The Australian Breastfeeding Podcast

In this episode Melbourne Lactation Consultant Emily Brittingham (IBCLC) shares with us her experience of her sons tongue tie. She candidly explains the diagnosis, treatmentm aftercare and how she felt throughout the whole process. This episode is a must for all mums to be and new mums who are worried their baby may have a tongue tie, because there is so much that Emily explains for us! You can find Emily on instagram @melbourne_lc or www.melbournelactationconsulting.com.au

In this episode; midwife Belinda shares her 2 breastfeeding journeys with us. Belinda is readmitted to hospital with mastitis shortly after going home with her newborn. Her sons both have tongue ties and she utilised nipple shields to help her nipples heal and get baby back to the breast. Thank you Belinda - this is an uplifting, informative and wonderful listen. Susie's Breastfeeding Success Membership is now open! Head to https://susie-prout-lactation.mykajabi.com/breastfeeding-success-membership to find out more. Otherwise head on over to susie's instagram @susieproutlactation If you would like to listen to my free breastfeeding success masterclass you can find this here https://susie-prout-lactation.mykajabi.com/breastfeeding-success-masterclass-the-replay

Ok so this beautiful breastfeeding story from Tess had me in happy tears!!! Tess discusses her abundance of colostrum in pregnancy, antenatal expressing, a delay in milk coming in in that first week, to nipple shields and then the successful weaning from the shield straight to the breast! Thank you Tess! ** I am holding a free online breastfeeding success masterclass this Friday 9th April 11am Perth time, 1pm AEST (I can send you the replay if you cant make it). Here is the link to register! https://susie-prout-lactation.mykajabi.com/the-breastfeeding-success-masterclass-reg

To celebrate international women's day I decided to dedicate the next few episodes to my lovely followers. For them to record their breastfeeding journeys without me butting in and asking questions!!! This is Rebecca. Rebecca lets us in on her breastfeeding journey - from difficulty attaching to the breast, to nipple shields, to attaching without. Through severe sleep deprivation, the mother and baby unit, until now where she is continuing to breastfeed her little boy, following his lead and doing what sets her soul on fire. Its a beautiful listen.

In this episode Susie interviews paediatric dietician Dr Kyla (@dr_kyla) on starting solids. Kyla delves into how breast or bottle feeding looks once we start solids and the transition from full milk feeds to learning about solids in that first year. Kyla also lets us in on her top tips for being ready to tackle solids and the equipment you do (and don't!) need.

In the early days with a new baby we are often tearing our hair out with what us normal and what is not!!! Why is my baby crying all the time? Are they in pain, hungry, sick, allergic to something... the list goes on. The googling becomes very frequent and we really just need to hear from someone experienced and formally educated in this field!!! Deb Levy is a paediatrician. She lives in Sydney but is currently in Canada. She is also a mum of two little girls - she just GETS BABIES!!! Deb goes through the reasons baby may be unsettled. We chat feeding, reflux, silent reflux, colic, intolerances and more! You can find Deb over on instagram @drdeblevy

In this episode Susie discusses how to manage those distracted babies from about 4 months or so, who are on and off the breast, refusing breastfeeds and distracted with their surroundings when breastfeeding. These steps are bound to improve the situation! Instagram: @susieproutlactation

In this episode your host Susie Prout will explain the reasons why your breastmilk might be a different colour or consistency than usual. For more breast feeding tips and support follow Susie on instagram @susieproutlactation or www.susieproutlactation.com

In this episode I interview Bec Abraham. Bec runs the instagram account @belliesandbeyond She is a mum of 4 little girls and lives in Bondi. We discuss what the fourth trimester is REALLY like. With special emphasis on how to manage that newborn time when you also have older children to tend to. Bec honestly lets us in on her daily internal struggle of breastfeeding and what she is doing that is working for her. Bec wondered if she would breastfeed this time around but here she is taking it day by day and looking at the journey holistically. We both discuss what we would have done DIFFERENTLY in those early days with our first children....

In this episode Susie discusses the current breastfeeding education that is mainstream in Australia - and why it is failing new mums. Our breastfeeding statistics are not rising!!! Susie has created a revolutionary new program called Susie's Breastfeeding Success Program - which is coming out today, but only for a very limited time and there are limited spots! You can find out more by clicking this link https://susie-prout-lactation.mykajabi.com/susie-s-breastfeeding-success-course Otherwise Susie's instagram is @susieproutlactation email- susie@susieproutlactation.com

In this episode I had the privilege of chatting with Beth Ryan from Birth with Beth. Beth is an experienced Registered Midwife and birth educator in Melbourne and has spent many hospital shifts helping women who have just had a caesarean section learn to breastfeed. We often imagine skin to skin and those first few days of newborn bubble after a vaginal birth - however it can look quite different after a caesarean section. Beth takes a through what this will look like for you and lots of tips and tricks on succeeding with your breastfeeding journey! You can find Beth on instagram @birthwithbeth

In this episode Susie pulls apart (pun intended haha) the lactation cookie debate. If you have been wondering what all the hype is, should you buy into them, do they work - and more importantly thoughts about them from a lactation consultants point of view - then have a listen. Follow Susie on instagram @susieproutlactation

In this episode I interview Tammi. Tammi is a mum of two little girls, having breastfed them both, and is also the founder and owner of The Milk Boutique, which is an online store selling amazing breastfeeding friendly activewear - its revolutionary, its not daggy! In the episode Tammi candidly discusses her breastfeeding experiences. From thoughts about breastfeeding before she had her girls, to going back to work, expressing and mixed feeding, all the way through to now exclusively breastfeeding from one side only with her second little girl! We also discuss her current thoughts about weaning Savannah. You can find Tammi on instagram @tammi.tmb and @themilkboutique

In this episode your host Susie Prout unpacks breast pumping to understand WHY you are doing it. Pumping or expressing your breasts is a wonderful tool to have, and it certainly has its place, however we often fall in to the trap of pumping for the sake of pumping. Storing huge amounts of milk in the freezer for a rainy day usually ends up with the rainy day never arriving, and the many hours spent attached to the pump ends in expired breastmilk in the freezer! A very interesting episode with many AHA moments! You can find Susie Prout over on instagram @susieproutlactation

Midwife and mama of 4 Ell Anderson was pregnant with her first child when she received a complex medical diagnosis for her unborn son. Ell then goes on to have three more children and her other little boy has the same diagnosis. In this episode Ell so kindly lets us into her world and her experience of learning of this diagnosis before her first son was born and then received the same diagnosis while her fourth child was a newborn - we go through the pregnancy, birth, hospital stay, neonatal intensive care unit, breastfeeding and ongoing experience with two children with a chronic illness. You can find Ell over on instagram @ellianderson_ I cant thank Ell enough for chatting about this with me so openly.

In this episode I chat to mother of 4 and midwife El Anderson. El has dealt with tongue ties with 3 out of 4 of her children, and each experience is unique. We go through her journey from first suspecting a tongue tie, through to diagnosis, treatment and recovery. She discusses the emotions she went through and how she felt afterwards. This is a fantastic episode for anyone wondering about the whole 'tongue tie thing.! You can find El at @ellianderson_ on instagram.

Does having food or drinks with caffeine in them go through to the breast milk? And does it affect your baby? Susie will unpack this topic so that by the end of the episode you have everything you need to know about caffeine and breast milk.

In this episode host Susie Prout discusses the often not spoken about issue with breastfeeding - and that is diminished libido. Susie explains how hormone changes in breastfeeding affect libido and as well as hormones, how sleep deprivation, feeling touched out and post birth body changes have an effect too. Are you worried about your milk supply? Are you worried you wont have enough milk for your baby? Susie has a FREE milk supply myth buster guide for you! Head to https://www.susieproutlactation.com/freebies

In this episode our host Susie Prout interviews Aliza Carr. Aliza runs the instagram @bumpnbub which is a highly popular and fantastic resource that helps women with education and support in pregnancy, birth and postnatally. Aliza is an Australian Registered Midwife and perinatal mental health specialist, currently living in Hong Kong. This episode is an honest conversation between Aliza and Susie, 2 midwives chatting openly about the struggles surrounding learning to breastfeed, and the most common challenges that present, which includes the perception of low milk supply. They also discuss postnatal mental health. Baby blues or something deeper, how to seek help, the common signs and symptoms of postnatal depression and anxiety, and Susie discusses her diagnoses with postnatal anxiety after the birth of her second child. You can find Aliza at www.bumpnbub.com or on instagram @bumpnbub Susies birth story is over on Aliza's birth story blog : https://www.bumpnbub.com/blog/2019/11/4/the-birth-of-emma-our-final-babe-our-little-girl

Do you watch your baby to see how their sucking changes throughout their feed? Or do you like to watch the clock to see how many minutes they have been attached for? What is the best way? Babys feeding patterns change as they get older and knowning how to analyse how they suck will increase your confidence in your breastfeeding. I explain all this and more in this episode. Are you pregnant and wondering what you can do BEFORE your baby is born to set you up for breastfeeding success? Download my FREE Pre Baby Preparing to Breastfeed Checklist! Just head to www.susieproutlactation.com/freebies

Amanda is the founder and owner of Feeding Friend. @feeding_friend on instagram Amanda has breastfed all three of her children and she graciously shares her honest journey with breastfeeding. Amanda found parts of breastfeeding so challenging that she actually developed her own product to help! She now sells this same product to new mums everywhere! This is a great listen of a mum who dealt with being shamed for breastfeeding in public, incredible pain and mastitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome while feeding her second.

Are you breastfeeding a toddler or older child and finding it hard? Do you go through periods of wanting to wean and periods of wanting to hold on to this special time? Are you fining you are becoming adverse to feeding on demand? Susie will unpack the topic of putting boundaries into place when breastfeeding a toddler or older child. We don't have to breastfeed on demand if we feel that it it not working for you or your child. Lots of tips and tricks and Susie will discuss her personal experience with her third child, Emma.

Heidi and I discuss candidly our expectations we had on ourselves before becoming mothers and how unrealistic our expectations of motherhood actually were! We discuss the feeling when you first meet your newborn baby, and the differences of immediate bonding between each mother, we discuss how we are born as mothers when our babies are born and this changes us as a person, and we throw in some chat about maternity leave and the hilarious preconceived ideas about how we will spend this year of leisure!!! We also have some really interesting chats surrounding that mumma bear protective instinct that comes in to play when our little baby come into the world...... and much much more! You can find Heidi on instagram @_heidianderson or www.heidileeanderson.com Heidi and her husband also run the hugely popular podcast First Time Parents

When a breastfeeding specialist and a sleep specialist come together for a chat there is so much to chat about! Tara goes through dummy / pacifier use and how this can impact sleep, how everyone's expectations of sleep are different and she discusses how sleep is only an issue if it is an issue for you! Tara also talks about sleep associations and answers the very popular question whether breastfeeding affects sleep compared to formula feeding! A must listen for new mums and pregnant ladies! You can find Tara @thegentlesleepspecialist on Instagram or her website is www.gentlesleep.com.au

What is this relatively new fad that is expressing for colostrum at the end of your pregnancy!? Is it a fad or is it beneficial? Why is it done, how is it done and do you need to do it!? Susie explains it all in this short to the point episode. Follow Susie on Instagram @susieproutlactation for all your support with feeding your baby.

In this episode I interview Sarah Mill. Sarah runs the Instagram account @ourlifeinmelbourne Sarah made the decision to be an IVF solo mum by choice and now has a little boy called Oliver. We go through Sarah's journey including her IVF, pregnancy and birth. We delve into Sarah's feeding journey, whereby Sarah started off breastfeeding Ollie, however came across many obstacles and it became hard, emotional, excruciating and Sarah made the decision to switch to formula. Sarah so generously shares her story and is open and honest about the struggles she came up against both physically and mentally. This episode is a must listen for anyone wanting to know about ALL sides of breastfeeding, not only the easy ones, not only the breastfeeding success stories.

In this episode I chat with Crystal. Crystal is the owner of the Gentle Counsellor and is an experienced practitioner in mental health and parenting, especially postnatal health. We discuss the types of mental health issues new mums and dads may come up against, including postnatal depression, anxiety and rage. Crystal goes through the mental health signs we need to look out for as new parents, and what we can do to ensure we are looking after ourselves during this period. We also have a super interesting chat all things gentle parenting and the strategies we both put in place with our children! Especially in the current climate we are living this is a must listen!! You can find Crystal on Instagram @thegentlecounsellor and at www.thegentlecounsellor.com

In this episode Susie will go through with you how to stop breastfeeding your toddler if that is what you are trying to do.

Your host Susie Prout has gathered all the expert guidelines and knowledge and in this episode will explain to you what you need to know if you are breastfeeding and have a diagnosed or suspected case of corona virus.

Breastfed babies and childred can and do bite! There is almost always a reason for this that can be easily fixed. In this episode Susie will explain the 3 reasons why babies bite what you can do to fix it!

Does alcohol go through to breastmilk? How much alcohol goes through to breastmilk? How long does it stay in there for? Can you breastfeed after drinking? What else do we need to know surrounding this controversial topic? In this episode Susie delves into this topic and will answer all your burning questions! Disclaimer: While Susie is a Registered Midwife, she is not YOUR midwife. This episode is based on Susies point of view. Please seek appropriate advice from your health care provider regarding this topic.

In this episode I teamed up with Natasha Sau from the Welcome to Motherhood Podcast. Natasah is a fellow midwife and mother of 4. Together we have 7 children between us and many years experience working as midwives. Therefore we are very experienced in what you ACTUALLY need and don't need for your new baby! Do you really need that fancy pram? What about baby toys? Do baby girls need frilly dresses?! We discuss it all! You can find Natasha on Instagram @welcometomotherhoodpodcast

In this episode I interview Melissa Guerriero. Melissa runs the very popular Instagram account @pump_momma_pump whereby she supports, educates and encourages pumping / expressing mums. Melissa is highly experienced in all things related to breast pumping. We chat about how to choose the best pump for you and why, how to increase your milk supply, and what the biggest misconceptions there are out there with exclusively expressing. We also discuss going back to work and work place wins and hassles when you are pumping at work. This episode is for every mum who has to pump whether its adhoc or every feed! Many pearls of wisdom are dropped!

In this episode I interview IBCLC Emma Pickett. Emma is a highly sort after IBCLC in the UK. I first came across Emma when reading her blog and more specifically the article The Dangerous Game of the Feeding Interval Obsession. This article has had MILLIONS of downloads and I highly recommend it, you can find it at https://www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com/twitter-and-blog/the-dangerous-game-of-the-feeding-interval-obsession Emma and I chat about demand feeding, cluster feeding, normal newborn feeding behaviour. We delve into reading your baby, understanding what the first few months are REALLY going to look like if you are exclusively breastfeeding, and expectations around that postnatal time. And why are we as a society so obsessed with clock watching and routines and schedules, rather than following our gut, following our baby, and following our innate ability to support our bew babies. So much gold in this episode, thank you Emma! You can find Emma on Instagram @emmapickettibclc or www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com

In this episode I interview Yasmin Darwish. Yasmin has an 11 month old daughter Tilly. She is also a Kinesiologist and Speaker and owns her own business Yasmin Darwish Kinesiologist. Yasmin candidly shares her birth, breastfeeding and postnatal story with us. We discuss everything from nipple pain and breastfeeding attachment issues, to managing visitors in those early days. We discuss demand feeding all the way through to her decision to gently wean Tilly from the breast. Yasmin goes through how she managed her expectations of becoming a mother and how it really feels and changes you as a woman. We also go through what Kinesiology really is and how this can help new mums. You can find Yasmin on Instagram @yasmin_darwish_kinesiology and www.yasmindarwish.com

This is a must listen for all pregnant and new breastfeeding mummas! There is a way to top up (or give a bottle of expressed breastmilk or formula after a breastfeed) without causing your breasts to start making less milk! Sometimes we need to top our baby up with some more milk and that is ok! We just need to protect our breastmilk supply and I will go through this with you! The top up trap - it doesn't need to be a trap!

In this episode I interview Jessica Tutton. Jess is a mum of three little boys and lives in Perth, Western Australia. Jess has so kindly shared her parenting journey with me. When Jess was 20 weeks pregnant with her first child she found out that he had a rare craniofacial syndrome called Goldenhar syndrome. He also had a cleft lip and cleft palate. Jess talks us through her experience from his birth, through navigating the neonatal intensive care unit, to taking him home and managing his ongoing feeding needs. As well as the many surgeries he has had along the way. Jess has two more little boys now and we also discuss her parenting and feeding journeys including fast letdown, oversupply, demand feeding and sleep deprivation. Jess is the owner of her own business whereby she helps entrepreneurs create and launch online courses. You can find Jess on Instagram @jessica_tutton or www.jessicatutton.com.au

In this episode, Susie discusses the topic of oversupply, or making too much milk for your baby. After listening to this episode you will understand the signs and symptoms of oversupply and what we can do about it. You don't need to suffer in silence with this frustrating breastfeeding issue! Susie speaks candidly about milk supply in a way that is simple to understand and easy to listen to! For more tips visit Susie on Instagram @susieproutlactation

In this episode I interview Hannah Willsmore. Hannah is a Registered Midwife, childbirth educator and hypnobirthing coach, in Adelaide, South Australia. We chat candidly about breastfeeding issues when women come home from hospital after having their baby. The lack of support and education that some women experience and how this can wreck havoc on your feeding goals. We chat about what breastfeeding really looks like in those early weeks and how you can set your self up for success! Sleep deprivation, attachment, supply and what demand feeding really is! You can find Hannah on Instagram @hannahwillsmoremidwife or www.hannahwillsmore.com

Christmas with babies should be a happy, special time for you and your new little family, however this is not always the case. It can be very overwhelming. Susie shares with you her top tips for managing family expectations (think too many well intended family members wanting to hold baby). As well as her top tips for feeding, sleep, reconnecting with your baby, managing emotions and how to put your baby first. Learning how to put you and your baby first this Christmas can turn an overwhelming situation into a wonderful one.

Perceived low milk supply is one of the most common reasons that women stop breastfeeding. In this episode, your host Susie Prout is going to step you through the most common myths about milk supply, so that after listening to this episode, you will know the correct information surrounding milk supply. Susie discusses breast size, breast fullness, unsettled babies, frequency of feeding and much more. This is a must listen for all pregnant and breastfeeding mums.

In this episode, Jenna - a Registered Midwife and myself have a candid and honest conversation about the roadblocks that new mothers can come up against when learning how to breastfeed their new baby. Jenna and I have both worked with new mothers in Australian maternity hospitals for many years. We discuss Caesarean Sections and how this can affect feeding in the early days, and what you can do about this. We discuss normal newborn behaviour, antenatal expressing, how frequent newborns like to feed, what to do if baby won't attach and much more. Listen in to gain an insight on how midwives candidly chat with each other about these issues! Jenna is the founder of Ice Ice Booby - an Australian company that produce specifically designed remedial gel-bead ice and heat packs to help new mums in the pregnancy, postnatal and breastfeeding period. Instagram @ice_ice_booby and www.iceicebooby.com.au

In this episode, your host, midwife and Lactation Consultant, Susie Prout, speaks about the sharp drop in breastfeeding rates in Australia from birth to 3 months. We are failing new mothers and we need to make changes. Susie speaks candidly about her experience and knowledge on why new mothers are not continuing breastfeeding, and it is not the mothers fault. This issue is multifactorial and widespread and we need to be honest about where we are going wrong as a society. This is a must listen for mums to be, new mothers and health professionals in the field.

In this episode I interview Marike Knight. Marike is a mum of a little boy called Luka. She is also a mindfulness consultant and the founder and director of Cool Karma Collected. You can find Marike on Instagram @cool.karma.collected and www.coolkarmacollected.com Marike shares her breastfeeding journey with Luka and how the first 3 or so months were an absolute dream. Where she threw away the books and just read her baby. Marike tried to really simplify her fourth trimester with just her, Luka and her husband. You can see her experience in mindfulness and wellbeing really shine through in her words Marike also explains how things unravelled a little bit when a family member came to stay and she started to question her milk supply. Marike leads us through her expressing and her changing to formula, and she wonders whether her lack of belief in her body added to her perception of her milk being 'enough' for her baby.

In this episode I interview Dr Erin Bowe. Erin is a clinical and perinatal psychologist that specialises in birth trauma, and more specifically birth worker trauma. I am thrilled to interview Erin as not only does she have incredible knowledge and expertise on birth and breastfeeding trauma, she is also a mum of two little girls. Erin experienced her own trauma with not one but two traumatic births, and then went on to have two very different breastfeeding experiences. Erin's first breastfeeding experience was extremely difficult, from incredible pain and attachment issues that it got to the point where she chose to exclusively pump and feed her baby expressed breastmilk from the bottle; to a much more positive experience feeding her second. One that did not come easy though, this took a lot of work and education starting in pregnancy. Erin kindly also gives the listeners some advice and pearls of wisdom about overcoming birth and breastfeeding trauma. You can find Erin on Instagram @doctorerinbowe and her website www.doctorerin.com.au Erin also runs the podcast Birth Trauma Training for Birth Workers.

In this episode I interview birth and postnatal doula Karli Smith. Karli is a mum of two, living in Melbourne. She runs her doula business Karli Smith Doula. Karli is a passionate birth worker, educated, knowledgeable and speaks so well. Karli shares her two breastfeeding journeys. We talk about oversupply and overactive letdown and how she effectively managed this with hand expressing and block feeding. We talk demand feeding and myths about milk supply, and weaning and going back to work and much, much more. Karli and I also delve into the possible reasons why the breastfeeding rates are dropping so fast from birth to 3 months. What is happening in Australian culture these days making it so hard for new mothers in that fourth trimester. You can find Karli on Instagram @karlismith.doula and www.karlismith.com

In this episode I interview Tina Pullen on her 2 breastfeeding journeys. Tina is a mum of two and a hypnobirthing Australia Practitioner. She runs her own hypnobirthing business The Birth Collective. Tina shares her 2 breastfeeding journeys with us, which includes dealing with some initial breast attachment issues and how she overcame that, and reflux which caused some definite sleep deprivation. We also discuss baby led weaning, demand feeding and one very fast feeder! Tina discusses how her parenting has evolved since the birth of her first baby and how her mindset and instinctive ways have helped her be in the moment and enjoy this stage of parenting 2 little ones. It is so interesting! You can find Tina on Instagram @the.birth.collective and www.thebirthcollective.com.au Disclaimer: Please see www.rednose.org.au to get the latest information about safe sleeping for infants.

In this episode I interview Penny Blunden. Penny shares her breastfeeding journeys with her 2 little boys Rex and Jack. Penny breastfed both her boys for about a year, however she explains the hardships she had to go through in the early months, which included frequent feeding day and night, a bout of very painful attachment and exhaustion. Penny had severe hyperemesis with both her pregnancies and she explains how this left her feeling very depleted. Penny is a paediatric Registered Nurse and runs the Instagram @sick.happens and www.sickhappens.com.au where she provides evidenced based information to empower parents.

In this episode I interview Helen. Helen is a Registered Midwife and is also the mum of one year old Emilia. Helen had a high risk pregnancy, being diagnosed with pre eclampsia and delivered her baby by caesarean section at 35 weeks, Emilia was born weighing in at just 1.6kg. I asked Helen to be a guest on the podcast as I knew she would be able to give the listeners some insight into learning to breastfeed and express with a baby in the NICU. Helen graciously shares her journey which includes navigating the health system, expressing, bottle refusal, managing a frequent breast feeder and so much more. You can find Helen on Instagram @reallifemidwife and www.reallifemidwife.com where she generously shares her knowledge, tips, tricks and pearls of wisdom for pregnancy and motherhood.

In this episode, rather than interviewing a guest, I am telling you my story of breastfeeding my three children. I will share my struggles with a delay in milk supply, which resulted in baby weight loss above the normal cut off and how I worked through that. I will share my journey with my first baby having silent reflux who was medicated and how some family and friends saw an unhappy baby and immediately thought he was a hungry baby. I will also discuss the different ways my babies have weaned and how going back to work can affect the weaning process. I am currently still breastfeeding my third child.

In this episode I interview Lucy. Lucy is a mother of 3 boys, having successfully breastfed them all. She lets us in on her journey of delayed milk production early on, to the truths of demand feeding and how that really looks, to breastfeeding in public as an expat in different countries. We discuss breastfeeding goals and how they can change between children. Lucy is currently still breastfeeding her youngest son who is 12 months.