Shona Cassels - Lactation Consultant

28/08/2025

Why do only some tongue ties cause feeding problems? 👅✨

It’s not about what it looks like — it’s about how (and if) it actually restricts tongue function. A baby needs their tongue to move freely to latch comfortably (no pain) for mum and to drink milk efficiently and effectively.

When a tongue tie limits tongue movement it can show up in different ways:
🥛 Baby not transferring enough milk → slow weight gain or frequent feeds
😣 Ni**le pain or damage → from a shallow or sub-optimal latch
⏳ Marathon feeds or very short, inefficient feeds → baby tires quickly or feeds endlessly without getting “milk drunk” satisfaction
🌙 Unsettled behaviour → still hungry, fussy or not sleeping well

But here’s the key: not every tongue tie causes problems, and not every feeding problem is due to a tongue tie.

That’s why we always look at the whole picture — your baby’s oral function, feeding effectiveness, and your nipple/breast comfort. If you’re concerned, come and see us at the Mum and Baby Clinic for a comprehensive assessment. 💛
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21/08/2025

“Sleeping like a baby” – what does this look like in real life?

Newborn babies may sleep 14-17 hours a day – but all babies have unique sleep needs, with some needing less (or more) sleep in total (anywhere from 10 to 22 hours per 24 hours!)

Babies only sleep in short blocks, maybe 30mins to a couple of hours at a time.

Babies have shorter sleep cycles than adults – around 50-60mins – and they spend about half of their sleeping in light/active sleep (when they can be very wriggly and grunty).

A newborn’s light (active) sleep is at the beginning of a sleep cycle, and they take longer to enter a deep sleep. This is why most of them need some cuddles and contact to help them get into a deep sleep. This doesn’t spoil them, it helps them be calm so they can sleep well, and it builds connection and security.

Newborn babies don’t have a circadian rhythm (body clock). This means they wake and feed through the day and the night. We can help them develop their body clock by keeping them with us day and night, so they experience the light and activity of daytime and the darkness and safety of night.

Babies sleep patterns change and develop over the first few years of life without us doing anything. Sleep is a developmental process - we don’t have to “teach” them to sleep. Instead we can support them to take the sleep they need, and adapt that support as their sleep needs change.

Got questions about your baby’s sleep? Comment below, come along to our Mum and Baby Group sessions or book an appointment with us.

14/08/2025

Breastfeeding should NOT hurt.

It doesn’t matter if someone says the latch “looks right”, if it doesn’t FEEL right (or it downright hurts like hell!), it’s not right!

There isn’t one breastfeeding “method” or position that will guarantee a perfect latch for every baby.

Your breasts are unique and so is your baby, so getting them to fit together comfortably can take a bit of practice, and sometimes requires some individualised support.

If you have painful breastfeeding and what you’re doing isn’t working for you, book an appointment with us.

13/08/2025

Looking for support with breastfeeding your baby? There are lots of ways I can help you find your happy feed!

🏡 Home visit – private breastfeeding support session in the comfort of your own home.

🛋️ Clinic appointment – at Robina and Hope Island
1. Private breastfeeding support session with me.
Or
2. ⭐️ Mum + Baby Clinic ⭐️ with - shared sessions to meet all your post-partum and early parenting needs, including feeding, sleeping, health and bonding, all in one convenient location.

To book a clinic appointment:
Medical on Robina - call 5690 1290
Hope Island Medical Centre - call 5510 8199

💻 Telehealth/Online/Phone Consultation – ideal for many breastfeeding questions and challenges.

I can help you overcome feeding problems, learn about your baby’s sleep, settling and behaviour, get more sleep yourself, and navigate any parenting concerns.

More info and links in bio, or DM/SMS if you need help to decide which appointment would work best for you and your little one 💜.
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07/08/2025

There are lots of different ways to latch your baby.

Breastfeeding positions are as individual as you and your baby, and there isn’t one “magic” way or method that’s going to work for everyone.

We know from research that babies latch better when they are positioned so they are lying “tummy against mummy” and there is close contact between mum and baby.

Getting this positioning is easier if a mum gets into a more laid-back posture. We usually suggest that you choose the comfy seat that you’d use if you were going to binge-watch your favourite series on Netflix!

You might see this type of positioning and latching described as baby-led attachment, laid-back breastfeeding, “biological nurturing” (which is a registered trademark) or natural breastfeeding.

Whatever it’s called, it taps into a baby’s natural and inborn instinctive behaviours which lead them to seek the breast and latch on.

Which breastfeeding position works best for you?
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31/07/2025

At clinic we often meet mums who’ve been told that that their breasts or their ni***es are too small/too large (or “too” something else) to be able to breastfeed or to make enough milk. This is simply not true.

Breasts and ni***es naturally come in all shapes and sizes.

Your baby doesn’t know any different - they only know your breasts.

Also, the size of your breasts does NOT indicate how much milk you can make. The SIZE of your breasts is mostly determined by how much FAT is in them.

It’s the milk-making tissue in your breasts that determines your breast milk CAPACITY - and even though different mums will have different breast milk capacities, each of us can still make enough milk each day.

Smaller breasts don’t necessarily make less milk, and larger breasts don’t make more!

Getting YOUR breasts to work well with YOUR baby/babies can take practice, so if you’re experiencing challenges with feeding then book an appointment with us.
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13/05/2025

It was lovely to meet so many mums and babies at our first Mum + Baby group session yesterday! 💜
This group is every Tuesday at 11am at and everyone is welcome.
A list of our upcoming topics will be available soon and you can register your interest via the link in my bio.
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15/03/2025

We still don’t have power at home but Liz and Rich at The Village B&B have been keeping our bellies full and raising our spirits. Thank you! 🥰💜🙏

03/03/2025

Be prepared, not scared 💜

This is "Emergencies - Preparing for a disaster" by Australian Breastfeeding Assn on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

19/02/2025

Have you seen this latest supposed sleep hack? (One in a long line of things “guaranteed” to make your little one sleep longer 🙄)
It doesn’t work and this article explains why - link in bio.
If you’re struggling with your baby’s sleep, don’t give them butter - instead reach out to someone like me or who can help you.
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11/02/2025

I think this is on the ABC tomorrow night.

🚨 BIG NEWS! 🚨

Who watches Hard Quiz? If you don't, maybe you would like to watch this one 👀
One of our very own, Jen, took on the ultimate trivia show—HARD QUIZ! 🎤
Her expert topic? BREASTFEEDING! (Of course! We wouldn’t expect anything less. So… did she conquer the quiz? Did Tom Gleeson go easy on her? You'll have to watch to find out! 👀
📅 Airing: ABC & iView – Wednesday, 12 February 2025
We’re so proud to see Jen sharing her knowledge and passion. She put breastfeeding in the spotlight—and that’s a champion move! 🎉

14/01/2025

The only cookies you need. 🥰

I have a problem with lactation cookies being available all over the place as if people who have issues with low milk supply are simply cookie- deficient.

So why show cookies? Well, I got tired of saying that the recommendation for newborn feeding is at least 8-12 feedings every 24 hours, not every 2-3 hours. I get it- 8 and 12 into 24 make every 2-3 hours sound reasonable, but babies don't know how to tell time. We are often teaching that we need to watch for feeding cues as long as we are feeding every 2-3 hours, which is confusing. Plus, we know that sleeping babies often stay asleep if you try to wake them to eat. We need to focus more on the number of feedings rather than the time in between.

So- cookies. I like Oreos because you can stack them. You stack 8 (or 12 or more -whatever goal we want to set) and every time you feed the baby, you eat a cookie and when the pile is gone, you win. We get a new stack every day.

Picture is a stack of 8 Oreos, taken real time by a mama who is rocking this!