Breastfeeding & Beyond - Dr Melody Jackson

31/12/2025

2025, a reflection.

As this year comes to a close, I’m holding it less in milestones and more in moments.

2025 was a year of complexity and care. Of deep listening. Of stories shared quietly in consult rooms, and the reminder—again and again—that infant feeding is never just about milk, but about bodies, histories, nervous systems, families, and trust.

It was a year of growth and stretching, of teaching and learning in equal measure, and of continuing to advocate for trauma-informed, compassionate, evidence-based breastfeeding medicine.

There were heavy days and deeply affirming ones. What remained constant was the privilege of this work—walking alongside families in vulnerable seasons, and witnessing their strength up close.

As I look toward 2026, I’m carrying forward what mattered most: connection over perfection, curiosity over certainty, and care that centres the whole person.

Thank you to everyone who was part of my 2025 🤍

28/12/2025

Sometimes our feelings only feel overwhelming because they’re crowded together, competing for space inside us.
And then we speak them aloud — gently, safely — and something shifts.
Not because the feelings disappear, but because they finally have room to breathe.
Talking doesn’t erase the hard things.
It softens them.
Organises them.
Makes them bearable in the light of connection.

24/12/2025

Christmas has a way of magnifying things.
The love.
The tiredness.
The ache of what’s missing.

May you be kind to yourself in the moments that feel big.
Wishing you softness, rest, and enough light to get through the day you’re in. ✨🎄

17/12/2025

Congratulations .kate.jenkins 🎉 You are amazing 🤩

16/12/2025

Book club dinner + secret santa exchange + good company + me quietly sliding my new book onto the table like 👀📖 (nope I wasn’t joking last month when i said I was about to publish a book 😂)
So grateful for this team and the conversations we get to have together.
These are my people. 💛📚

05/12/2025

Christmas party with the crew who make work feel lighter and life feel fuller.
Colleen — our superstar PM, the calm-in-the-chaos glue who keeps the whole practice stitched together;
Elesa and Jen — our front-desk powerhouses who greet you with smiles and make magic happen;
Kate — the colleague who brings warmth and joy and makes this work feel brighter;
and Imad — the man who works nonstop, cares deeply, and believes every meeting is improved by at least one questionable joke.
Without each of you, this practice would not be possible.
Hearts full, bellies full, dream team forever. ✨🎄

04/12/2025

Can babies have cow’s milk? 🥛 Let’s clear it up.
The guidelines have changed – and it’s important to know what’s safe and supportive for your baby’s growth.
👶 From 6 months:
✅ Full-cream cow’s milk can be used as the main milk drink if breastmilk is not available.
🍽️ This is only appropriate if your baby is also eating a variety of solid foods that contain enough iron (like meat, legumes, or iron-fortified cereals).
🚫 Cow’s milk alone doesn’t have enough iron, so solids are key.
👶 Still breastfeeding? Wonderful. Breastmilk continues to meet your baby’s nutritional needs and supports their immune system. There’s no need to introduce cow’s milk if you’re breastfeeding and offering iron-rich solids.
👶 Formula feeding? Cow’s milk may be a suitable alternative after 6 months, especially if formula is inaccessible or not tolerated – but check with your healthcare provider first, particularly if there are concerns about nutrition, weight gain, or allergy risk. Remember, formula is a highly processed food and the iron is not easily bio-available, and the World Health Organisation now recommends that cows milk can be given instead, from six months, and if the infant is also having other iron-rich foods.
💡 After 12 months:
Cow’s milk is commonly used as a toddler’s milk drink, ideally no more than 500 mL/day to avoid impacting iron intake. There is absolutely no need, ever, for toddler formula. This is a marketing strategy from the formula industry.
✨ As always, feeding decisions should fit your baby, your body, and your family. There’s no one right way – just informed, supported choices.

Reference:https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/health-advice/public-health/nutrition/infant-feeding-guidelines

03/12/2025

It’s been a busy day here! I started early this morning (and finished later tonight) marking some medical student interviews for doctors of the future. We are in good hands! Next up was a cup-filling networking session for our NSW Breastfeeding Medicine Network. A clinic day squeezed between school drop off and pick up, kid’s sporting activities, and we’ve just clocked off an advocacy meeting to try to map out where we can contribute to a better future for breastfeeding parents. Time for bed!
drmelodyjackson

03/12/2025

Great care begins with trusted, evidence-based guidance. Here are 3 quick tips for putting the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine’s protocols into practice:

Protocols are updated regularly, so always reference the most current version to align with best practices.

Review them with your team or trainees to ensure consistent, evidence-based care.

Every dyad is unique. Apply each protocol through the lens of your patient’s individual needs and circumstances.

Membership gives you full access to protocols, the Breastfeeding Medicine journal, and a global network of clinicians shaping standards in 70+ countries. Learn more at https://bit.ly/4oyHGwU.

02/12/2025

Birth trauma isn’t just about what happened – it’s about how it was experienced.
Many parents are surprised to learn that birth trauma can occur even when the baby is healthy. It’s deeply personal and can stem from a variety of factors, including:
✨ Feeling powerless or unheard – when your voice isn’t included in decisions about your care.
✨ Loss of control – sudden changes or interventions you weren’t prepared for.
✨ Lack of compassionate support – feeling alone or unsupported by caregivers.
✨ Experiencing intense fear for your own life or your baby’s life.
✨ Physical pain, injury, or complications.
✨ Previous trauma – past experiences can resurface in labour, magnifying distress.
💡 Why this matters: When we focus only on outcomes (like a healthy baby) we can overlook the emotional impact of birth. Recognising these factors helps us support parents with empathy and validation.
If you or someone you love is struggling after birth, please know: you are not alone, and help is available.
drmelodyjackson BreastfeedingSupport PostpartumCare TraumaInformedCare ParentingSupport BabyHealth BreastfeedingJourney ParentingTips PostpartumRecovery SydneyMums NewMums

01/12/2025

I rarely do home visits these days, which made this one feel especially lovely. Care lands differently when it sits beside the everyday — toys on the floor, chatter in the kitchen, little hands reaching in. Such a privilege to be welcomed in ❤️

drmelodyjackson BreastfeedingSupport PostpartumCare TraumaInformedCare ParentingSupport BabyHealth BreastfeedingJourney ParentingTips PostpartumRecovery SydneyMums NewMums

30/11/2025

Are you working in the breastfeeding medicine space? We’d love to hear from you!

***CALL FOR ABSTRACTS***

Have you been doing research in the field of breastfeeding or perinatal medicine?

Do you have an interesting case study that you would like to share?

Do you have practice experience that others would benefit from?

If so, BMNANZ invites you to submit your lactation and breastfeeding related abstracts for a poster and/or podium presentation at our 2026 national conference in Sydney May 2-3.

For more information, and to submit your abstract, please click:
https://na.eventscloud.com/website/90486/poster-abstracts/

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