http://www.easternrangeslactation.com/

Eastern Ranges Lactation, P. O. Box 735, Cockatoo (2025)

19/12/2025

The terminology “clogging” and “plugging” should be removed from breastfeeding discussions as they are not accurate.
There is NO “plug” or “clog” of milk to move or get out.🤷‍♀️

It would be helpful if terminology aligned with tissue science and accurate breast anatomy. Then correct understanding & management can be applied to quickly relieve pain and prevent avoidable complications.

A plug or a clog is just NOT a thing!
Or what you might imagine it to be? 🤔
Not possible and not correct!
What you are feeling is swelling, increased blood flow, maybe some inflammation , not a blockage from milk clogging or plugging up ducts!

For too long breastfeeding mums have been trying to massage, squeeze, vibrate, melt, and work out a milk plug that just does not exist! This advice is wrong & potentially harmful 😔

Change will take time, not everyone is open or ready for change. Change can feel intimidating and threatening when you have been conditioned to follow just one way and long standing traditional ways 😕
Please share this new advice with any mum who thinks she has a “clog” or “plug” . She is feeling a localised area of up regulation, tissue congestion +/- inflammation which will clear.
It responds well to ice, no heat ( ice is your best friend & frozen peas work a treat!) Nothing to “squeeze” or “work out” , nothing to “massage” out.

Please no massaging 🙏
Feed your baby as normal, no reason to increase feeding on the affected breast or pump.

Reach out, if it’s not clearing or getting worse for a full individualised assessment & care plan.

Changes in milk removal & the speed of milk production over the busy holiday season may produce some tissue changes for some mums.
These are innocent and harmless when they are understood and managed correctly. 🙏

17/12/2025

Melbourne is experiencing the arrival of summer this week! 🙌

Some mums may notice an increase in milk production and maybe some mild transient engorgement as your baby’s demand for milk changes.
Milk stasis is normal and a sign of your body regulating milk production. As your milk production speed changes, it can be common to experience some tissue changes from increased blood flow and fluid congestion.
Don’t worry, it’s not a sign that bad bacteria is invading your breasts 🙏
Any firmness, swelling, tenderness, or redness is associated with congested breast tissue doing its best to respond to changes in milk demand.
At worst, you may also have some transient inflammation coming in that will correct itself with appropriate management.
Handle this tissue with care!!
🔸No massaging 🙏
🔸Apply ice packs ( frozen peas) to the affected area & keep them on.
You can’t ice too much!
🔸Continue to feed responsively, with no requirement to “drain” or “empty” your breasts.
Some feeds may be short, feed intervals will change. Babies eat & drink like humans not robots or tamagotchi’s. They will be extra thirsty when it’s hot & then likely slow down again once the heat passes. 🤷‍♀️
The speed of your milk production changes with them!
Most commonly symptoms of a blockage or mastitis ARE associated with normal changes like this & are nothing to be feared 🙏

10/12/2025

In a nutshell if you are relying on a pump to establish milk supply early on, then you need a hospital grade pump. ✅
Wearable pumps can be a game changer later on to free you up from having to sit and pump!
Great for occasional pumping, returning to work or using along side your traditional pump if exclusively pumping long term.

When to choose a traditional/ hospital grade pump ( Eg- Spectra S1, S2, Dual S , medela symphony, Ardo)

🔸If you are trying to establish or increase milk supply
🔸In the early PP weeks/ months if you are relying on a pump to help drive supply.
🔸If you are exclusively pumping & struggling with low milk production
🔸If your baby is in special care or unable to breastfeed directly at birth.
🔸If you are considering hiring or borrowing a pump (hospital grade pumps are a closed system pump)
🔸If you want maximum output and for pump durability.

When to choose a wearable pump
(Eg Mum cozy, mumsmilk, night owl, etc etc …. So many (too many) now on the market 🤷‍♀️

🔸If you are returning to work & need a discreet, portable option
🔸If you express occasionally or supplementally along side established direct breastfeeding.
🔸If you want a hands-free experience while caring for your baby or multitasking
🔸If you are going to struggle to find time sit & pump
🔸If this is the only feasible option to facilitate pumping and you need to pump?
🔸If you have toddlers or other children to care for while pumping and need to be mobile.

Every parent’s expressing needs are different & every parent responds differently to pumping. It’s all about finding what pump works best for you and your current situation. What I see is generally hospital grade traditional pumps are more effective ✅

If you are needing to use a pump in response to a medical reason, low milk production or slow infant weight gain then it is vital
to seek IBCLC professional help right from the beginning ✅
More often than not hospital staff are not skilled in providing pumping assessment and education. Unfortunately hospitals are not up with the recent changes to pump fl**ge sizing 😔
You will need help with choosing the most appropriate pump, it’s correct & safe use and YOUR individual fl**ge size ✅
Side effects caused from incorrect pumping and equipment which can be easily avoided with correct and up to date knowledge.
All my consultations include pumping assessment, education and fl**ge sizing.
My help will very likely see you not needing to pump or at least not as often 🙏
Your baby is always your best pump when breastfeeding is optimised & supported with skilled help.

04/12/2025

Breastfeeding mums/parents can choose to safely enjoy a special Christmas drink without the worry or guilt of it doing harm to their breastfed baby.

Things to consider are 🤔

🍷The amount of alcohol in your blood is the same as the amount in breastmilk after consuming an alcoholic drink.

🥤 You don't need to pump and dump as this won't help. Your amazing body works in tandem: As the level of alcohol in your blood decreases, the level of alcohol in your milk drops too.

🥂Time is what reduces the level of alcohol in your breastmilk. It will be at its highest level 30-60 mins after consuming a drink for most people. So feed your baby before your drink & try to wait, stretch the next feed to 1.5/2hrs if you can?

🍷 If your baby does need a feed before you have finished your drink or waited for it to clear out of your system don't panic! They are not going to die or be harmed - feed them!

🍷Basically If you are safe to drive a car and under .05 then you are safe to care for and breastfeed your baby.

🥂The biggest risk with alcohol consumption to your baby is alterations in your perception, balance and ability to safely care for your baby from being under the influence of alcohol.

🍷The younger your baby and the more frequently you are breastfeeding, the more they will be exposed to any alcohol in breastmilk.

🥂 Basically it's safer to consume alcohol the further down your breastfeeding journey you are.

🍷Go easy & start with 1/2 a glass as your body may be more sensitive to alcohol after avoiding it for so long.
🥂consider choosing a drink with a lower alcohol content.

🥂🥂🥂If you are planning a big day or night which involves more than 1 or 2 drinks then prepare ahead. Have EBM on hand and someone to help care for your baby.

🍷The Australian breastfeeding association have a free 'feed safe' app to help track timing of a drink and breastfeeding.

“Everything in life carries risk - commonsense keep us and our kids safe”

Use your commonsense, relax and enjoy that special Christmas drink (if it feels right for you) Cheers and happy breastfeeding! 🥂🎄🤱

29/11/2025

Harvesting antenatal colostrum has been found to be helpful not only for newborns at known risk for non-exclusive breastfeeding & risk for supplementation, but for all newborns.
It has become a popular & routine recommendation in recent times. However it is not an ‘essential’ practice.

Many of the mums I support choose not to express antenatally, they either don’t have the time, or are unable to express any colostrum & go on to breastfeed exclusively and avoid formula supplementation. ✅
There is NO replacement for good & correct breastfeeding advice right from birth. ✅

Antental hand expression has become a big focus in antental breastfeeding education when really it’s only a small part. 🤷‍♀️
It’s definitely something I cover durinh my antenatal lactation consultations, but we move on to the real important stuff pretty quickly 😊
If you are unable to express colostrum while pregnant, it will be there & more easily expressed after your precious baby is born. So please don’t stress or think you won’t make any or enough milk 🙏
There is no evidence to support that not being able to express colostrum antenatally has any negative impact on breastfeeding outcomes.
What has the biggest negative impact on breastfeeding outcomes is infrequent, ineffective milk removal after birth and the continuation of this in real time!!!
Antenatal hand expressing involves hand expressing for 5-10 minutes once or twice a day, collecting any colostrum in a syringe to freeze and saving it to feed to your baby in hospital. It’s usually recommended from around 36 weeks.
Expect very tiny volumes, often only a drop or 2 at a time. You may hear mums can express 0.5ml or even 1 ml at a time but this is not the norm.
Qualitative research has shown that antenatal hand expression helps build confidence and creates a feeling of preparedness for breastfeeding.
This in my opinion is the MOST valuable benefit of considering expressing antenatally ✅
Please handle your breasts with care if trying to express 🙏
You don’t need to massage or squeeze your ni**le hard. 🙏
It shouldn’t hurt!
For more information/ education consider booking a breastfeeding consultation before your baby is born.
The right support & being prepared is the key to being able to breastfeed and avoiding supplementation whenever possible 🙌

25/11/2025

After finally meeting your precious baby, it can feel like you are engaged in a never ending cycle of feeding and burping your baby!
But does burping after feeding really help? 🤔
And is it really necessary? 🤷‍♀️
My opinion is NO it's not.
It is a ritual that is engrained in our culture and one that has probably been happening for hundreds of years, but all this history does not necessarily make it right or necessary for every baby.
The small amount of research that has been done into burping actually indicates that it is not helpful and may cause an increase in spitting up or vomiting.
Burping can cause new parents a lot of unnecessary worry when all the patting, bouncing and jiggling does not produce that anticipated belch!
Burping which involves patting is very stimulating for a baby who is just trying to drift off to sleep with a nice full tummy of breastmilk loaded with sleepy hormones 🙈
In a nutshell there is no proven physiologic reason why babies would need all this help to burp 🤷‍♀️
Infants are protected from gas build up by the normal immaturity of the lower esophageal sphincter, which relaxes and opens frequently.
Basically, they naturally vent their own stomachs.🤷‍♀️
Milk comes back this way and so does air!
My bottom line advice is -
Do what works for your baby ✅
If your baby seems more comfortable after feeding with burping then go ahead and continue. ✅
If a burp does not happen, don't worry - it does not NEED to ✅
Most of all don’t waste precious time on strict burping routines thinking that you are preventing discomfort, and needing to follow “baby rules”
Overnight especially, get that sleepy baby fed & back into bed as quickly and calmly as possible.🙏
Settle your baby to sleep and they will let you know if they need your help to burp. The majority of gas or air passes through and into the bowel quickly.
“Gas” is a part of natural baby life & guy/nervous system immaturity.
There are also better ways to prevent gas & help your baby to feel more comfortable, like slowing down feeds!
This is just a snippet of the wealth of knowledge I share during my consultations with families.
My support lessens the burden of new parenting worries 🙏

20/11/2025

Early effective milk removal right from birth and in the very early postpartum weeks is a crucial part of establishing breastfeeding. 🙏
Babies are born “sleepy” feeders , they can take weeks to really wake up and start feeding well.
Birth interventions, premature and late pre term births produce even sleepier feeders.
Every newborn needs help to stay awake feeding.
Switch feeding provides “flow”
Flow is what keeps newborns actively drinking and transferring milk.
The longer a newborn stays latched on the one breast, the greater chance that they are not sustaining “nutritive” sucking (which is necessary for milk transfer)
A 20-30 min feed on one breast only can equate to only a few minutes of actual active drinking 🤷‍♀️
Short bursts of 5mins of active drinking switching as soon as your baby is showing signs of sleepiness adds up to way more milk being swallowed 🙌
A newborn baby can’t “drain”
a breast ❌
Breasts can’t be & don’t need to be “drained” anyway 🤷‍♀️
Milk production even when it’s colostrum is CONTINUOUS ✅
Breasts are never empty ✅
If you are engorged it’s NOT milk that you are feeling . It doesn’t have to be drained out during a feed ❌
Switching sides does not mean that your baby is not getting enough fat ❌
Your baby needs VOLUME, switch feeding is the most effective way to help your newborn to swallow enough milk ✅
Feed your baby whenever they are awake ✅
They need to drive milk in and SWITCH feeding helps to do this!
Cuddles are lovely but if a very young baby is awake they need to feed 🙏
You can’t feed them enough or too much in those first 1-2 weeks.
Feed , feed, feed and move your baby on quickly to your other breast.
There is a reason why my antenatal mums have no issues with excessive weight loss in hospital & unnecessary supplementation. They go in educated and prepared, ready to switch feed their baby 🙌

16/11/2025

Human temperament plays a HUGE role in the way in which tiny humans (AKA known as babies) react to their new world and their rapidly changing body and brain.
Different human temperaments impact on breastfeeding, sleep & the way in which your precious bub moves through this world. It's very common for families to have completely "different" children.🤷‍♀️
A particular parenting style might work for one baby but not for another.
Humans are different, we are born to be different ✅
Right from birth we are different!
Babies are not clones who grow into unique humans. They are unique in their temperament and personality right from the start!
This is why many don't fit into the boxes of mainstream expectation 🤷‍♀️

Some baby's are just born to follow a schedule and are more predictable.
Others are wired to be intensely busy, curious and are highly unpredictable.
Some are super sensitive to all the sensory stimuli in their environment.
Some have a lower pain tolerance than others.
Some have a lower tolerance for EVERYTHING they are experiencing 🤷‍♀️
Some are more attached to their mothers and will need more human body contact to sleep & feel safe.
Some move towards independence slower than others.
BUT THEY ALL DO BECOME INDEPENDENT!!!
Secure attachment builds independence ✅
Secure attachment takes years not months ✅
The only thing that ALL babies need is TIME ✅

"What kind of little human have you been gifted to nurture?"
"What are they here for during their human experience and what do they need from other humans to be at peace in this world?"

The first 7 years of a humans life shape the way they will move through life as an adult.
Fascinating stuff!

Surrender to the reality of what it takes to nurture a tiny complex human and be aware of unrealistic expectations. The world of early parenting is getting harder, with SM telling people there is always something needing to be fixed!! 😡
Beware of the predatory nature of this information and know you are easy prey 😕

The sacrifices you are making to nurture your precious little human give them the best chance of finding peace in a world that is going to challenge them when you are not there to hold them tight. 🙏❤️

My days are spent normalising and reassuring new parents. 😀
When you have worked as a paediatric nurse for 35 years , it’s easy now working as an LC to spot the normal. It’s easy to not go looking for the Zebra, when a horse is just another horse. It’s easy to instil parental confidence instead of fear 🙏

04/11/2025

When a breast becomes engorged the pressure from swelling and increased blood flow can be extremely uncomfortable and painful.
What is being felt is NOT the pressure from milk, it’s pressure from congestion, increased blood flow (hyperaemia) and interstitial fluid (oedema) ✅
Pumping to relieve pressure may provide some short term relief, but this relief is only going to be very short lived. In the long term pumping is only going to make things a whole lot worse!
Pumping not only stimulates more milk to be made which is already struggling to get out, it draws more fluid and blood flow into the already swollen congestion breast tissue.
Introducing a pump to “manage” engorgement does not “protect” milk supply it “risks” it, by creating more congestion in a gland that IS getting blocked, but not from milk .
Milk is not the problem 🤷‍♀️

Supporting the lactating breast tissue CORRECTLY during this physiological process IS what prevents worsening symptoms and unnecessary complications ✅
Continue to breastfeed your baby, gently hand express if your baby is not latching. Less stimulation is going to help clear congestion, over stimulation won’t 🤷‍♀️
ICE, ICE, ICE your swollen engorged breast. You can’t ice too much ✅
Ice will provide pain relief and comfort while it's working to open up milk ducts, making it easier for milk to flow again.
Remember not to massage ✅🙏🙏🙏
Lactating breast tissue is like delicate coral , especially when it’s under pressure ✅
Gentle lymphatic drainage using an open flat hand to gently stroke backwards at the pressure of patting a cat really helps ✅
A supportive bra helps reduce any dependent swelling (oedema) ✅
Early postpartum engorgement is often misdiagnosis as mastitis. Incorrect management IS what turns a normal physiological process into a breast tissue complication that is totally avoidable.🤷‍♀️ It is normal for the skin the look pink during early postpartum engorgement. You are experiencing congestive symptoms in highly metabolic gland that is SUPER susceptible to becoming SWOLLEN and flooded with increased blood flow not infection 🤷‍♀️
The lactating breast tissue is actually very resistant to infection unless it is taken there by inappropriate management - AKA massaging and pumping!!
The lactating breast IS SO misunderstood!!

31/10/2025

In a world where breastfeeding advice is so conflicting, confusing and down right crazy! It’s no wonder maternal anxiety levels in the postpartum period are through the roof 🤷‍♀️

Heightened anxiety during lactation can manifest in ongoing ni**le and breast pain, low milk production, overproduction, mastitis and it’s complications, and even physical symptoms in a baby.
When you look past breasts, ni**les and the baby you see the root cause of so many breastfeeding challenges - heightened anxiety.
You can see the whole human in front of you and you can see the fear driving physical symptoms and feeding difficulties.

My days are spent not only holding babies but “holding” mothers and parents. ❤️
Normalising what our world and society wants to see as broken.

I am the calming voice in the deafening noise of worry and concern.
I am the steady guidance amongst the chaos of fear driven parenting advice.
Anxiety is not a “dirty” word 🤷‍♀️
Anxiety is not a weakness 🤷‍♀️
It’s a state that all humans find themselves in along this journey through life. Especially during times of vulnerability. There is no greater time of vulnerability in a woman’s life when she is birthed as a mother 😊

Anxiety makes breastfeeding and everything to do with nurturing a tiny human so much harder than it’s meant to be.
Post natal mood and anxiety disorder is the number one complication of birth. And yet it is rarely talked about in the lactation world as a cause of any feeding difficulties 🤷‍♀️
Untreated anxiety can make breastfeeding feel horrible!
Gently, respectfully and without judgement my work helps new parents to acknowledge the impact “ heightened anxiety” is having on breastfeeding. ❤️
Reducing fear is one of my most powerful lactation skills. 🙌
And it’s not surprising that my mummas continue to breastfeed 🙏
Once the huge mental health overlap into lactation is acknowledged and respected, you can REALLY help breastfeeding.
Once breastfeeding is going well, it then becomes so supportive of mental health 🙌

24/10/2025

Triple feeding plans are torture!!!
'Triple feeding' is when a mother is instructed to breastfeed her baby, pump for 20-30mins after and then bottle feed her baby expressed milk and/or formula every 3 hours or sometimes even 2 hours on repeat!!
It a common standard responsive plan for slow weight gain. 😕
It's beyond exhausting both physically and mentally!
Sleep deprivation is unavoidable after having a baby. A triple feeding plan ENSURES a new mother gets NO sleep!
Triple feeding plans do not end in exclusive breastfeeding. The majority end in weaning and a traumatised mum! 😔
A recommendation to "triple feed" is a huge red flag signalling that expert lactation assessment and guidance is required.✅
Often it's ineffective milk removal from sub optimal positioning, and / or incorrect pump equipment that is the cause of slow weight gain. ✅
A triple feeding plan addresses the "symptom" but not the cause 🤷‍♀️
Unfortunately the majority of health care professionals do not have the skills required to fully assess breastfeeding and correct any issues presenting.
They also do not have the TIME!
A very sad situation that's the fault of our health system 😔😡
Check the pumps meaning both the baby and the pump ✅
Correcting sub optimal positioning and attachment is essential ✅
Switch feed ✅
Check all breast pump equipment, including correct fl**ge size ✅
24hr total volume intake is the key rather than strict intervals between feeding. ✅
Support maternal mental health don’t crucify it ✅
No sleep and exacerbating maternal anxiety = less milk ✅
A full medical history and assessment needs to be taken to identify any pathology in mum or baby for slow weight gain, don’t just bandaid it with formula ✅
For help with slow weight gain or to end the torture of a triple feeding plan please reach out for my support. One on one individualised mentoring sessions also available for any interested health care professionals wanting to learn how to manage slow weight gain without implementing a triple feeling plan!
It’s no wonder breastfeeding continuation rates are in the toilet when it’s made so hard! If we know better we can do better 🙏

17/10/2025

The feed-play-sleep routine is designed for bottle fed babies. ✅
Breastfed babies have their entree, , main & after a play are expecting their dessert 🤷‍♀️
Formula feeding & breastfeeding is like comparing apples and oranges.
Breastfed babies eat like we do!
Like humans do!! Like toddlers do!!
They have their lunch and go back for a drink or a snack soon after 😊
During the day they graze ✅
Breastmilk helps babies to calm and wind down for sleep. ✅
If you are struggling to get your breastfed baby down for a daytime nap and you are following a feed-play-sleep routine - this is why 🤷‍♀️
If your baby’s weight is slowing and you are following a feed-play-sleep routine this maybe why? 🤷‍♀️
If your milk production is slowing or struggling and you are following this routine this may be the problem 🤷‍♀️
Breastfeeding is not always “full meals”. Breastfeeding is “responsive feeding”, grazing or snack feeds ARE normal!!! Just like you reach for your drink bottle or another cuppa multiple times a day, it’s NORMAL for a baby as they move out of the newborn phase to feed very adhoc and non routinely during the day. They feed according not only to hunger but to thirst and for emotional needs. Your breastmilk is designed to help with inducing sleep. You don’t have to feed to sleep ( although this is biologically normal), offering your baby another quick feed before sleep is your super power , it helps , it is normal and is how breastfeeding works ✅
It’s difficult when routine baby advice is given, as it doesn’t factor in the breastfed baby 🤷‍♀️
These routines are designed for bottle fed babies. They are touted as the norm but can run a breastfeeding mumma into problems 😐

Eastern Ranges Lactation

19/12/2025

17/12/2025

10/12/2025

04/12/2025

29/11/2025

25/11/2025

20/11/2025

16/11/2025

04/11/2025

31/10/2025

24/10/2025

17/10/2025

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