Rebecca Scott-Pillai, IBCLC and Sleep Coach

Rebecca Scott-Pillai, IBCLC and Sleep Coach IBCLC, holistic sleep coach, and newborn specialist. I offer breastfeeding consultations, help with your child's sleep, and support with newborn babies.

I am an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and sleep coach working out of Lisburn. I am available to visit you at home to help with breastfeeding issues, or we can do an online consultation too. I've worked with families around the world! I love finding responsive and gentle solutions to parenting issues. You can book a free consultation with me here: www.rebeccascottpillai.co.uk/booking

When is the best time to book a consultation with an IBCLC? I've noticed a trend over the last few months... I'm seeing ...
24/04/2026

When is the best time to book a consultation with an IBCLC?

I've noticed a trend over the last few months... I'm seeing a lot of babies around the 6-8 week mark. I think because mums are often told that breastfeeding gets easier by 6-8 weeks and so they hold out, waiting for it to get better.

Also, I appreciate that with the cost of living, investing in a breastfeeding consultation may be an expense that you don't want to make if you don't have to. So some mums are waiting as long as they can.

However, I would suggest that if you are struggling with either of the following issues; booking a consultation sooner, rather than later, would be helpful:

SLOW WEIGHT GAIN

If your baby has lost more than 10% of their birthweight, isn't gaining around 30 g per day from day 3 onwards, or isn't back up to their birthweight by day 14, it would be a good idea to book a consultation as quickly as possible. This is because your milk supply is very sensitive to stimulation in the first 4 weeks. Slow weight gain and low milk supply are two sides of the same coin. The sooner you can identify why your baby isn't gaining weight adequately, and get a robust plan in place, the more likely you are to increase your milk supply and get to point where you are exclusively breastfeeding. It is much harder to get up to full supply after 4-6 weeks.

In a consultation we look at:
- your baby's latch and suck - are they able to transfer milk well at the breast?
- how to best stimulate your milk supply in the easiest way possible (hint: we try to do this through breastfeeding first, and pumping as a last resort).
- if top ups are needed, we make sure that they support breastfeeding and weight gain, rather than replacing breastfeeding.
- you get an exit plan if you do have to pump - we want breastfeeding to be sustainable long term.

IF THE LATCH IS STILL PAINFUL/THERE IS NI**LE DAMAGE AFTER 10 DAYS

There will probably be some ni**le pain at the start of the feed for the first few days. Think of 10 seconds at the start of the feed for 10 days. Then it should be comfortable, and your ni**le should look normal after the feed. If this is the case, you probably don't need a consultation. It should get better with time.

Ni**le damage is never normal, so if you want a consultation sooner than 10 days obviously, that is fine. But definitely if there is still damage after 10 days book ASAP.

Likewise, if the feed is painful the whole way through a feed, there is something not quite right. If someone tells you "the latch looks fine", it certainly isn't fine on the inside, so something needs fixed!

Babies' brains are laying down pathways and learning how the world works from day 1. The sooner you get help with fixing painful feeding, the easier it is to mould those little brains to learn how to latch and feed. It is much harder to change a painful latch at 6-8 weeks!

If you're still on the fence about booking a breastfeeding consultation, why not download my FREE breastfeeding troubleshooting guide first? It's packed full of tips to help you navigate the first few days of breastfeeding: https://rebeccascottpillai.co.uk/breastfeeding-troubleshooting-guide-2/

22/04/2026

🤱🤱How to make a shallow latch more comfortable AFTER latching a baby on, without unlatching them. 🤱🤱

I know… sometimes you’re just so glad they’re latched on you don’t want to move in case the pain gets worse. But try these little position changes. They usually make a big difference. Just go for teeny tiny movements.

If you want some face to face support, I’m an IBCLC based in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. You can book a one to one appointment at my weekly clinic in Lisburn or request a home visit (within reasonable driving distance).

Link to book in bio or send me a DM.

15/04/2026

What if your baby doesn’t open their mouth wide to latch on??

I see mums in my clinic every week who say “I just can’t get them to open wide!” It’s so frustrating. And painful on the old nips.

So… why does it happen?

Sometimes it’s because babies just aren’t in a good position to engage the feeding reflexes. A laid back position, with baby lying tummy to tummy, with their little legs spread out a bit (froggy legs) so that the inside of their thighs are in contact with your body helps to trigger those reflexes. Get the chin in contact with the breast below the ni**le (see my last reel) and boom! Often you get a great latch.

Or maybe babies are just really scrunched up and tight around their neck and shoulders. They’ve maybe run out of room towards the end of the pregnancy and their muscles just need to stretch a bit. Or perhaps they’ve been lying in an awkward position during labour and you’ve ended up with some interventions so they are a bit stiff or sore.

Letting them lie on your chest helps them stretch out a bit AND it’s a great position for breastfeeding. I usually show parents of these babies how to do a guppy pose with their baby as it stretches the neck muscles - just make sure your baby’s head is well supported and you don’t overextend the neck. Usually babies open their mouth wider after this.

That bobbing back and forth? It’s usually because a baby knows that they need to do something with their head but the muscles are too tight for them to tip their head back. So instead the whole head and chest move back! They just need to loosen up the neck muscles.

And the slurpy latch? I see this so often! Either because of muscular tightness around the jaw or because baby has had bottles early on that have been pushed into a closed mouth. So baby learns that they get milk without opening their mouth wide. Some gentle massage around the ear and jaw, lying on your chest, the guppy stretch, can help. And if you are giving bottles, run the teat from nose to chin to elicit that big wide gape - you’ll reinforce that they need to do it on the breast too.

You can also adjust the latch once they are on the breast - see my next reel!

NAPS IN A DARK ROOM - YES OR NO?I've seen an increasing number of clients over the last couple of years who are napping ...
11/04/2026

NAPS IN A DARK ROOM - YES OR NO?

I've seen an increasing number of clients over the last couple of years who are napping their babies in pitch black rooms (or rooms that are as dark as possible). And they've contacted me because sleep isn't great.

So... right there is a clue there as to whether you should be napping your baby in a dark room or not!

I will say this, however: What is your priority? Is it long naps during the day? Or, is it better sleep at night? If you want long naps, carry on. If your priority is better sleep at night, you may want to rethink naps in a dark room.

And anyone who recommends naps in a dark room doesn't really understand sleep biology. So, a quick recap:

We have two mechanisms that help us sleep: circadian rhythm (or body clock) and sleep pressure. Night sleep happens because we make melatonin in response to darkness before bedtime, AND because of high sleep pressure. Naps happen only because of sleep pressure. Sleep pressure rises quicker in babies than it does in adults, so they need naps. The younger the baby, the quicker sleep pressure rises.

Lots of exposure to natural light during the day strengthens the circadian rhythm and promotes better night sleep. So, lots of darkness during the day can disrupt night sleep. Your baby won't make as much melatonin at night time, when you want them to sleep!

But what if your baby won't nap in bright daylight? Well, it is ok to close curtains, but my rule of thumb is that it shouldn't be so dark that you can't read a book. And if you have a newborn, start out as you mean to go on: nap them in broad daylight so that their body starts to develop a strong circadian rhythm ASAP.

Want some help with your baby’s sleep?

I offer gentle, breastfeeding friendly and science based sleep support.

www.rebeccascottpillai.co.uk/sleep/

3 things health care professionals say that keep me in a job. So first off, I am not knocking midwives, health visitors ...
09/04/2026

3 things health care professionals say that keep me in a job.

So first off, I am not knocking midwives, health visitors and GP's. Most are excellent and give good breastfeeding support. However, there are three things I hear regularly that women have been told, before they see me:

1. "The latch looks fine."

If feeding is painful, the latch isn't fine. Look, I KNOW there were times when I was a midwife that I knew something wasn't right with the latch, but I didn't know what to do about it. And I'll be honest, as an IBCLC there are occasionally times (thankfully not that often) when we have optimised everything as much as we can with the latch and it still isn't comfortable. And I'll be honest with a client and say "I don't know what else we can try at this point". But I acknowledge that discomfort is a sign that something isn't quite right.

Conversely, if feeding is comfortable, baby is transferring milk well, and your ni**le is a normal shape at the end of a feed, it doesn't matter what the latch looks like. Essentially... the way the latch looks means very little. And there is LOADS we can do to make feeding more comfortable even if it "looks ok".

2. "You need to keep them on one side for longer so they can get the hindmilk."

This is absolutely the worst advice if your baby is slow to gain weight or you have a low milk supply. Switching more often gets more milk into a baby and stimulates your milk supply much better. Babies gain weight by the total volume of milk they get NOT the composition of the milk. Your baby gets less milk over time the longer they stay on one breast.

3. "You need to give a top up of 50-60 mls at most feeds." (with no plan to get off top ups)

Sometimes top ups are necessary. But an average breastfeed is around 65 mls. So a large top up essentially replaces a feed. And then a baby sleeps for longer and breastfeeds less. And then you bottlefeed more...

I usually recommend small top ups (around 15 mls a few times a day) given BEFORE a breastfeed. And then you need a plan to increase milk supply and get off top ups. Triple feeding (where you breastfeed, bottlefeed and pump) is extremely time consuming so you need an exit plan!

07/04/2026

Want a deeper latch? Don’t try to centre your ni**le in your baby’s mouth. Their mouth is not a bullseye target! 🎯

And what if your baby doesn’t open their mouth wide? There’s a solution for that too… make sure you’re following to find out.

I offer 1-2-1 breastfeeding consultations in Lisburn and the surrounding areas. Send me a DM to find out if I can help.

Breastfed babies feed A LOT. It's really common for very young babies to want to feed very frequently, often feeding hou...
06/04/2026

Breastfed babies feed A LOT. It's really common for very young babies to want to feed very frequently, often feeding hourly, and cluster feeding in the evening. Or they may just want to hang out on the b**b!

There are lots of reasons why this happens:
🤱They have tiny tummies (about the size of their fist) so need to eat little and often.
🤱In the early days, feeding creates the demand for milk, so feeding increases your milk supply.
🤱Growth spurts mean more feeding.
🤱Babies suck because it soothes and calms them.
🤱Being in your arms helps regulate and reassure them.

It can feel really overwhelming though.

It might help to:
🤱Watch your baby, not the clock. Look for the feeding cues and go with it, rather than wondering do they *really* need to feed again so soon. They need *something*, and the breast is always a good place to start.
🤱Tell yourself it's nature's way of making you rest after the birth.
🤱Get organized! Get a basket with snacks, a water bottle or insulated cup, the tv remote, your phone and more snacks, and a stack of muslin cloths for burping (or as a tablecloth for your baby's head when you're eating all the snacks!). Find a comfy feeding spot and have your basket nearby.
🤱Ask for help. I know it's not always possible, but enlist help, if you can, with household tasks. Nurturing a baby is important work.
🤱Get a sling. Babies LOVE sleeping in slings, and in between feeds it gives you a chance to go for a walk, or do a bit of housework, if you have no choice but to do it yourself.

If you're worried about your baby's behaviour or feeding pattern, I can help!

01/04/2026

As I said in my last post, interventions in labour can make a baby sleepy, slow to feed or make latching harder.

Three things you can do are:
- skin to skin contact,
- stimulating your milk supply and giving this colostrum to your baby,
- trying a few little tricks to improve the latch.

It may take a bit more work, but babies are primed to breastfeed. If you give them the support they need, they’ll get there!

And if you’re struggling with breastfeeding, I offer face to face consultations in Lisburn, Northern Ireland and the surrounding areas.

Are you shocked to find out that around 80% of the women I see for a breastfeeding consultation have had some sort of in...
14/01/2026

Are you shocked to find out that around 80% of the women I see for a breastfeeding consultation have had some sort of intervention in labour?

And that only about 5% of the first time mums I see have had a completely normal birth, with no intervention?

By intervention I mean:
- induction of labour,
-augmentation of labour (getting waters broken, a drip to speed up labour),
-vacuum or forceps delivery,
-Caesarean section.

So, does an intervention in labour (or NOT having a normal labour and birth) mean you will definitely have breastfeeding problems?

Well, not always. There are women who have quite complicated births who go on to breastfeed without any issues. And having a straight forward normal birth doesn't guarantee a straightforward breastfeeding experience either.

But we know that interventions in labour DO have an impact on breastfeeding, and CAN increase the risk of problems. Just a few examples:

➡The use of synthetic oxytocin (which is used to increase contraction strength) can have an impact on the feeding reflexes during the first few hours of life.

➡Additionally, the use of synthetic oxytocin often requires stronger pain relief. Pethidine and diamorphine can make a baby sleepy and slow to feed for a day or two.

➡Epidurals also reduce those early feeding cues from babies.

➡Vacuum and forceps sometimes cause bruising and swelling which affect how babies latch and feed.

➡Caesarean sections can mean that it takes a bit longer for your milk to "come in".

BTW, I am NOT saying that you shouldn't have an intervention or pain relief in labour. Sometimes they are very necessary, and can be life saving.

What I AM suggesting is that if you need an intervention in labour, that you are aware of some really simple steps you can take to counter-act the effects and increase your chances of success at breastfeeding.

Read my next post to find out what the three most important things are.

So, before I go further, let me say that if you are worried about your baby or you think they are unwell, it's always a ...
05/01/2026

So, before I go further, let me say that if you are worried about your baby or you think they are unwell, it's always a good idea to chat to someone who can assess them and rule out any medical issues.

I'm also not suggesting you should ignore your baby and not respond to them.

However...

Babies, especially newborn babies, tend to be fussy from time to time. They have an immature nervous system that dysregulates easily. They are adjusting to being born. Sometimes they dysregulate even when there is nothing physically wrong.

It is really common for newborn babies to be fussy in the evening, usually at its most intense between 6 and 8 weeks of age. It's hard for us as parents to watch, because we want them to be calm. It's normal to worry that they are in pain.

Our brains are problem solving machines, and this problem solving ability goes into overdrive when we have just had a baby, especially because you want them to be calm. You can go down a Google rabbit hole trying to work out what's wrong. You ask yourself:
Are they overstimulated?
Do they have an allergy?
Are they overtired?
Are they hungry?
Do they have reflux?
Do they have trapped wind?

I've been there too. I know just how worrying it can be.

But, before you go down the rabbit hole, start with the basics.

Take a big deep breath, and calm yourself. Maybe it helps to tell yourself "This isn't an emergency. I can be calm and help my baby to calm."

Give your baby some physical contact. Bring them up onto your chest, or try the tiger in the tree pose. Skin to skin contact can work wonders.

Perhaps you need to change their environment - try a different room, or put some music on, turn a light on/off, add in some movement, hand them to another adult, try a warm bath.

Offer something for them to suck on. If you are breastfeeding, offer a feed.

And you know what?

It may be that NONE of these suggestions work, and you just have to ride it out for a few hours. Because sometimes they are just fussy. Not in pain. Not gassy. Just babies being babies.

Remember: you aren't failing if your baby is fussy. If you are there for them, eventually they will be calm. It's hard, but it's not your fault.

What's your approach to the clock change? There is no perfect way to do it.Are you a careful planner, changing all your ...
19/10/2025

What's your approach to the clock change? There is no perfect way to do it.

Are you a careful planner, changing all your timings by 15 minutes every few days, so that the adjustment is barely noticeable? This approach can work really well for children that are sensitive to time changes and are very routine driven.

Or do you wing it? Let everyone lie in on Sunday and change the times on that day? This approach can work really well if everyone hates getting up in the morning.

I'm most definitely a winger. This year will be easier than most because my kids have naturally started sleeping later in the mornings. Even my youngest, who has always been a resolute early bird, needs to be woken up for school these days! I'm hoping with the clock change, he goes to bed a bit earlier and wakes a bit earlier, but I won't hold my breath. I reckon by the end of next week he'll be back to his 9 pm - 7 am schedule.

Hopefully the clock change works out ok for all of you parents who have young ones up with lark. If you're already struggling with early wakes, this clock change can make those even harder! My article on early waking may be of help: https://rebeccascottpillai.co.uk/sleep/is-your-child-waking-too-early-in-the-morning/

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