Infant Feeding Support Services

After the article in the Economist, there is a lot of talk about low supply.

Many people cite low supply as a reason why they stopped breastfeeding. And yes, there are some who can not make a full milk supply. The article suggests it's up to 20%. Other research suggests it's more like 5%. The truth is it is difficult to measure as so few new mums receive the support they need to establish a good supply at the start, and this can have a big impact on long-term milk production. You can, however, still breastfeed without a full milk supply! I will share more on that and how to tell you if you have a supply issue later.

For now, here is a post on the things that people often think might be low supply, but are actually completely normal newborn newborn behaviour.

1 - YOUR BABY IS FEEDING FREQUENTLY
3 hourly is often what we are told, but in reality that is the minimum a baby should be fed. Most babies prefer to feed more frequently. Babies love to cluster feed! At night, to start with and in the evenings and early mornings a few weeks down the line.

2 - YOUR BABY WAKES IN THE NIGHT
Night waking is normal. There are many periods during the first year and beyond where babies wake more, and others when they sleep a little better. This is not to do with milk production, but baby development.

3 - YOU HAVE SMALL BREASTS
Size doesn't matter. Its not what they look like but how much milk making tissue they contain, and you can't tell that from looking.

4 - YOU ARE NOT LEAKING
Some people leak. Others leak just in the early weeks. Others don't leak at all. It's nothing to do with milk production.

5 - YOUR BREASTS FEEL SOFT
Once your milk production has regulated after the first few weeks, it is totally normal for your breasts to no longer feel firm or full. A soft breast is a healthy breast.

6 - YOU CAN'T FEEL THE LET-DOWN
Some people feel their milk ejection reflex, others don't. But you can see it in your baby's feeding pattern from fast light sucks to slow deep sucks.

7 - YOU CANNOT PUMP MUCH MILK
The amount you can pump is no indication of what the baby can get.

8 - YOUR BABY WILL ALWAYS TAKE A BOTTLE
A bottle teat is a hard stimulus into the roof of the mouth. A baby has to suck it as it is a reflex. Bottles flow fast, so baby will take some milk. It's their reflexes feeding.

9 - YOUR BABY IS HAVING SHORT FEEDS
Some babies are efficient and some people have a fast flow.

10 - YOU CAN'T PUT YOUR BABY DOWN
Babies really do settle better in someone's arms. This is where they feel safe, warm and secure. We are carry mammal and designed to carry our babies all the time. When babies find themselves on their own, they call out so they do not get eaten by a predator. And they may as well have another feed to settle.

Do any of these surprise you?
Do you always question your supply?

I hope today is a day that we celebrate Mother’s, whether by blood or by choice🩷

Interesting …

🧠✨ A drop of breast milk… in the nose?
Science says it might help protect the brain!!!

A newly published clinical study explored intranasal administration of fresh mother’s breast milk for babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

HIE is a serious condition caused by reduced oxygen and blood flow to the brain around the time of birth and is a major cause of neonatal mortality and long-term neurological disability. 

Researchers investigated whether giving a small amount of fresh breast milk into the nose could be safe and feasible for these infants.

Here’s what they did:

• Fresh mother’s milk expressed within 4 hours was used
• 0.4 mL was placed in each nostril
• Given twice daily starting within the first 48 hours of life
• Continued until day 28

The results from the clinical study showed:
✔ The treatment was feasible in both the NICU and at home
✔ It was well tolerated with no adverse events reported
✔ Parents were able to safely continue the therapy after discharge 

Why might this work?
Breast milk contains stem cells, neurotrophic factors, growth factors, immune cells, and anti-inflammatory compounds that may support brain repair and neurodevelopment. 

The intranasal route is particularly interesting because it may allow substances to reach the brain through pathways connected to the nasal cavity, potentially bypassing the blood-brain barrier. 

This early clinical study mainly demonstrated safety and feasibility. Larger studies are still needed to determine whether it improves long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Still, it highlights something remarkable!!
Human milk is not just nutrition. It’s biologically active medicine.

Science is still uncovering just how powerful it can be. 🧬

Tarjanyi E, Jermendy A, Szabo M, Brandt FA, Szasz B, Nyilas N, Meder U. F-NEO-BRIGHT: feasibility and safety of intranasal fresh breast milk in neonatal encephalopathy. Pediatr Res. 2026 Mar 3. doi: 10.1038/s41390-026-04847-2. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41776367.

We need to remember to celebrate our strength and amazing abilities everyday!

Happy New Year’s to all my wonderful clients who have trusted me to be a part of your feeding journey, it has been my absolute honour. I hope this year is filled with peace and sleep and undamaged ni***es as well as joy and happiness for all🎉❤️

This 🙌🏻

Many parents believe letting a baby “cry it out” teaches independence and self-soothing. Neuroscience shows a very different reality. When a baby is left to cry alone, their nervous system goes into high alert. Heart rate rises, breathing becomes shallow, and stress hormones flood the body. The silence afterward is not calm, it is exhaustion.

In 2019, over 700 Danish child psychologists warned against solitary sleep training. Their concerns focused on elevated stress hormones and weakened attachment. When babies are left alone, the amygdala, the brain’s fear center, learns that strong feelings are ignored. The vagus nerve, which helps regulate stress, misses the practice it needs to calm the body. Over time, this can affect emotional growth.

Soothing a baby is not spoiling. It provides safety, supports healthy brain development, and teaches emotional regulation. Just as babies are guided when learning to walk, they need guidance in handling big feelings. Calm, consistent comfort teaches the brain that distress is temporary and that help is reliable.

Responding to a baby’s cry strengthens attachment, reduces stress, and lays the foundation for emotional resilience. Research shows that babies who receive responsive care develop stronger brains, better emotional regulation, and healthier relationships throughout life.

y’all never change my mind 💙✊🏻🥰

10 Boobtacular Tips
• Get off to a good start with skin-to-skin care and early, frequent “boob” feedings.
• If it hurts, seek help from La Leche League before the gremlins arrive.
• Don’t miss ghostly outings with friends or family, take baby with you.
• Lack of sleep makes us ghoulish. Sleep when your baby sleeps.
• Witches know the importance of support from other witches. Seek support from others: mothers, parents, La Leche League, family, friends and healthcare professionals.
• Partners bond with babies by holding, playing, changing diapers, giving baths, babywearing and taking them trick or treating with big brother and sister.
• The bewitching hours fly by when baby is sleeping near you.
• Weaning is scary for babies. Spells don’t work, so let your child decide when to wean. It will definitely be before your teen starts dating.
• Beware of breastfeeding vampires. Say NO to biting and take your child off the breast. • Enjoy your new little being even when they act like a werewolf!

Credit: La Leche League Canada
https://www.lllc.ca/10-boobtacular-tips