Down to Birth and Beyond

We spend so much time preparing women for birth — but nowhere near enough time preparing them for what comes after. 🤎

Postpartum recovery doesn’t have a finish line at 6 weeks.

Your hormones are still shifting. Your pelvic floor is recovering. Your body is replenishing after pregnancy and birth. You may be breastfeeding, running on broken sleep, navigating changes in your relationships and trying to figure out who you are in this new version of life.

That’s a lot.

So maybe instead of asking, “Why haven’t I bounced back yet?” we need to start asking, “What does my body actually need to recover?”

Over the next few posts, we’re going to delve a little deeper into postpartum recovery — from nutrition and hormones to pelvic floor health, sleep and the things that often don’t get talked about enough.

Because postpartum care should be about so much more than making it to the 6-week check. 🤎

You don’t have to wait until breastfeeding feels impossible to see an IBCLC. 🤍

You can reach out when you’re wondering…

“Is this normal?”

“Is my baby actually getting enough?”

“Why does this side feel different?”

“Could feeding just feel… easier?”

IBCLC support isn’t only for cracked ni***es, low supply, poor weight gain or feeding problems.

Sometimes it’s reassurance.
Sometimes it’s a small adjustment.
Sometimes it’s having someone look at the whole picture and say, “Yep — this is going really well.”

You’re allowed to ask for support before you’re at breaking point.

And honestly, that’s often the best time to ask. 🤍

That moment when your b***s suddenly stop feeling full and you immediately think… where did my milk go?! 😅

Softer breasts can actually be a completely normal part of breastfeeding.

As your milk supply regulates, you may notice less leaking, less engorgement and less of that obvious fullness between feeds.

It doesn’t automatically mean your supply has dropped. 🤍

When I’m looking at milk supply, I’m much more interested in the whole feeding picture — milk transfer, nappies, growth and how feeding is going overall.

And remember: one pumping session isn’t a report card on your milk supply either.

Soft breasts ≠ empty breasts.

Save this for the day your b***s suddenly feel suspiciously normal 😂

You fed them 20 minutes ago… and somehow they’re ready to go again 😅

And it’s so easy for your brain to immediately go:

Is my supply dropping? Are they actually getting enough? Shouldn’t they be going longer between feeds?

But frequent feeding on its own doesn’t tell us whether your milk supply is enough.

Sometimes babies just want to feed. A lot. Hello, cluster feeding 👋

What matters is the whole feeding picture — how effectively baby is transferring milk, swallowing, nappies, weight gain, comfort and how baby is doing overall.

Because while frequent feeding can be completely normal, very long, frequent or seemingly never-ending feeds can also be worth looking at more closely.

So rather than watching the clock, ask:

Are they feeding effectively?

And if you’re not sure, that’s exactly the kind of thing an IBCLC can help you work through 🤎

Save this for the next “how can you possibly be hungry AGAIN?” feed.

Three babies. Three very different feeding journeys 🤍

With Theo, breastfeeding started with jaundice and time in special care. Breastfeeds, top-ups, pumping, ni**le shields — and the pressure of needing him to gain a certain amount of weight each week.

Then came Louie, and feeding took on a whole new meaning.

Tubes, pumps, formula, oral feeding, IV nutrition… his journey taught me very quickly that feeding your baby doesn’t always look the way you imagined it would.

And then Kora.

This photo was the beginning of my third feeding journey. After everything that had come before, being able to simply put my baby to my breast felt incredibly special.

By then I had years of experience as a midwife, but I also had something no textbook could have given me — the experience of being the mum on the other side.

Three babies taught me that there is no one version of a successful feeding journey.

And those experiences are a huge part of why becoming an IBCLC means so much to me.

Because feeding support isn’t just about the science of lactation. It’s about listening to the mum in front of you, understanding what matters to her, and supporting her through her feeding journey — whatever that looks like. 🤍

If you’ve fed more than one baby, were your feeding journeys completely different too?

Breastfeeding is natural — but that doesn’t mean you’re supposed to instinctively know how to do it 🤍

There is so much focus on preparing for birth, yet breastfeeding is often something we don’t think too much about until there’s suddenly a tiny newborn in our arms wanting to feed around the clock.

Knowing what’s normal before your baby arrives can make those early days feel a little less overwhelming.

Frequent feeding doesn’t automatically mean low supply.
Pumping isn’t an accurate measure of what your baby gets at the breast.
Persistent pain isn’t something you just have to put up with.
And you don’t need to wait until feeding feels like it’s falling apart before asking for help.

A little preparation — and knowing where to turn if you need support — can make such a difference.

Save this one for those newborn days, or send it to someone preparing to breastfeed 🤍

Nicola | Midwife + IBCLC
Down to Birth and Beyond

Life lately, according to my camera roll 🤍

A lot has been happening behind the scenes lately.

I had the privilege (and definitely some nerves 🫣) of presenting Louie’s story to the board at Queensland Children’s Hospital — sharing a little of our journey from a 32-week prem, emergency surgery and NICU, to the incredible little boy he is today.

There’s also been family life, study plans, big decisions, lots of coffee, babies getting bigger far too quickly… and apparently very little Instagram posting 😅

This space has taken a bit of a back seat while life has been life-ing.

But I’m still here — and I have lots I’m looking forward to sharing again 🤍

A little camera roll catch-up ✨