on the chin side in than the nose side) was achieved, making 

it much more comfortable on the nipple.

Basically the point i am trying to get across is if you can be knowledgeable as to what correct attachment should feel like and what a damaging latch would feel like you have all the tools you need to have breastfeeding bliss from the very start of your journey. To wait until 6 weeks ticks by, waiting for something to magically change is silly and unnecessary. As soon as you assume something is not right, seek help. With the correct help you can have all the difficulty turned around and you'll be cruising in your groove before you know it.

Good luck on your breastfeeding journey.

Louise.

Part 2 will cover - normal newborn behaviour and how understanding it can help you reach your breastfeeding peace sooner.

Breastfeeding, the choice....

Thanks be to you, a few mammas dear, for clarity in my head that is so so welcome. I wish for all mothers to be able to smile honestly at every other mother, not judge, enough with the judging….

My dear friend told me, after watching me with my baby that if she were ever to have another baby she would do so many things differently to what she had done with her first two. Music to my ears; I too, after meeting and observing so many natural mums along the way, was parenting my third baby so differently than my first. I was relishing in the delights of baby wearing, co sleeping and breastfeeding. To have my dear friend validate how good these things must be for mum and baby felt like a baby step towards the opening of the eyes of all mums to the goodness and wonder that is attachment parenting (for lack of a better term). Then a bombshell as she continued… “But… I still wouldn’t breastfeed”.

photo from: http://newsanchormom.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/breastfeeding-controversy.html

What followed for me wasn’t shock horror, disappointment or despair for this unborn hypothetical baby. It was understanding. A light bulb moment that finally allowed me to get my head around something that had only caused me mental torment until this moment.

The insight that came was that not all women want to breastfeed. That like all things from preconception till our babies are well grown, we have choices. But do women really know that to breastfeed your baby is to make a choice?

Breastfeeding is thrust upon women in prenatal classes and as early in hospital as booking in. Women are almost scared to say they so if they don’t want to breastfeed. Hence unenthusiastically they initiate breastfeeding but at the first opportunity they see as an out they take it. Cracked nipples, milk slow to come in, anything. If women only had the courage to really investigate how they feel about the feeding options available to them; and we as health professionals made it more clear that there are options; that it simply isn’t breast or bottle. There are a variety of feeding options that include breastfeed, pump exclusively, donated breastmilk, mixed feeding (breastmilk and formula), formula. When expectant couples are aware of the options it begins to become clearer that a real decision has to be made, it is not just as simple as turning to formula by default.

It is when these options have had little consideration and breastfeeding begins to hurt or baby is feeding a lot AND all night that the mother who doesn’t particularly care for breastfeeding, lets it go. Not realising she had just made a choice, its very easy for her to say, oh breastfeeding just didn’t work for me, breastfeeding is too painful, I didn’t have enough milk to keep my baby happy. This kind of language can be very detrimental to breastfeeding. This language puts breastfeeding up on an unachievable pedestal. But worse, it undermines the very mothers who choose not to breastfeed, it is an entry way for guilt. Mum feels guilty because breastfeeding didn’t work for her, for what ever reason mother inserts here. Why can’t it be ok for these mothers to say I choose not to breastfeed because it is not what is best for me and my baby at this time. Its not only ok, it’s very important.

In our society where the biological normal feeding method isn’t the culturally normal feeding method a woman has to want to breastfeed for it to work, if deep down, even subconsciously she doesn’t want to breast feed it will eventually fall apart. Probably sooner rather than later. My evidence for this is in my practice and circle of friends even, women who have done everything and anything to hang on to their fragile breastfeeding relationship. I’m talking pumping, complementary feeding, herbs, medications, home visit after home visit, supply lines, donated milk, the works. Until one day the time comes when they can hold their head high and say, you know what, I really wanted this, I tried my absolute best and I’m damn proud of what we’ve been through and achieved. My point is if you really want it you can make it happen to the best of your ability.

Using a lactation aid - photo from

http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/induced_lactation/lact_aid.shtml

Standing up and making the choice not to breastfeed doesn’t make that mother anti breastfeeding, conversely it is acknowledging the value of breastfeeding and breastmilk and the importance of protecting and promoting it in spite of her own decision not to choose it for her and her baby.

The aim of this is to remove the guilt and pressure associated with feeding choices. The formula feeding mum so often refers to her feelings of guilt over the decision to not breastfeed and the breastfeeding mother so often struggles with trying not to make the formula feeding mother feel bad. We are all responsible for our own feelings so if it is guilt that the mother who chooses to formula feed is feeling; when another mother breastfeeds by her at the shops for example; it comes from no body but her self. If this mother can own her decision to feed her baby the way she has chosen, she has every right to hold her head as high, just as high as the breastfeeding mother does. The only person you have to answer to is your self. If you can’t hold your head high, if guilt is weighing you down then it’s going to take time to assess why. Does it come down to not making a truly informed decision about your feeding options? Did you explore all your options and choose what was best for you? If the guilt is truly crippling, is relactation an option? or do deal with it, come to terms and educate your self better for next time?

We need to stop judging and comparing, I often hear from breastfeeding supporters that they feel sorry for tiny babies when they see them being fed a bottle of what is assumed to be formula. That type of thinking is as harmful to mums and babies as asking the breastfeeding mother to cover up is. We don’t know what their story is, or what’s in the bottle even, maybe its donated breastmilk and the baby is adopted. We only know our own story. The only thing ever that we should think when we see another mum and baby is “oh what a beautiful baby. I’m sure that mum has her baby’s best interests at heart. I know she is only doing her best that she can do today and every day”

Till next time

Louise

xxx

Baby Led Weaning Fun!

In my last post i touched on the subject of baby led weaning. As my BLW journey progresses i thought id share a clip of some of our experiences so far. Rhys is 6mths old next week and following his lead a few weeks ago i let him venture into the world of food. It started with a few sneaky tastes from mums plate to now Rhys being offered family foods when ever we eat.

I thought at first he was so keen and would be eating lots before too long, i think now he understands that this food stuff is quite readily available and he can take it or leave it. He knows he has to hold all his food himself and i think sometimes he just doesn't care to.

He's eating little bits here and there, i can tell as his poos have changed a little. Some days will go by when he doesn't want to eat other foods. His milk intake is unchanged, although as he is getting older he is a fair bit more content to go a few hours without milk.

So i sum up baby lead weaning as a gentle approach to the introduction of family foods, it is baby led in that the baby controls the amount of food taken. Its main focus is food as a learning experience, viewing food as fun until at least twelve months while milk is the main source of nutrition. I love that it protects breastfeeding as the breastfed baby regulates it own appetite, the solids baby is taking are not seen as a meal as such. It's very relaxed in that there is little or no preparation, baby eats what the family eats. 

It is messy! There's no denying that it is messy, i keep telling the inner clean freak in me to "let go and embrace the mess."  When i do, i relax and its just fun.

I hope you enjoy the little clip i have here of Rhys.

Louise :)