“I have had 3 very difficult but very beautiful breastfeeding journeys with each of my children. Spencer I was able to feed up until 13months, Lincoln I fed until 16months. Both of the boys journeys were cut short because I returned to work before they were 1. I tried to express at work with Lincoln but found it hard to juggle.

With the twins I had little goals that I wanted to achieve with them knowing it was going to be hard feeding 2 babies compared to 1, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months.

They were both born with jaundice and needed supplement feeds but I was determined to breastfeed them even if it was for a short time. Then Scarlett had trouble with her suck due to her position in the womb and I discover that my right breast (Scarlett’s side) didn’t produce as much as my left (something I never noticed with the boys because they fed off both sides). She was beginning to become underweight and borderline  e failure to thrive.

With the amazing support of the lactation consultants Sonya and Sheree I was able to continue with my journey and increase my milk supply for both Scarlett and Elliott. These ladies would check in with me frequently, answer any questions I had and teach me techniques to get the most out of every feed.

Joining the breastfeeding support group with other mums became a favourite outing for us too. Being around others going through the same experiences was really supportive and not something on offer when I had my boys. I’m so grateful both of these were available throughout this time.

The twins have just celebrated their 2nd birthday and I can’t believe we have come this far. I took a photo on their 1st birthday expecting to finish up by the end of that year, and while we are down to only 1-2 feeds I am celebrating every fed (not always Scarlett’s tantrum for one over night 🤣) knowing it is going to be my last journey and could end at anytime.”

“I started breastfeeding Maitlan, she was latching well and I was enjoying being able to feed her. I wasn’t producing enough milk for her so was topping her up with formula. I started to express as well but it wasn’t making a difference to my supply. Expressing, breastfeeding and formula top ups was starting to negatively impact my mental health, so I decided to just use formula. She was full, happy and growing well and I was much happier as I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.”

“I have been breastfeeding for nearly 3.5 years now, currently still feeding my oldest while tandem feeding my 19 month old. Breastfeeding my babies was always something I dreamed of doing so I feel incredibly grateful that I’m still on this journey.

Without the guidance, encouragement and support I received with my first baby, I honestly don’t think I would have exclusively breastfed. I remember having so many doubts and constantly questioning whether he was getting enough. But through support, reassurance and learning to trust both my body and my baby, I was able to keep going.

I know my days feeding my oldest are probably numbered now and I truly treasure every feed we still share together. Breastfeeding has been so much more than milk for my babies. It has been their comfort, connection and ultimate safe place.

Nothing melts my heart more than having them both snuggled into me feeding, while holding each other’s hands. I feel so lucky and deeply grateful that my breastfeeding journey has been and continues to be such a beautiful experience.

To any family currently on their feeding journey, whether it’s one day, one month or many years, support matters and so do you 🤍”

“After finding out I was pregnant with twins I had made it my mission to learn how to breastfeed two babies, with there not being a whole lot of representation for multiples I turned to the internet for resources and hope. Researching and asking for advice, it was so refreshing seeing women do what felt like was unachievable at the time.

I was lucky to have great support from the beginning from midwifery, family and lactation consultant Sonya guiding me and building that confidence. It has had it’s ups and downs, experiencing mastitis every month for the first 5 months of the twins’ lives which felt so disheartening and exhausting. However since my milk over supply has settled there’s been no issues. It has been incredibly special to be able to successfully breastfeed twins, learning how to tandem feed and form such a beautiful connections with each of my boys.”

“Third time around and breastfeeding has looked different every single time.

Different babies, different challenges, different rhythms… and I’ve truly loved every journey so much, each one helping me grow into the mother I am.”

“Returning to work while breastfeeding has definitely been a journey. My baby refused bottles, so expressing wasn’t an option, and at six months old she was still feeding every 2–3 hours. I worried this would make returning to work impossible.

However, the support I received from Gayle at Community Health and my coworkers has been incredible. I was offered flexible hours, and my husband could bring my baby in for feeds.

I’m given time and privacy during shifts, and my colleagues are always supportive to ensure patient care continues smoothly. Even our regular patients have been so understanding, which has been really touching.

The main challenges have been having an exclusively breastfed baby who won’t take a bottle, and living out of town.

What made the biggest difference was feeling genuinely valued. Before returning, I worried I wouldn’t be “worth” the flexibility I needed. But Gayle stayed in touch during my leave and reassured me, saying, “we will make it work.” Her belief in me gave me the confidence to come back, and it still makes me emotional to think about what that meant to me at the time.

I would really encourage any breastfeeding mums who feel overwhelmed about returning to work to reach out and explore their options. I’d heard workplaces say they were “breastfeeding friendly,” but I didn’t truly understand what that could look like until I had that conversation myself.”

“My name is Steph and I’m a mum of four beautiful children. Breastfeeding has been a huge part of my motherhood journey over the past eight years and altogether I have now been breastfeeding for nearly seven years total and counting. I was involved in the very first Breastfeeding “Wherever, Whenever” campaign eight years ago with my first baby, so it feels incredibly special and full circle to now be participating again with my last baby.

Before becoming a mum, I never realised how hard breastfeeding could be. I remember thinking if I could make it to six months, that would be my goal. At that time I was young, nervous and very unsure of myself. I was private about breastfeeding and worried about feeding in public, exposing myself, or whether I was even doing it “right.” I also remember thinking, “Surely it can’t hurt like this all the time?” in the earlier newborn days.

Although breastfeeding fortunately came naturally to me overall, I acknowledge that this is not the reality for everyone. Even still, I experienced many challenges throughout my journey. I have had mastitis twice, with one infection becoming so severe that I was hospitalised for days because I didn’t know what it was. I genuinely felt like I was dying.

With my second baby, I experienced latch issues, poor short term weight gain and discovered both a lip and tongue tie. During this time, I reached out for breastfeeding support and found it incredibly helpful, supportive and reassuring without feeling invasive. I also became a pumping working mum when my second baby was only eight months old. I still remember the dread of accidentally spilling expressed milk right before work and panicking about whether my baby would have enough milk while I was gone. Those moments felt overwhelming at the time.

My fourth baby had lactose intolerance, which meant I had to completely remove dairy and lactose products from my own diet so she could feed comfortably and be pain free.

Breastfeeding can be beautiful, but it can also feel mentally exhausting. There were times I felt stuck feeding while life continued around me. When you breastfeed, your baby relies solely on you and every outing, commitment, work shift and routine is planned around feeds because you have to be there for them. There were definitely moments where I thought about giving up, but I also loved the bond and connection breastfeeding created. Over time, breastfeeding became less about “getting it right” and more about connection, comfort, and responding to my baby’s needs.

I always wanted my breastfeeding journeys to end on my children’s terms rather than my own. I fed my oldest daughter right up until the day I had my second baby and that was the day she decided she was finished feeding herself.

I still remember the final feeds with my babies and how emotional they felt. I remember crying and feeling so sad, even though breastfeeding felt so exhausting and inconvenient at times. I couldn’t understand why I felt grief over something that had also been so demanding, but I realised it was because it marked the end of such a deep stage of connection between myself and my babies.

As a young mum, I often felt helpless and questioned myself, but with each baby I gained more confidence in both breastfeeding and motherhood. Now, I strive to empower other mums to do what feels right for them because every feeding journey is different and entirely their own.

If I could say anything to another mum struggling right now, it would be this. Breastfeeding is not meant to be easy. There are hard days, painful days, exhausting days and emotional days. But the bond and dependency you share with your baby is unique to only you and your baby, and that connection is incredibly special.

Looking back now, I truly have no regrets. Every challenge and every struggle was worth it.”

“I have been so lucky that I’ve been able to breastfeed both my babies.

My little boy Lewis, I was able to feed until 14 months and my little girl Elsie is currently 10 months and we are still on our breastfeeding journey.

Breastfeeding did not come naturally to me as a new mum. I didn’t understand that the milk supply might be delayed which was the case when I had my son Lewis, my milk didn’t come until day 5 and this is why it was helpful to try to express to have colostrum ready. I didn’t understand that when the milk came in, the engorgement would be something I never had experienced before and that I needed to be gentle with myself and my baby as we developed a skill that was both new to us. The breastfeeding support girls (Sonya and Sheree) were absolute angels, offering home visits/office visits and as many phone calls as I needed to help us learn our rhyme. Eventually we did find our rhyme and I grew to love the beautiful bond and the absolute convenience of being able to feed my baby quickly, on the go, anywhere.

When I became a mum the second time, there was no stressing around my supply, it felt like my body just knew what to do. My challenge breastfeeding my Elsie girl was that she flatly refused to drink from a bottle. We couldn’t find a formula she would drink, nor could we find a bottle she liked despite trying them all!

So, when it was time to return back to work when Elsie was 8 months old, I had a fair bit of anxiety. I agreed to return back to work but then a week later said I couldn’t do it, Elsie needed me and she was my priority. Luckily, my workplace (Swan Hill College) was super flexible and built my return to work around my need to go and feed Elsie as many times as I needed throughout the day. They assured me that at any point I felt like I couldn’t work, that they understood my children’s needs came first. The first few weeks were a bit disjointed and required that I left work earlier then intended but with the introduction of solids, we found our rhythm again, it just took time.

I am so grateful that I have had babies in a time where there is an understanding of the pressures put on mothers to parent, run the household, contribute financially, balance career desires all while holding onto a sense of their own identity. I’m grateful that there has been a positive shift in the understanding of how nurturing breastfeeding is but also how demanding this can be. I hope as a community we continue to share how amazing breastfeeding is!”

“As a first time mum feeding didn’t come easy but I was determined to breastfeed knowing my mum was never able to.

At the hospital our little man struggled to latch so the nurses manually expressed me like a cow and we syringe fed. I was encouraged to give formula to ensure he was getting enough but I was very reluctant and knew if I kept persisting (surely) we would be able to grow confidence and learn together.

I’m sure they thought I was crazy but my tunnel vision eventually paid off!

I purchased a support package through The Thompson Breastfeeding method and read content for hours whilst recovering in hospital, watched all their tutorials and reached out to everyone I knew for advice and support. My partner was absolutely amazing and still is. Holding me together on the really hard days and backing me every step of the way.

This program helped enormously and completely transformed my journey.

Of course it was all going smoothly until we got home and it wasn’t. I was very fortunate to have a number of Skype calls with the founder Dr. Robyn Thompson and be guided to a comfortable and more manageable experience.

I then become a very active member of the local breastfeeding support group attending every week for over 12 months.

I’m super proud to be still feeding now two years on when my initial goal was to reach 3 months of exclusive feeding. To be honest the question now is how do we stop?! Haha

It most definitely hasn’t been easy with a soy and dairy intolerance for our little one (that took quite the toll on both of us as we figured out the cause of his pain) so I too have to exclude all foods with soy and dairy. I’m coeliac myself meaning it’s been one hell of a learning curve.

All the tears, hard work and  sacrifice has been worth it for me personally as I love the connection I have with my son knowing I am giving him so much more than just food — it’s been comfort, safety, connection, protection, and love all wrapped into one.

Every feed has helped to nourish his body while also building his immune system, supporting his brain development, and giving him closeness that helps him feel secure and settled in the world.

If I had one wish it would be that every Mumma could experience a special breastfeeding journey like I have.”