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

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/

We often have this image of "perfect" breastfeeding. Sometimes breastfeeding isn't perfect, but is still perfectly adequ...
14/10/2025

We often have this image of "perfect" breastfeeding. Sometimes breastfeeding isn't perfect, but is still perfectly adequate and functional. Here are some instances:

🤱The latch looks shallow but it's comfortable and baby is feeding well.
➡️ We put WAY too much emphasis on what the latch looks like.

🤱You make just enough milk for your baby, you don't have a stash in the freezer.
➡️ If your baby is gaining weight well and following their centile line, you're making enough!

🤱Your baby has a preference for one breast and may feed more frequently from that side.
➡️There can be a number of reasons for this, often just because one side has more milk!

🤱In the early days, your baby occasionally splutters and chokes.
➡️Your milk supply increases rapidly in the first four weeks and the suck-swallow-breathe pattern is a complex one. It's normal for babies to occasionally struggle a little with the flow.

🤱Your baby spits up after a feed.
➡️Around half of all babies spit up a little milk after a feed.

🤱Your baby poops every time they feed.
➡️Breastmilk is a laxative! Feed and squit is a sign that your baby is getting loads of milk.

🤱Your baby wants to feed constantly in the evening.
➡️Cluster feeding is really normal and it can feel like your b***s are completely empty. They're not though!

🤱Your b***s suddenly feel soft all the time at around 6 weeks.
➡️Your supply hasn't suddenly dried up, it's just your supply regulating itself.

🤱Your baby gets fussy and refuses to feed at around 8-10 weeks. Or only feeds for a short time.
➡️Sucking stops being a reflex at this age and becomes a choice! Your baby may choose not to feed. Just offer a short time later and don't put pressure on them to feed.

🤱Your baby gets very distractible at around 3 months and may not feed in a noisy room.
➡️The FOMO is real at this age!

🤱Your baby starts waking up more at night time to feed (usually around 4 months). ➡️Really normal developmental leap with sleep - they aren't waking up more because you don't have enough milk.

That's just the stuff I could think about under six months! What would you add?

23/09/2025

In light of recent news, we would like to highlight that the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has confirmed that taking paracetamol during pregnancy remains safe and there is no evidence that it causes autism in children.

www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-confirms-taking-paracetamol-during-pregnancy-remains-safe-and-there-is-no-evidence-it-causes-autism-in-children

You can also take the usual recommended doses of paracetamol if you are breastfeeding. Find more information in our Pain Relief (Analgesics) factsheet:
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/factsheet/analgesics/

If you need information on taking any medication while breastfeeding, please contact our The Breastfeeding Network Drugs in Breastmilk Service team on Facebook or via email: druginformation@breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk

If you are unsure about taking any medication when you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you can also talk to your GP, health visitor, or midwife.

[ID: MHRA confirms taking paracetamol during pregnancy remains safe and there is no evidence it causes autism in children. You can also take paracetamol at the normal adult dose if you are breastfeeding. Source: Pain Relief (Analgesics) and Breastfeeding Factsheet.]

I often see parents spending ages after night feeds winding or holding their babies upright for 20-30 minutes. The most ...
07/07/2025

I often see parents spending ages after night feeds winding or holding their babies upright for 20-30 minutes.

The most common explanation parents give me for this is that their baby grunts and squirms just before they wake up and usually passes gas. When this happens parents assume the reason for this is because they didn't get enough wind up and this caused their baby to wake.

Maybe.

But what if there is another explanation?

A normal pattern is for babies to feed to sleep. As they fall asleep, their digestion slows. We call this the "rest and digest" phase. They move from light sleep into deep sleep, then back into light sleep again. As they move back into light sleep, their digestion starts becoming more active too. As a result their gut becomes more active. It's normal for digestion to cause a build up of gas in the gut. This isn't caused by a baby swallowing wind, it's a different process.

So... what if... it's not trapped wind that's making them wake up, but they are passing gas because they are waking up? What if there is very little you can do to stop this natural process of them waking and passing gas?

It's exhausting and disruptive for everyone to wind a baby after night feeds. Why don't you experiment with feeding and putting your baby straight back down? Remember, as they feed to sleep, they drift off into a lovely sleep cycle where their digestion is slow. Sometimes winding them or putting them down mid-sleep cycle actually disrupts that lovely pattern of sleep. Then they stir, you end up feeding them to get them back to sleep, then their tummies are uncomfortable and full, then they they don't sleep well...

This way, you get back to sleep quickly too!

Experiment and let me know how you get on.

I had my first baby over 12 years ago. I thought I knew what I was doing. After all, I'd been a midwife for 10 years. Bu...
16/06/2025

I had my first baby over 12 years ago. I thought I knew what I was doing. After all, I'd been a midwife for 10 years. But breastfeeding didn't work out the way I'd hoped. I had postnatal anxiety, but didn't realize it. I just thought I was going crazy. So of course I didn't tell anybody. We struggled with sleep. A lot.

My breastfeeding problems led me to discover a wealth of breastfeeding knowledge that I didn't have as a midwife. So I trained to become a lactation consultant, to help other women avoid the problems I had.

And then I had baby number 2! Breastfeeding worked out second time around, I was a lot less anxious and put less pressure on myself. I wouldn't say I slept like a log, but sleep was manageable, and usually not too frustrating.

And then my breastfeeding clients started to ask about sleep issues. I had nothing, apart from saying "That sounds normal, it'll get better." And to be honest, I knew that some of these mums couldn't wait it out, they needed a better solution and the solution wasn't cry it out. So I got some fabulous training around sleep (Holistic Sleep Coaching and the NDC/ Possums programme).

The more newborns I worked with (and it's been over 20 years now!) the more I learned. If I'm being honest, young babies and their parents are my favourite group to work with. That transition to parenthood which is such a shock to the system, the unsettled behaviour, the intensity of it all. Pulling from my breastfeeding experience, my understanding of sleep, hundreds of hours working with babies, and hundreds of hours of extra study along the way!

If you need help with breastfeeding, sleep, a fussy baby, or even just some reassurance, check out my website: www.rebeccascottpillai.co.uk.

It's a real shame that in our society we need to be told it's ok to hold our babies, but the truth is we aren't spoiling...
09/06/2025

It's a real shame that in our society we need to be told it's ok to hold our babies, but the truth is we aren't spoiling them, babies thrive when being held. That position where they are all curled up on your chest is their default position. Here, they are able to calmly observe the world while being comforted by your warmth, smell, voice and heartbeat. Their heart rate and breathing become regulated and they produce less cortisol (a stress hormone) and more oxytocin, that hormone of love and bonding that also makes you feel good.

I often tell parents to "fake it till they make it". It's not uncommon for parents to not have a strong bond with their baby straight away. Going through the motions by holding your baby a lot helps you produce oxytocin too, so with time all those feelings grow and parenting actions become more natural.

A study published a couple of years ago found that when babies were held in kangaroo care (that curled up position on a parent's chest) for only 1 hour a day, they had lower cortisol levels, higher oxytocin levels (and so did their parents) and there was more cortical activity in the area of the baby's brain that promotes regulation. This just adds to the growing body of knowledge that we have that tells us babies need to be held. They thrive when they're held.

So sit back, relax, hold your baby and help them grow into a calm, happy human.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2019.101416

One b**b or two?Should you feed from both breasts per feed?When you have a newborn, it's is almost always a good idea to...
02/06/2025

One b**b or two?

Should you feed from both breasts per feed?

When you have a newborn, it's is almost always a good idea to offer both breasts at each feed. It would be pretty normal with very young babies for them to have one breast, have a short snooze, and then go for seconds on the second breast, and then potentially a third or a fourth helping! Switching regularly between breasts can really help to increase your milk supply, and the volume of milk that your baby gets.

So, for the most part, it's ok to let them finish on one breast and then offer the second breast, as long as you are seeing good sucks and swallows when they feed. Just bear in mind that you won't see swallows the whole way through the feed. Usually, you see them at the start, then your baby will switch to faster shallow sucks for a while, before going back to sucks and swallows again.

As they get older, they may decide that one breast is enough. And that's ok, providing weight gain is fine. Occasionally, babies get a really big volume of milk, even as newborns, and then it may also be appropriate to feed from one breast. This is usually the case if babies are gaining above average volumes of weight, and perhaps are a bit spewy or unsettled after feeds. These babies are the exception though! It's almost always a good idea to offer both breasts when you have a newborn baby.

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