When first-time parents Esther and Royden welcomed baby Marshall at Logan Hospital, they were excited to begin their parenting journey.
While Marshall enjoyed skin-to-skin contact and instinctively found the breast after birth, breastfeeding wasn’t as straightforward as Esther had hoped.
“Unfortunately, nothing was stimulating his suck reflex,” Esther said. “I met with the lactation consultant the next day, who introduced me to a nipple shield* and taught me how to use it straight away which made such a difference.”
The nipple shield helped Marshall latch and feed, allowing the family to go home feeling confident. During a home visit, a midwife identified that Marshall wasn’t transferring enough milk during feeds and had started losing weight, prompting a referral to Logan Hospital’s Outpatient Lactation Clinic for further support.
There, Lactation Consultants (LCs) worked closely with Esther to develop a personalised feeding plan, combining breastfeeding with expressed breastmilk top-ups and regular weight checks.
“They watched me breastfeed and identified that Marshall wasn’t transferring the milk properly,” Esther said. “Having that picked up early meant we could do something about it before it became a bigger problem.”
Over the following weeks, Esther attended regular appointments where she received practical advice, education and reassurance while navigating the challenges of breastfeeding.
“Those first couple of weeks are incredibly overwhelming. You’re sleep deprived, your hormones are all over the place, but I felt supported the whole way through,” she said. “Being able to access the Clinic meant I always knew I’d be seeing someone soon who could help me through whatever came next. That really was a game changer.”
The Clinic is conveniently located at the Women's Health Services within the Meadowbrook Health Centre and provides one-on-one support for families with babies under six-weeks-old, experiencing more complex breastfeeding challenges.
LC Debbie Rankmore said the service worked alongside families to understand their goals and provide evidence-based support.
“Our role is to work alongside each family and provide practical care that gives parents confidence to continue their breastfeeding journey,” she said
Now almost two months into motherhood, Esther encouraged anyone facing breastfeeding challenges to seek support.
“Breastfeeding isn’t always easy or natural, but having the right support made all the difference for us,” she said.
As Metro South Health marks World Breastfeeding Week (1 – 7 August), Esther’s story highlights the important role specialist lactation support can play in helping families overcome early challenges and achieve their feeding goals.
*While Esther found a nipple shield a great tool to help with breastfeeding, many babies do not need a nipple shield to effectively feed, and it should only be introduced with support from a health professional.