Thrive Lactation Consultants- Josie Plant RN IBCLC

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Thrive Lactation Consultants- Josie Plant RN IBCLC

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Josie Plant, Registered Nurse, BFHI Coordinator and educator, experienced in child and family health nursing, Paediatric nursing studies cert, IBCLC Lactation Consultant, Certified Babywearing Consultant

06/09/2025

Happy Father's Day (Australia)!!

To all of the dads and those who identify with the father role, I wish you a wonderful day.

Did you know that you do not need to feed your baby to bond with your baby?

Amazingly, 1 hour of skin-to-skin is enough to wire the non-lactating parent brain for bonding.

This helps the non-birth parent to work out what baby needs more quickly and helps to work out how to calm baby better for an easier parenting experience!

Baby wearing is a wonderful way for the non-lactating parent to settle baby.

Ensure the carrier is properly and safely fitted for comfort and effectiveness. (see the TICKS guidelines).

A nice bath together with your baby can help to re-connect at the end of the day (after work) before baby goes to bed.

All of these activities support bonding and connection. Not having the 'breasts' to calm and nurture baby can feel frustrating and helpless sometimes. When the lactating parent becomes the default parent, the non-lactating parent may feel left out and disconnected.

Try to take the focus off the task of feeding and think about all the wonderful things you CAN do as the parent without the milk supply. In doing so, you are supporting your partner, building your parenting confidence and setting the foundation for the long-term relationship with your child.

Happy Father's Day xx

29/08/2025

Have you breastfed/chestfed through difficult circumstances?

What has pure DETERMINATION got you through?

***Personal story time!***

Today is the 8-year anniversary of my brain tumour diagnosis.

When my 4th baby was 7 months old, I could no longer ignore and dismiss some symptoms I was experiencing. Long story short, I ended up at the (old) Royal Adelaide Hospital Emergency department for an urgent MRI which confirmed a 3cm Vestibular Schwannoma/acoustic neuroma.

> 8 years since I started pumping madly to prepare for our separation (ie. surgery and hospital admission).

> 8 years since I started deep diving into the literature around radiology and breastfeeding, surgery and breastfeeding, medications in breastfeeding.

> 8 years since I had to find a way for my direct-breastfed baby to work out how to get my milk from something other than me.

I used the time between my diagnosis and my surgery to prepare for breastfeeding success. I managed to pump enough expressed milk to cover his needs, created a written plan for my health care staff to follow- teaching them how to use my pump and when to use it, knowing that I would not be able to do this myself at times (unconscious in the ICU).

My surgery was on the 19th of October in the new RAH- a 12 hour marathon procedure, followed by a night in intensive care and a week in hospital total. Due to an additional complication of an abusive and manipulative father of my baby, visits with my baby were limited and I worked hard to maintain my supply through pumping alone.

Post-op was hard. REALLY hard. I couldn't see properly. One eye was patched for 7 months due to facial paralysis so I had no depth perception. I had poor coordination, couldn't look after myself, felt constant dizziness and vertigo. Pumping was a nightmare! I knocked bottles over. I forced myself to wake up to pump every 2-3 hours when all I wanted to do was sleep and recover. I was desperately fatigued, and alone. Physically, I was the most awful I have ever felt.

But I was determined to meet my breastfeeding goals.

This circumstance could have been the end of my breastfeeding journey, but through motivation, determination, planning and being informed, I continued until he was 4 years of age.

Don't underestimate determination.

What has determination got you through in your breastfeeding/chestfeeding journey?

(picture of me, Josie Plant, pumping after brain surgery in the hospital bed, 2017)

22/08/2025

Can you believe it?
Nestle are still using predatory, aggressive marketing methods!

You may already be aware of the unethical practices of formula production company Nestle.
You may also be aware of the boycott of Nestle, that started in the 70's.
But are you aware that they are STILL using unethical marketing practices??

Nestle have a long history of aggressive marketing. did you know that they used to send sales-people into hospitals, posing as nurses, to market their product directly to new parents and health professionals, lying about their product being superior to breastmilk.

You would think that this is a thing of the past, right?

WRONG!

Nestle are still using "health professional" (sold their soul to the devil) sales-people to market their product, but these days they need to be even more under-handed about it (as we have the Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and the history of MAIF to guide marketing practices to prevent predatory marketing). I have seen this just last week in fact.

How?

By using employed dieticians to make contact with hospital health professionals and attempting to sell their free education sessions, promote brand loyalty, requesting ignoring standard branding rotations (just stick with us instead), and attempting to market expensive specialist formula.

Why is this a problem?

By using health professionals to market products, this gives the appearance of being authentic and trustworthy, reinforcing their strategy to appear science-based and genuine.
Education designed by formula companies is fraught with issue: biased information, conflict of interest, fake science, talking about the "benefits" of formula types that they produce, even if the sessions are "unbranded".
Providing "free" services builds relationships, psychological preference towards brands. 'You scratch our back, we'll scratch yours!'
Education designed by formula brands are at high risk of containing information detrimental to breastfeeding, despite appearing to promote breastfeeding at a surface level.

Nestle are also in bed with SAHMRI.
You won't get solid scientific results from a study funded by the companies that are set to benefit from the results. Again- issues with bias and conflict of interest.

And people get sucked in!!
Even experienced, senior health professionals.

That's why Nestle still use these tactics.
The boycotts taught them nothing, other than to be increasingly sneaky in their marketing attempts.

Formula is a 55 billion dollar industry, and companies spend millions on marketing.

Don't get sucked in. Open your eyes.

https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/baby-friendly-resources/international-code-marketing-breastmilk-substitutes-resources/the-impact-of-infant-formula-marketing/

https://waronwant.org/sites/default/files/THE%20BABY%20KILLER%201974.pdf

https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/food-drink/continuing-controversies-nestle

https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/report-nestle/

https://utopia.org/guide/crime-controversy-nestles-5-biggest-scandals-explained/

20/08/2025

Mastitis
Potential triggers and causative factors.

What causes mastitis?

There are several factors that may make you more prone to mastitis and localised breast inflammation.
The main themes are:

>Hyperlactation- producing too much milk
>Mammary Dysbiosis- imbalance of breast bacteria
>Breast/ni**le damage/trauma.

Pumping can cause too much milk, breast or ni**le trauma from poor fit or incorrect use, and prevent saliva transfer- impacting on the breast microbiome.

Caesarean birth upsets the natural breast microbiome and increases risk of inflammation.

Tongue tie, shallow latching, ineffective feeding can lead to ni**le trauma which can result in inflammation.

Certain medical conditions and medications can increase risk.

Recurrent mastitis or localised breast inflammation (previously called blocked ducts) may be a result of the triggering factor not being addressed, or treatments such as heat, massage, vibration and overuse of the breast, exacerbating the inflammation and not giving your body the opportunity to heal.

If you are experiencing mastitis, it's important to identify the reason why, not just treating the issue, but preventing it from coming back.
See your local IBCLC for further assessment.

Katrina Mitchell's website has a great overview of mastitis spectrum and management advice: https://physicianguidetobreastfeeding.org/maternal-concerns/mastitis-and-associated-complications/

18/08/2025

Let's talk about "snack feeding".

Some people think "snack feeding" should be avoided and worked away from.
I don't subscribe to this thought.

Snack feeding is the term sometimes used for short, frequent feeds and is often considered the opposite of a "full feed".

Think about all the reasons WHY babies breast/chestfeed.

If you consider that your baby is more than just a gastro-intestinal system, who's needs go beyond that of just being "filled up", you can start to appreciate the need for those frequent, snack style feeds.

So, we'll look at the list of potential reasons why your baby might need a breast/chestfeed.

~ hunger
~ thirst
~ stressed
~ tired
~ connection seeking
~ feeling dysregulated
~ pain
~ wind
~ overwhelmed
~ bored
~ sick
~ teething
~ scared
~ needing comfort
~ needing a poo
~ needing a burp

How many times a day do you have feelings- emotional, physical?
As an adult, you can do things to manage these feelings.
Yet, babies rely on feeding to manage the vast majority of their physical and emotional regulation.
They often need to feed at least 14 times in 24 hours.
Research tells us that normal, biological frequency of feeding is anywhere between every 30 minutes to 1.5 hourly (Dettwyler).

Not every feed needs to be a "full feed"
Not every feed will be for the purpose of meeting hunger and nutrition requirements.

"Snack-feeding" is not snack-feeding. It's using breastfeeding and chestfeeding for all those purposes for which nature intended.
Short feeds are OK.

However, if you are concerned that your baby is not getting enough milk, is tiring before they are finished feeding then please see your local IBCLC.

07/08/2025

As World Breastfeeding Week comes to a close, there's two themes I want to cover.
When putting the spotlight on something as emotional as breastfeeding/chestfeeding, this can raise some feelings for many people.
I'm talking about breastfeeding grief.
For many, not reaching personal feeding goals, or even in reaching feeding goals but having had a journey with challenges, the spotlight on infant feeding naturally leads to personal reflection.
Your feelings are valid. It's perfectly normal to have strong emotions.
The second theme is "Fed is Best". This concept often hits strongly during World Breastfeeding Week, in the defensiveness against breastfeeding/chestfeeding struggles. It's a concept directly tied to breastfeeding/chestfeeding grief.

Breastfeeding/chestfeeding can be hard. It can be REALLY hard. Support often isn't readily available, and society is full of detrimental misinformation. And we also know how great breastfeeding/chestfeeding is for babies and mothers/birth parents, the environment, economy and public health- and often hearing all this information just makes it hurt more when your own journey hasn't gone to plan.

World Breastfeeding Week isn't just to celebrate how great breastfeeding/chestfeeding and human milk is. It's about acknowledging the struggles and the barriers and working together to find a way to make it work on a population level.

So, this post is a 2-for-1: grief and 'fed is best'. It's about seeing the struggles and validating your feelings.

Understand "Fed is Best" here:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/c0vyHgSnF_0

07/08/2025

World Breastfeeding Week 2025
Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems.

Breastfeeding/chestfeeding is saving the Earth, one feed at a time!

06/08/2025

World Breastfeeding Week 2025:
Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) messaging.
Find out how you can get involved.
https://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/ #

05/08/2025

World Breastfeeding Week 2025
Prioritise Breastfeeding: create sustainable support systems.

What is sustainable support?
Successful breastfeeding/chestfeeding requires community backing, social constructs, political support, infrastructure and systems that protect the establishment and continuation of breastfeeding/chestfeeding.

NEVER is breastfeeding/chestfeeding success the sole responsibility of the mother/lactating parent.

A sustainable support system has layers.
A sustainable support system requires:
> accurate information,
> educated health professionals,
> children growing up to understand our biological norm,
> policies and procedures that protect mothers/lactating parents and babies,
> return to work support,
> maternity leave and paternity leave,
> supportive and understanding community of family, friends and peers,
> social acceptance and encouragement,
> feeling safe,
> lactation support services that are accessible to all,
> investment in services and infrastructure.......

Who supports you?
What do you need to be able to achieve your feeding goals?

03/08/2025

World Breastfeeding Week 2025
Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems.

Have you ever thought about the journey that the bottle of formula goes through from farm/production to landfill?

Every individual breastfeed/chestfeed saves the planet.

How?

Producing formula is a significant burden on the Earth.
If we break down the process from farm to baby and beyond, we see that there are production burdens, pollution, transport, emissions, packaging, waste that all have the potential to affect our planet.

By reducing the use of breastmilk substitutes, we reduce the environmental impact.
Producing formula (cows milk formula) involves:
> Farm management- land clearing, greenhouse gas emissions, cow feed, lots of water use, creation of waste
> then the cows milk is transported to the factory for further processing, resulting in emissions from trucks etc
> then factory processing involves waste and emissions, energy consumption
> then the processed milk (powdered) may be further transported for packaging.
> bulk packaging waste is created
> the packaged product gets transported to the point of sale (shop), resulting in further truck emissions
> the shop uses energy and produces waste
> then the individual tins are transported home via personal vehicle- more emissions
> empty tins, measuring scoops, old bottles and teats all end up in landfill.

Breastfeeding/chestfeeding requires the mum/ lactating parent to be sustained (causing no more environmental burden than their usual existence on the planet).

Sometimes formula is a required part of the feeding journey. In some cases, formula saves lives. In many cases, formula is introduced unnecessarily because of inadequate breastfeeding/chestfeeding support. 80% of lactating parents don't reach their feeding goals! But if we can work towards collectively supporting breastfeeding/chestfeeding dyads towards goals of successful exclusive breastfeeding, or even just reducing some of the formula feeds, we will work together to protect our planet.

The point: Breastfeeding/chestfeeding support to help parents reach their breastfeeding/chestfeeding goals has a flow-on effect to protect the Earth from the burden of formula production.

03/08/2025

World Breastfeeding Week 2025
Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create sustainable support systems.

How does breastfeeding/ chestfeeding protect the planet?

Human milk is the environmentally sustainable infant feeding option.
With the right support, and all going well, breastfeeding/chestfeeding requires no environmental waste, packaging, no pollution to produce.

Breastfeeding/chestfeeding can delay the return of menstruation, potentially reducing the load of period products in landfill.

Formula production requires a lot of water use, land, feed for cows. greenhouse gas emissions, packaging wastes, transport, production wastes and emissions.

Every breastfeed/chestfeed is a caring hug for our planet.

01/08/2025

World Breastfeeding Week 2025
Learn more about how breastfeeding/ chestfeeding protects the environment:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6472111/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10599186/

https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2024/05/07/breastfeeding-should-be-recognised-as-a-carbon-offset-report.html

https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/news-and-research/baby-friendly-research/research-supporting-breastfeeding/research-on-breastfeeding-and-climate-change/

https://www.bmj.com/content/367/bmj.l5646

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301289819_Carbon_Footprints_Due_to_Milk_Formula_A_study_from_selected_countries_of_the_Asia_Pacific_region

https://www.ibfan.org/environmental-awareness/

https://laleche.org.uk/breastmilk-and-the-environment/

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http://www.thrivelactation.com.au/, https://josie-s-site-893d.thinkific.com/collections

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