With Woman

09/11/2022

I have just realised I haven’t posted here since I went back to work which kinda shows where I’m at! Haha. The return to work and my boys birthdays and a bunch of other stuff had me busy. I made sure to do the work pre children so I could sit in and enjoy this space without distraction. I love With Woman so much and will forever keep hold of it as I see it evolving at some point. For now, I will continue what is working for our family, other work opportunities, support my hubby in his business, focus on our house and most importantly just BE with my babies. I do have stock of different things and will continue to sell it so it’s less for me to move when we do get around to building our office. Still here, but kinda not for a bit.🥰Much love and stay safe this festive season. 🎄🧡

15/10/2022

🥺🥺🥺

Let them be little,
Let them be silly,
Let them giggle,
Let them explore,
Let them ask for you to read that story once more,

They’re only little for so long,
Then one day these precious tender moments are gone,
The memories carried with you like a delicate old song,
Let them play,
Let them sing,
This will all be gone in a blink,

One day these little moments will feel like a distant dream 💭 ❤️

✍️That Everyday Mama

08/09/2022

One of my favourite quotes. 🌻

08/09/2022

Mastitis simply means inflammation of the breast. There’s a lot happening in the lactating breast and so there are questions!

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine recently updated the protocols for mastitis diagnosis and management. Like with any study there are gaps and so what we can do is talk about the good stuff!

⚡️Breast inflammation is varied and so it is assessed and diagnosed on a spectrum, a scale. So we are looking at what degree of inflammation you have and how can it be managed.

⚡️Deep tissue massage is out! It can further disturb and damage the tissues causing additional constriction to the ducts and milk flow.

⚡️Draining the breast is out. Drastically increasing the amount you feed will promote additional milk supply and could worsen conditions, this includes additional pumping.

⚡️Pay attention to bras, shirts, breast pads, milk collectors etc. Milk ducts are quite close to the skins surface and so anything that causes constant pressure on the breast can cause constriction to the ducts and milk flow.

⚡️The position in which you feed is not thought to help.

⚡️Topical skin treatments are not thought to help, though may help with perceived pain or discomfort.

⚡️It is not caused by any other infection of the breast or ni**le, ie thrush.

⚡️Engorgement can present similar signs to mastitis and so support during this time is advised.

⚡️Ducts in the breast are interlinked and so it is not possible for a single duct to be blocked.

⚡️”Blocked ducts” are known as ductal narrowing. This can present as a tender breast with slight redness and swelling and is not associated with other systemic symptoms.

⚡️Mastitis can change from inflammatory mastitis to bacterial mastitis when systemic symptoms continue or worsen past 24 hrs, like fever, chills, aches and tachycardia (fast heart rate).

⚡️With conservative management some mastitis can resolve on its own and antibiotics are not always required.

⚡️Antibiotics are highly overused, and in the breastfeeding mother can transfer to baby causing side effects for both. There is a line here, a tricky line, or period.. one that can be hard to navigate and so educated support is required during this time.

01/09/2022

A new season beautifully represented.🌻✨

29/08/2022

Yes, take the time, take your time!

I never wanted to 'get back to my old self'.
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I know there's pressure on it.
"Gotta get him sleeping, so you can get your life back!"
"Gotta get him out of your bed, so you can get your husband back!"
"Gotta get him on the bottle, so you can get your date nights back!"
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But what if it's just okay to take our time?
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To not get our pre-partum bodies back.
To not get our old brain back.
To not get our relationship to what it was before.
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Because WE are different now.
Our bodies are different.
Our relationships are different.
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Isn't that what is supposed to happen?
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I don't want to be the old me.
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I am happy to be Me, V.2.0.
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Repost from my lovely friend Fiona at .au and beautiful image by  🧡

26/08/2022

Happy weekend all. I hope you all get to enjoy some sunshine. 🌞🧡

13/08/2022

So this is 3 2 💫

It was my birthday yesterday and I was chatting to my friends about how much girls growing up are continually told to - do good, be good, stay in line, follow the leader, care for others, you get it. And sure some of things are good! But how about no. Follow your dreams, don’t be afraid to take a different path, be good to yourself!! I’m always reading stuff about how women in their 40s cannot be messed with.. and I guess I’m heading in that direction. I’m kinda just fed up with all the stuff that is not serving me, along with not paying attention to the things that I know DO serve me!

So my little 32 year old prayer to myself is to more filling my cup and being unapologetically me.

💫🌻🙏🏻

12/08/2022

I nearly cancelled this photoshoot because I was starting to develop mastitis. Notice the red patch on my left breast just above bubs forehead. Later that night I could hardly weight bear on my left arm. It developed quickly and mannn was it painful. I implemented a few things and by morning it was a whole lot better and then completely gone by the next day… so what it true mastitis?

The academy of breastfeeding medicine has released new recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of the mastitis spectrum. Mastitis spectrum in itself tells us how varied mastitis can be. I’m going to do a post and delve into it further.

Have you had mastitis? Was it a quick 24hr thing? What helped you recover? Maybe you even had to go to hospital?! I’m interested!

🧡

03/08/2022

WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK 2022!!!
This years focus is on strengthening, promoting and supporting breastfeeding across the different levels of society. Targeting governments, health systems, workplaces and communities through information and education to empower and strengthen their capacity to provide and sustain breastfeeding-friendly environments for families in the post pandemic world. Everyone has a role to play in supporting breastfeeding.

04/07/2022

🌸Flannel cool/ warm breast packs. These pretties can be popped in the fridge or freezer to assist with engorgement or can be popped in the microwave to assist with flow or raynauds. Easy to wash and so nice on the skin.🌞A beautiful gift for yourself or an expecting Mumma.✨You can find them on my website.🌸

21/06/2022

This sums up motherhood for me or maybe it’s just age…I see everything differently now. You really do start to question everything when you begin to lay down the foundations for another humans life. Priorities, values, direction. It’s exciting though scary. Finding myself, finding my soul.🙏🏻Feeling more and more aligned lately.🌞🧡

17/06/2022

Microbiome - I wanted to pop up a post and summarise a presentation I watched recently on the microbiome and its link between mother, baby and breastfeeding.

The gut microbiome is made up of a large amount of bacteria, fungi and microbes and plays a crucial role in overall health, digestion and and immunity.

The microbiome of both mother and baby are affected by a number of factors including mode of birth, birthing interventions, stress, trauma, antibiotics, other medications, toxins and diet. Evidence is showing the negative impact of just once day of antibiotics!

These factors can cause an imbalance in the microbiome, this is known as dysbiosis.

Why is this important? Well because evidence is showing that gut microbes may play a huge role in the development and maturation of the immune system in infants, impacting overall health well into childhood.

An infants microbe development starts in the womb, follows through to breastfeeding and then onto the type of foods introduced when starting solids.

Breastmilk being one of the first crucial factors assisting in the development of infant microbiota and immunity. How to optimise the microbiome in the baby? Breastfeeding, breastmilk, pre and probiotics and skin-to-skin and for the mother, diet, lifestyle, pre and probiotics.

Each mother and baby will have different circumstances and so having a chat to your health professional will help to identify ways to optimise your microbiome.

This summary is so brief compared to all the information we were provided and a big thanks to Emma for the work put into the presentation. Im going to need to watch it over and often! 🙏🏻🧫🧡

09/06/2022

Did you trust that you could breastfeed your baby? I often hear women say, “I would like to breastfeed, if I can”… I remember saying it myself as a first time Mumma!! Why do we doubt our body’s so much?! Sure, like with birth, things can happen, medical conditions or complications can arise though woman your body was made for this! Trust in your body’s ability to both birth and feed your baby!! With the right support networks in place, you can do this!!🙏🏻🧡

20/05/2022

🙏🏻✨

15/05/2022

It’s International Hyperemesis Awareness Day!! If you’re mid HG there are many women out there who know what you’re going through. Reach out, build your support network, find good health professionals and know that you’re not alone. Thank you for these beautiful words that really resonated with me when thinking about HG.

22/04/2022

Feeling happy and a little tired but full of joy after our trip.🌞Excited to start planning mine and a little bit of hubbies, new work space. I scored a vanity and booked a plumber this week, so there’s that! Doing things along side raising babies is hard.

To make my space the best it can be I need to do some research!!…

🧡