Mums Express

28/09/2026

"How do I get my baby to sleep?" is a common question asked in the early weeks. Our human babies are born very immature, and depend on mum and dad to feel safe and secure. They are designed to have lots of short sleeps that allow for frequent breastfeeding and safety; long deep sleep makes it difficult for a baby to rouse if they are unwell or not breathing as they should.
Biologically, a young baby needs YOU to help them drift off to sleep. This can happen in several ways...
- breastfeeding (releases hormones that make babies calm and sleepy)
- skin to skin cuddles with mum or dad
- contact naps
- rocking or walking with baby held close
These strategies use a baby's biology, and are somewhat similar to the environment of the womb.

If you want to read more about the wide range of normal infant sleep, check out this great evidence based website: https://www.basisonline.org.uk/

26/09/2026

Soak this in…you might feel like you are not getting anything done, but you are your baby’s world 💗

It may look like she’s just laying there.

But to that baby, she’s doing everything.

She’s warmth.
She’s food.
She’s comfort.
She’s safety.
She’s home.

Sometimes motherhood’s most important work looks like doing absolutely nothing at all.

And that’s kind of amazing. ❤️

23/09/2026

What is the one thing you wish that all paediatric and child health nurses understood about supporting breastfeeding mums and babies?
✈ Next week I'm off to Melbourne to present a pre-conference Breastfeeding Masterclass for the Australian Association of Children's and Young People's Nurses conference. Let me know what you think is most needed from nurses and I will be sure to use your (anonymous) feedback next week.

22/09/2026

Mums of hospitalised sick and preterm infants frequently express their breast milk to provide this special nutrition and medicine for their bubs 💛
Tiny Sparks WA donation of mini fridges means that NICU mums staying in hospital accommodation can securely store their expressed milk in their own room instead of using a shared fridge, or having to trek back to the neonatal unit to deliver their milk each time. What a fantastic initiative!
To read more about the work of Sparks or to make a donation, go to https://www.tinysparkswa.org.au/

Recently Rob, Anthony and Amber toured the Ronald McDonald House Western Australia parent accommodation at PCH and the main house at QEII. They were there to see the 20 newly installed fridges we have donated to support families who are staying when their little ones are in NICU to ensure safe storage of breastmilk within the parent accommodation rooms themselves.

Rob and Anthony together with their partners and extended families have supported Tiny Sparks for several years in memory of Anthony’s baby daughter Olivia 💜

16/08/2026

14/08/2026

Please reach out for support and talk about your feelings with your partner, trusted family and friends. Parenting a baby is a 24/7 job that takes an enormous amount of time and energy, so it can feel overwhelming at times. It's important to regularly take some time for yourself, to 'recharge' or 'reset' and feel more like yourself.
Asking for help can feel difficult, but it's worth it. Also if you or your partner feel like every day is a struggle that is not getting easier, please
- talk to your health care provider,
- call the PANDA helpline 1300 726 306 (Mon - Sat) or
- visit the PANDA website.

13/08/2026

Babies love to contact nap! When parents snuggle with their baby, both release oxytocin which is deeply relaxing...while mum or dad's body provides warmth, the rhythms of heart beat and breathing, and security. Even better, that close contact with a breastfeeding/expressing mum enable's mum's body to provide personalised immune protection for her baby!
Many babies sleep soundly when in close contact with their parents - this is not setting up bad habits, but instead teaches babies that they are safe and loved.

08/08/2026

Do you know anyone expecting twins? Let them know about this workshop specifically designed for parents of multiples where they will get valuable insights on the feeding of twins, including preterm birth, care of small babies and establishing milk supply in the early weeks.

🤰🏼Breastfeeding Workshops for Expectant Parents of Multiples🤱

We are delighted to confirm Dr Sharon Perrella for our upcoming workshop in September.

Sharon is a Registered Nurse, Registered Midwife and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Sharon has extensive experience in caring for breastfeeding families in neonatal nurseries and in the community, and is now also a lactation researcher at The University of Western Australia.

The workshop is designed specifically for multiples families and will cover the following topics:

⚪️ Establishing a healthy milk supply
⚪️ Introduction to expressing and lactation aids
⚪️ Logistics of feeding two babies – single vs tandem feeding, scheduled vs demand
⚪️ Managing the feeding of ‘early term’ and ‘preterm’ infants
⚪️ Supporting the breastfeeding mum of multiples

Our breastfeeding workshops are small limited ticket events, open to both MBAWA members and non-members. We have dropped the price for our members with registration fee now $30 and $70 for non-members.

Link to register: https://thq.fyi/se/787d59e3cb39

06/08/2026

On Wednesday Sharon was interviewed by Jo Trilling for the ABC Perth Afternoons program, where she discussed screening for health conditions during pregnancy that may impact breastfeeding outcomes. This approach ensures that women receive individualised information and support, and a plan for if difficulties arise in those early weeks.
To listen to the interview go to the link below - the interview starts at 1h 11min into the program.

For women that have had breast surgery, have PCOS or gestational diabetes or a high BMI and low confidence around breastfeeding, an antenatal lactation consultation and plan can make all the difference. Please reach out if you would like to book an online or face to face appointment

Keeping you entertained and informed whether you're at work, on the school run or at home.

05/08/2026

It’s been a hectic week celebrating World Breastfeeding Week …
2 undergraduate lactation workshops (assisted by 2 beautiful mums and their babies)
1 lecture to neonatal nursing students
1 radio interview…
and 2 webinars tomorrow
While it’s important to understand how breastfeeding works from a human biology perspective, it’s equally important to highlight what makes it work from a practical point of view.
What has kept you going on difficult days?