Jess The Midwife

05/03/2026

Our little Almond has arrived 💙

Ruaidhri was born at home, tumbling into the pool in our living room on 26.2.26 at 41 weeks + 5 days.

Ruaidhri means the Red King/ Red Haired King in Irish, and is pronounced “Ruree”.

We are soaking up all the newborn cuddles 💙

19/02/2026

My “due date” came and went…..

03/02/2026

Here is my first attempt at Antenatal hand expressing to see if I can collect any colostrum before my baby arrives.

I got a few drops from one side, and nothing from the other side.

This is completely normal.

It wasn’t enough to collect in a syringe, so I just rubbed it into a cut I had on my arm (it’s full of antibodies and healing properties).

antenataleducation pregnancy 36weekspregnant pregnant breastfeedingclass breastfeedingclassmelbourne expressing pumping breastmilkstorage labourandbirthprep newmum newbaby melbournepregnancy australianpregnancy babyregister

03/02/2026

Now that I’m over 36 weeks pregnant I’m going to start practicing antenatal expressing to see if I can collect any colostrum before my baby arrives.

I’ll be using my All-In-One Antenatal Expressing Kit which you can buy from my online store. These make a great baby shower gift.

Let me know if you have any questions about collecting colostrum in pregnancy.

colostrum antenataleducation pregnancy 36weekspregnant pregnant breastfeedingclass breastfeedingclassmelbourne expressing pumping breastmilkstorage labourandbirthprep newmum newbaby melbournepregnancy australianpregnancy babyregister

03/02/2026

01/01/2026

Picked up this change table off Facebook marketplace and decided to give it a bit of a glow up

25/12/2025

Putting the finishing touches on my husband’s Christmas present

10/12/2025

Today looks like: WFH and my midwife appointment ❤️

09/12/2025

Got some story books for our little Almond. Started kicking straight away with “Bran ag obair”

01/12/2025

❤️‍🩹Healing, Birth and Empowerment 💪💚

This is a little snippet of my chat with Jess The Midwife on the Parenting Collective Podcast. Jess is a passionate Midwife, IBCLC Lactation Consultant, HypnoBirthing & Antenatal Educator, and Australia’s first Birth Trauma Resolution Therapist.

Jess is redefining what it means to feel supported through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She provides compassionate care for families navigating both the beauty and the challenges of birth, especially for those healing from birth trauma. Whether in person in Melbourne or online across the globe, her work is filled with warmth, empathy and empowerment.

We spoke about everything from colostrum collection before birth, to breastfeeding preparation, to finding emotional safety after a traumatic birth. Jess’s All-In-One Antenatal Expressing Kit is such a brilliant tool for new mums wanting to feel confident and ready and her insights on trauma healing are simply powerful.

This episode is a must listen for anyone wanting to feel more informed, prepared, and emotionally supported on their parenting journey. Jess is the gentle guide every new parent deserves by their side.

🎙️Watch the full conversation here → https://youtu.be/0cqxo7ZUbT0?si=lIYwfqwx4Lfxh889

💛 Follow Jess:
Website: https://www.jessthemidwife.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess.themidwife

✨ Let’s keep normalising these conversations so no mum feels like she has to carry her story in silence.

Much Love
Donna 💗

25/11/2025

Things are getting real ❤️