Cherished Parenting Services

10/11/2025

Guess what I did last week?

I visited Maymom - in Taiwan!

My daughter and I have been on a little holiday and part of that was visiting Taiwan, and I was lucky enough to be able to arrange a visit to their warehouse.

Mr Li and his team very graciously showed me how they operate - he took me on a tour as if I was one of their products, following the path that the products take from when they arrive , to how they are put together, packaged, and then shipped out to stockists all over the world.

After almost 10yrs of selling their products I am so happy that I can finally put names to faces. And I'm so impressed with their quality control and the care they take in packaging the items.

23/10/2025

Skin to skin is not just something nice to do after baby is born for bonding. It helps both the mother and baby transition physiologically after birth

It helps baby regulate their heart rate, breathing, temperature, blood sugar levels, etc. Plus it helps the mother release oxytocin and prolactin, and the little feet pressing on the lower abdomen helps massage the uterus down - all this starts lactation and decreases bleeding for the mother

Being born is the most physiologically stressful thing we will ever experience - it is very necessary and not bad, like we would consider stress later in life, but it is a big deal for such a small body. Making a newborn baby recover after such a stressful event may be 'unethical', as they say I'm the summary of a Cochrane Review (link in comments)

The WHO recommends at least 1hr of uninterrupted skin to skin after birth and says that at least 80% of mothers and babies should be able to achieve this. Yet in my study competed in 2022 only 55% of WA mothers and babies may be getting at least 1hr...

If you don't get to have immediate and uninterrupted skin-to-skin it's not the end of the world though - just do it as soon and for as long as possible when you can.

And skin-to-skin can be done at any time, not just birth - it's great for breastfeeding and to help calm little nervous systems

16/10/2025

Excited to start off the LCANZ pre-conference workshops with my Setting up and striving in private practice workshop

11/10/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19rYpGFi41/

04/10/2025

A great few hours spent this morning teaching 26 med students (held at the RACGP offices in Leederville and organised by SPINRPHEX) about breastfeeding.

They said they learnt so much and that I dispelled many myths health professionals unfortunately usually pass onto new parents and then lead can to breastfeeding issues

09/09/2025

Are you wondering if you need to express milk after birth to boost your supply?

I am hearing a lot of mothers being told they HAVE to express after birth to increase their supply

So is this necessary or just another piece of misinformation?

In my latest blog post I'll into this important topic, shedding light on the natural process of breastfeeding and when extra steps might be necessary.

If you're navigating the early days of feeding your baby, I would love to support you - feel free to get in touch or book an appointment

This is something I am hearing more and more – ‘the midwives in the hospital said I had to express, but there was no issue with baby feeding directly’. The simple answer? No - you should not need to express to increase or maintain your supply if your baby is feeding effectively. In fact, if ex...

07/09/2025

I wish I had a magic wand.

A breastfeeding wand.

I’d wave it over every parent who wants to breastfeed, and just like that - pain would vanish, breastmilk would flow, and parents would know the correct information.

But even after nearly eight years as an IBCLC, I haven’t found that wand.

Often, my knowledge and experience are enough to resolve breastfeeding challenges. But sometimes, the issues are complex.

Sometimes I miss a subtle clue, or the cause isn’t what it first seems.

What I do know is this:
I want to help you breastfeed.
I want to help you understand your newborn.
And I want you to know—it’s unlikely that any difficulties are your fault.

Most breastfeeding challenges stem from misinformation or a lack of good support.

My promise is to offer you the best, most accurate information I can. I’m always learning, always seeking out new education to deepen my understanding.

I’m not the kind of practitioner who says, “Let’s book another appointment in two weeks,” unless it’s truly needed or you really want it. I never want you to feel pressured. But you’re always welcome to come back. If things aren’t improving, let me know - I’ll reassess, revisit, and do whatever I can to help you reach your breastfeeding goals.

Appointments are available this week

06/09/2025

So interesting!

I definitely held my daughter on my left, it just felt 'unnatural' to hold her on my right. I thought my body was just out of alignment (it's definitely out now from all that holding!)

I wonder if this has something to do with why more mothers make more milk on their right than in their left...🤔

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1G2u28MvPM/

03/09/2025

I've just seen this photo come up from last year's Perth Pregnancy and Postnatal Expo (organised by Vicki Hobbs, photo by Cat Fancote - sorry, my Facebook is really bad at tagging).

I and my mini me helper (aka my daughter) won't be able to make it this year, but all the products are available year round.

Visit my website or get in touch for details

23/08/2025

I'll just leave this here...

https://www.facebook.com/share/14EZf4rp3qA/

18/08/2025

Hence why midwives warn 'September is coming'!