I am so grateful for Simone's wise counsel! We were struggling with mixed feeding our five-week-old and wanting to move to exclusive breastfeeding when we had our first session with her. I needed guidance on how to get out of the formula top-up trap, as the combination of breast, bottle and pumping every three hours was driving me up the wall. Simone came over and sat with me and my baby for a long time, helping tweak my breastfeeding technique and reviewing our top-up/pumping schedule. On her advice, I stopped pumping and focused on better feeding sessions (as well as paying better attention to my bub's 'had enough' cues), and within two days we'd stopped all formula top-ups; a week later we confirmed that bub had gained weight on my breast milk alone, hurrah! It felt like magic, but it was all down to Simone's patient and thorough advice and observation. I just wish I'd made an appointment sooner. As a bonus, she noticed that our bub had quite bad eczema all over his cheeks and neck, and suggested that it could be a dairy allergy from the formula. It looks like she was right, as the eczema almost cleared up since we moved to just breastfeeding. — Marisa Pintado
I met/found Simone when my bub was about 3 weeks old. She wasn't putting on weight well and we were told we needed to give her formula top-ups. I was doing everything I could to increase my milk supply, but still needed top-ups. We had already seen two other LCs, but I was concerned she was guzzling the bottle and getting lazy at the breast. Simone came to my house and took time to listen to my concerns and my breastfeeding goals. She assessed both me and my baby to make sure she was feeding correctly, looked over previous weights and talked to me about what I wanted to achieve. I still needed to give top-ups, but Simone introduced me to an alternative to the bottle (Supplementary Nursing System or SNS), and helped me organise top-ups so they were only once a day (previously 3-4 times a day). We eventually weened the top-ups after my baby started solids and I am very pleased to announce I successfully breastfed my baby until 19 months when she weaned herself. I am very clear that without Simone's help, our breastfeeding journey may have been very different. She was so approachable, kind and professional at a time that I was very emotional and feeling vulnerable. I would highly recommend her as an LC no matter what issue you may be having. I am having another baby shortly, and she will be on speed dial. — Emily Bishop
Hi Simone, thank you very much for your excellent service. Jen had a successful time breastfeeding after you left yesterday with minimal discomfort only on initial attachment. We are greatly appreciative of your advice and of your excellent follow up email summary — if only all people are as professional as you are. I do like to make sure I'm involved as I like to make sure I'm pulling my weight as a father to Roman and not just sitting back while my wife struggles through the challenges. — Robert Atanasovski
I was just about ready to give up on breastfeeding before I met with Simone. My little boy was born four weeks early and was bottle-fed expressed milk. I was exhausted from the continuous feeding, pumping and cleaning routine, my supply was dwindling and I was so worried about bub's growth. Simone came in and really listened. She talked about options in an open-minded way (without pushing any particular philosophical approach!) and developed a clever plan that was really well suited for bubs and I to transition to breastfeeding. She was super responsive in the hours and days that followed, providing updated advice and support as the plan played out. Incredibly, within two days bubs and I were breastfeeding happily! My supply had increased so much, I was finally getting some rest and most importantly bubs was stacking on the weight. My family and I can't thank Simone enough for everything — now we are finally able to relax and enjoy this time the way we want.
— Jen Hughes
My daughter had her lip tie and posterior tongue-tie released when she was 2 weeks old. We accessed support through the breastfeeding clinic at our hospital before and after the release. They were great, but I really felt like I needed someone to support us at home. Simone came highly recommended by the tongue-tie support group on Facebook so I contacted her. From the outset Simone was so lovely and approachable. During our first home visit Simone made small changes to our latching technique which made a huge difference to my daughter’s latch and efficiency. She reassured me that we were doing a good job and gave me the confidence to stop waking my daughter for night feeds and trust her to feed on demand, which means all of us are getting a better night’s sleep. Simone has since done two more home visits with us to fine tune our attachment and work on different positions. She has also provided extensive support over email to answer questions I had between visits. Her summary notes after each visit were so helpful that I found myself re-reading them whenever I was unsure about something. Simone has been instrumental in giving me confidence, not just as a breastfeeder, but as a mother. I am so grateful for her support and advice. — Laura MacDonald
When I was pregnant with my baby I knew that the most important thing on my birthing plan was to breastfeed. I assumed that breastfeeding was a natural thing and will come to me easily. Boy was I wrong. My and my daughter's breastfeeding journey started off with a lot of struggle, pain and tears. By day five of my baby’s life, my nipples were badly damaged and breastfeeding became so painful that I dreaded the feeding times. My baby did not recover her birth weight within the first week, which added to my stress. At the time I was advised that my supply was low and I would need to supplement my baby with formula. My baby was also diagnosed with a posterior tongue tie which the doctor was unable to snip. I was devastated! I was also stressed because of all the conflicting information I received from various health providers. However, because I was determined to breastfeed I knew I needed to seek lactation support. I contacted Simone when my baby was 5 days old. From the time Simone came to my house to watch me feeding my baby, she gave me confidence that I can breastfeed. I felt Simone’s knowledge on breastfeeding and parenting was of high standard. She was warm and respectful and gave me all the information I needed to establish a good milk supply and latching positions for my baby. Simone created a plan for us to wean off the formula and gave me confidence that it was possible for me to exclusively breastfeed my baby. We followed the plan and switched to breastfeeding shortly after I first saw Simone. While I was implementing the plan, Simone gave me lots of encouragement and confidence that I needed to keep going which I am very grateful for. As a bonus Simone taught me and my husband some settling techniques which helped us tremendously during the first crazy weeks of being new and unexperienced parents! While my and my daughter’s breastfeeding journey has not been the easiest one with recurring mastitis, I have always felt supported by Simone no matter what lactation issue I was facing. My baby is seven months old now and we are still enjoying our breastfeeding journey, which I feel would not have been possible without Simone’s loving services! — Paulina
I first saw Simone when my baby was 6 days old. Simone was excellent in boosting my confidence and with helping me improve my feeding technique which I initially had issues with. I contacted Simone again a few weeks later to learn new feeding positions which has made a huge difference to me especially at night when I'm absolutely tired. Simone is very positive in her advice and extremely knowledgeable about all things feeding. I am very grateful to her for promptly replying to my messages when I'm freaking out about advice someone else has incorrectly given me. I highly recommend her and will be passing on her details to my friends and family expecting babies. — Priyanalee Ratnayake
I contacted Simone when I was having some concerns about my 8-week-old baby's feeding. All of a sudden he was jumping on and off the breast and never seemed to take a full feed so I was getting stressed and worried that it would only get worse. Simone came over and spent a couple of hours discussing my concerns and watching my baby feed. She showed me a few different positions to use and gave me some tips on dealing with a fast flow and reflux to make my baby more comfortable. I came away so much more confident about feeding and my child's needs. I was especially glad that I sought help early before getting more distressed and was able to find a lactation consultant who was so warm and relaxed that it felt like a friend was visiting and helping out. I can't recommend Simone enough. — Rebecca Kelly
I contacted Simone after reading her blog as I was feeling very demoralised about breast feeding my 2-month-old — lots of pain and at times an unsettled baby. I was thinking about giving up breastfeeding. Simone came to my home and quickly identified the problems and how to put things right. She gave me some good advice about settling my son too! With in days things had vastly improved and the problems had completely resolved after a week or so. Prior to her visit I really didn’t think that I would ever be able to get it right. I will happily recommend Simone Casey to my friends. — Celia
As a first time mum I am beyond pleased that I contacted Simone for her help with breastfeeding. I only knew one breastfeeding position which was very restrictive and she quickly taught me a number more which I have used from that day onwards. She helped put me at ease with my breastfeeding and taught me new skills. And she came to me which was a Godsend. As the first of my friendship group to have a bub I will be recommending Simone to all my girlfriends. — Tegan Reilly
I sought Simone's help two days after our return from the hospital. Jonathan was born at 2.6kg and when we were discharged, he had lost more than 10% of his weight. The midwives at the hospital at that point had convinced us that a formula top-up will be required. I did not like the effect that the formula had on him. He was very grumpy and very difficult to settle. My husband and I were also confused about how best to feed him, including breastfeeding techniques (especially attachment technique) as we were given multiple and inconsistent advice at the hospital. After a home consultation with Simone, I was very happy. As it turned out the whole formula top-up was unnecessary. She taught me how to attach Jonathan and also clarified all the other information about breastfeeding that we were confused about. She also taught me how to increase my supply and these tips worked tremendously. During the weigh-ins at the Maternal and Child Health Nurse clinic, Jonathan continued to gain significant and impressive weight — all on my breastmilk! Simone also taught me different positions when feeding Jonathan. This made feeding more relaxing and enjoyable, rather than a formalised process. Most of all, Simone gave me my confidence back that I can feed Jonathan well. For this, I am very grateful. Thank you very much, Simone! — Jennifer Harlim
As a first time mum, breastfeeding has been a massive challenge. I engaged Simone to assist with correct latching and general support and Simone was fantastic. I instantly felt comfortable with Simone and able to easily express my concerns. We worked through correct positioning and latching. Simones's support has been invaluable and given us the confidence that we are going well. Thankyou Simone for all your help! — Elena
As a first-time Mum, I was having some problems breastfeeding during my son's first month, and was close to giving up and embracing formula. Simone was really helpful in encouraging me to keep trying, and also showed me some excellent breastfeeding tricks (and some general baby tricks thrown in for good measure!). I didn't really know what I was doing wrong until we saw her. Two weeks later and bub is now a pro at breastfeeding and I'm so glad I didn't give up! Thanks Simone! — Ella
I just wanted to say thank you so so much for all of your help. I was discussing your valuable advice today about right when you are about to give up you are almost there! Thank you — you don't know what this means to me to have succeeded! I didn't think i would care so much, obviously I knew breast is best but the connection to Zoe that I felt was wonderful. Thank you for helping me to achieve that! — Lin
After successfully feeding my first child, having real trouble feeding my second came as a frustrating surprise. After weeks of trying to work with the hospital system and the transient nature of lactation midwives I was still no closer to getting my little girl to feed directly from me. She wasn't putting on weight and I was getting quite concerned. I researched the internet for a well respected lactation consultant and came across Simone. The other testimonials completely do her justice. She was kind, considerate and willing to listen to my unique situation. From the instant she entered my house I felt comfortable that she was highly experienced in what she did. As I had fed my first child, I 'mostly' knew what I was doing, but still required with a couple of tweaks to adjust to little Gab, Simone assisted us to attach for the first time ever. I cannot express my relief, I was at the point where I was convinced she would never feed from me and was on a countdown to move her to a bottle permanently. Simone gave me the confidence that I could do it. Gave pointers where I needed it, but never made assumptions, also never did that hand-grab force baby on boob thing (as opposed to hospital midwives who just assumed it was all me and I just felt like a 'number in the system'). She also followed up over the next couple of weeks to ensure we were continuing along our positive feeding path. I highly recommend Simone to anyone (first, second.... fifth child!) who is having feeding issues. She is obviously very knowledgeable and supportive of not just breastfeeding, but mothers in general. I continue to feed little Gab happily, and I'm happy to attribute part of our ongoing to success to Simone. — Catherine
I want to spread the word about the invaluable help an experienced IBCLC can provide for mummas and bubs with tongue and lip ties. At ANY stage of the journey. I consulted with the wonderful Simone Casey in recent weeks as, several months post tongue and lip tie revision, my 2 1/2 year old was still learning how to manage his new tongue mobility and we were having painful breastfeeds and nipple damage again. Honestly, within minutes of watching us feed Simone had provided me with feedback and recommendations that has us feeding pain free again! The adjustments that I had been trying to fix things were actually the opposite of what worked, I guess we had adapted to his ties in a way that wasn't working anymore with his lip and tongue movement. The skill and knowledge of an experience professional definitely gave us a better understanding of how to fix our latch. I am so grateful to Simone for putting us back on a path to my boy self weaning in his own time, and to breastfeeding being a peaceful connection again! — Sue McKenzie
When you are pregnant, the focus is always around the birth. I thought I was as prepared as I could be. Fortunately I had a great pregnancy and birth but from day one, breastfeeding didn't come naturally as I imagined it would. My nipples were flat and as a result my baby girl couldn't latch on properly . This started a cascade of events that lead me to resent breastfeeding my baby. I developed sore, cracked nipples and thrush - which reoccurred 5 times and would sometimes take 13 doses of Diflucan to get rid of :( and lastly, was diagnosed with nipple vasospasm. Everytime I fed my baby my feet would curl in anticipation of the pain that was ahead. I met Simone at the hospital where my baby was delivered. I saw her a few times at the clinic with my breastfeeding issues and also asked her to see me privately at my home. Simone gave me some great tips with positioning, latching and the contact details of a GP who is a breastfeeding guru and was able to help establish a plan (and prescribe drugs of course). Simone recommended I see a dentist as she believed my baby had a posterior lip and tongue tie. She was right! Once the laser was performed, feeding became easier with time. Simone made me believe that I could get through this hard time. I was persistent, I wanted to give my baby the best start in life. Now, 5 months later (and going strong), my little baby girl is thriving. She smiles at me when I feed her and I'm sure this is her way of thanking me too. — Lucreza Struthers
I spent my time in hospital recovering from an emergency caesarean and as a result did not focus on breastfeeding until I got home. While we were in hospital, bubs got used to the bottle pretty quickly and was not taking to the breast very well. Nipple shields helped a little but I found these very annoying to use and I wanted to get off these as quickly as possible.
Simone was recommended by a friend and she came to me on my third day home. Within an hour, bubs was attaching to the boob well and without the nipple shield! I couldn't be more happy and relieved. Simone showed me alternative ways of feeding bubs which I thought was more intimate and natural (the hospital only showed my the traditional cradle hold and the football hold both of which I found uncomfortable). We had a beautiful experience with the baby crawl where bubs was placed in the middle of my chest and actually crawled to the boob and nipple. It was a lovely and inspiring experience. Six weeks later, we still practice with the baby crawl each day which I find is a nice alternative to practicing tummy time on a change table or floor.
Simone also taught me how to feed in bed sideways which makes midnight feeds much easier and less disruptive for bubs. Bubs continues to feed well on both sides and in any position. Thank you, Simone, for making the whole experience easy and pleasurable. — Elle
Breastfeeding my first baby has been a struggle from day one. Born full term but only weighing 2.7kg the paediatrician put her on formula top-ups straight after birth to prevent her from losing too much weight. Upon discharge I decided to stop the top-ups as I didn't want them to impact on my supply and cause any nipple confusion. Breastfeeding became more difficult as Chloe would take an hour and a half for each feed, wouldn't nap much during the day and constantly wanted to be on the breast. Her weight gain was slow and when we had our 6 week check the paediatrician was unhappy with her weight gain and requested I express every feed or give her formula. So I began the very challenging task of expressing each feed, which was physically and mentally exhausting. Then at 9 weeks of age she was diagnosed with anaemia. That's when I decided I needed professional help. Simone first saw Chloe when she was 10 weeks old and developed a plan to help her become more efficient on the breast. We worked on having Chloe feed from the breast with minimal top-ups of expressed milk. This was a more manageable approach I could sustain. Simone saw Chloe again at 4 months as her weight gain was still very slow and she was still taking 45 minutes to feed. I was ready to give up on breastfeeding all together as it was taking a toll on my physical and mental health. So Simone devised a new plan and with her support and encouragement I have continued to breastfeed. Now at 6 months of age Chloe is fully breastfed with no top-ups and I am only expressing once a day. Simone's ongoing advise, encouragement and support as been an integral part of my breastfeeding journey and success. While Chloe continues to be slow on the breast I have achieved my goal of breastfeeding for the first 6 months and I am now focusing on continuing for another 6 months. Thanks to Simone I have a new ad improved attitude towards breastfeeding and enjoy the ongoing support she provides. — Yasmina
I had trouble breastfeeding from the moment the midwives at my hospital suggested formula top ups to allow me to get more sleep at night. Not knowing any different, I followed their advice. Compounding this problem were the two lots of antibiotics I was put on – first during labor for testing positive to Group B strep and secondly to treat an infection in the cesarean incision. By the time my son was 2 weeks old I had two main problems. Incredible pain whilst nursing and low supply. I contacted Simone because feeds were excruciating and my baby was constantly screaming (I later realised he must have been hungry). Simone was able to come and visit me at home within two days of receiving my call, suspecting nipple thrush, and she stayed for several hours, observing and giving me advice. Weeks turned into months and the nipple thrush would not subside. On Simone’s recommendations, I tried all over-the-counter treatments to no avail and then made appointments with my family GP to request prescription medications (which also did not work). Simone told me to keep asking for help, so I did, and she continually had suggestions, from watching what I ate and limiting certain foods to trying the ‘old school’ remedy, ‘gentian violet’. When my son was four months old I was still having to top up feeds with formula and was still in extreme pain not only during feeds, but between them as well. I had had enough! But once again, Simone came through and referred me to an excellent GP/LC and still stayed in touch. Unfortunately, there was no ultimate diagnosis but Simone never gave up suggesting things and checking in on me. Whilst nipple thrush was suspected early on, the GP/LC concluded that I was experiencing a ‘false pain’ and that I needed to let my nipples heal and totally wean. In the end, Simone and I decided that weaning my son down to two breastfeeds per day and giving him formula the rest of the time was a good compromise, and it worked. Simone supported and helped me to wean and even offered advice and help should I wish to increase my supply at any time. I felt thoroughly cared for and never under pressure. I have highly recommended her to many friends and will continue to do so. If it weren’t for Simone, I’d have given up in the very beginning. But my son is still thriving on a combination of breastmilk and formula and I am very grateful to her for that. — Carla Stewart
From the beginning I had struggled to get my baby to latch on, partly due to flat nipples and made more difficult by a fast flow. I left hospital using a nipple shield, as it was the only way I could successfully breastfeed. Although my baby coped well with the shield and I was happy to at least be breastfeeding, I was concerned about potential implications for my supply if I used it long term and was keen to eventually be able to feed without it. Due to my fast flow the shield would often quickly fill with milk, which my baby struggled with or he would flick the shield off, spilling milk everywhere. It was fiddly and I found feeding outside of the home difficult. I was keen to try and wean him off the shield. After initially trying not to use the shield at each feed I found myself becoming disheartened at each feed, and my attempts to get him to latch on without it were becoming increasingly tokenistic. After approximately 10 weeks of using the shield my baby and I were becoming used to it and I knew I needed to act soon in order to be able to change things. I felt like I knew what I needed to do, but needed confirmation of the techniques I was trying and also some encouragement and support and, as a consequence, I contacted Simone after searching for accredited lactation consultants. Living in rural Victoria, but in Melbourne at short notice for the weekend, Simone was extremely accommodating and saw me that weekend. She had a calming influence, and observed my baby’s feeding and then provided practical advice on different techniques we could try and how to incorporate the things I was already doing. This was made so much more comfortable in a home setting. However, most importantly, Simone encouraged me to achieve my goal of feeding without the nipple shield and reassured me that it was possible. Simone also reassured me that it was not the end of the world if we did end up needing the shield long term and answered my questions and discussed my concerns regarding this. I was delighted to receive a follow-up SMS from Simone in the days after her visit. I no longer felt isolated in what I was trying to do. Feeling supported and encouraged and with further follow-up support from Simone after the visit, I was able to be more patient and persistent. I followed Simone’s advice and tips and over the coming days my baby gradually took more feeds directly from the breast, first on one side and eventually on both. I found breastfeeding to truly be an art form and not just a physical act. Having Simone come in and take a ‘fresh look’ at what I was doing, not just in relation to the nipple shield, and provide objective and practical advice, support and encouragement was vitally important in me being able to directly breastfeed my baby, without a nipple shield. — Ingrid Hensley
I was told to give my baby bottle top-ups as he was a sleepy feeder, but quickly he refused to breastfeed, preferring the bottles instead - it was devastating! After seeing a few LC's and trying lots of things I was told it might be too late to bring him back to the breast at 3-months-old and I might need to pump every feed until he was weaned. I was so down, I'd always thought I be one of those mums proudly feeding their babies in cafés and on the go, it looked so easy! Then I had a chance meeting with Simone, and she reckoned it was possible to get him back on and not to give up. Simone is just such a good problem solver and came up with some very clever solutions. Simone's determination gave me the confidence to stick with it, with her signature 'calm persistence'. And it worked! Thank you so much Simone, now my baby is back breastfeeding it feels so easy not have to worry about all the pumping and sterilising - I have more time to cuddle and enjoy my baby! — Kate Sutton
After having my second baby, sadly the same thing was happening as with my first, breastfeeding was just not working, my baby was having 350ml formula top-ups and I was feeling down. I called Simone, as I was given her number from my GP, and since then our top-ups have gone down to 80ml and counting, Simone has changed my whole outlook on breastfeeding. She is not just my lactation consultant, but also my counsellor. She was on hand to help whenever I needed it, always giving me the encouragement to keep going. I am now confident I know what I am doing and more confident as a parent. Simone was by far the best! 11 weeks in and I am still breastfeeding, I cannot thank Simone enough. — Carla Sacca
After two bubs, you would think we would have had breastfeeding all sorted. But after having all sorts of issues with my first two, I was not surprised I had issues again when my daughter arrived. I had a feeling her attachment was not quite right. By the time I got home from hospital, my nipples were extremely sore and grazed and at 1½ weeks we had a bout of mastitis. I also had further damage that resulted in an open wound that would not heal. I was in a massive amount of pain and in tears at most feeds. To top it off, my beautiful daughter had actually lost weight at our 2 week checkup. My confidence was completely shot.
Enter my saviour Simone! I really appreciated that she was able to come to my home, watch us feed in our own environment and offer some great tips and advice. But for me the real support came after she left. On a number of occasions I felt I was taking one step forward and two steps back. Each time I used Simone as a sounding board and we workshoped various ideas that helped me through the process. A few weeks on, we are now pain free and I feel I am able to move on and enjoy life with my little bubba without fear of feeds! I cannot thank Simone enough – without her support and encouragement I don’t think we would have got there! — Kylie Gualano
My first week at home with my newborn baby was just wonderful as well as challenging. I had a problem with attachment on one side which was causing some discomfort so I decided to seek some professional advice. Fortunately, I got the details of a lactation consultant Simone Casey from my hospital due to the convenience of a home visit. After an assessment and supervised feed, Simone was able to immediately identify the problem and modified my technique and I haven't had an issue since. I was most impressed by Simone's caring and professional manner as well as her knowledge not only on breastfeeding but anything to do with caring for a newborn. This is reflected by her qualifications, continuing education and passion for her work. Simone provides an excellent service and invaluable ongoing support.
— Maria Paraskevas, dental hygienist
My introduction to breastfeeding started with my first son in hospital — grope, grab and shove seemed to be the technique taught. At home it all fell apart, I couldn’t feed without a nipple shield, a world of self doubt developed and my confidence in breastfeeding plummeted. It was topped off by an unsettled bub with what I now know is a tongue tie which ended my breastfeeding journey at 10 weeks. I was disappointed, felted cheated and thought I had let my son down. When I fell pregnant with my second son I started my breastfeeding relationship a lot early than the birth. I joined the ABA, did heaps of reading, researched LCs in case I needed one and was going to get help because I was determined to succeed. This time my experience in hospital was more positive. I was more assertive but I still struggled with attachment. Once I got home attachment got harder, so after many frustrating feeds I reached for the nipple shields which made it all easier. Breastfeeding with the shield was better than nothing. After a week or so I wanted to feed without the shield, what was I doing wrong? I emailed Simone and never looked back. Simone was able to do a home visits within days, sorted my attachment issues out and offered advice to help with a quick let-down, block feeding and more. Simone made me feel comfortable, there was no question I couldn’t ask. There was no grabbing or groping but instead a nurturing, supportive and respectful approach. Simone left filling me with confidence and restoring a positive breastfeeding relationship with my bub. Simone followed up the next day reinforcing that I was doing a great job, it was the first time I had smiled and been happy about breastfeeding! Breastfeeding became a strong bonding time with bubs and my 3-year-old who would sit with us chatting and reading books. At 25 days bubs needed an operation and we had a 2-day stay in hospital. Being able to soothe and help my bub when he was in pain in recovery through breastfeeding meant the world to me and the fact the nursing staff told me it was the best medicine made it more special. Stress, no sleep, machine expressing and bubs fasting caused terrible and painful engorgement. A text to Simone for advice and my boobs where back on track. Simone’s care and passion doesn’t stop at one home visit, she is available whenever you need help or just to check in. Simone’s checking in texts and emails of encouragement also go a long way. My breastfeeding journey is still going strong, thank-you Simone. I wish there was more health professionals like Simone in maternity wards supporting mothers and families, so the struggles of breastfeeding are sorted out in the early days saving a lot of stress.— Kristy
My breastfeeding journey was not what I expected. We started off perfectly happy but unfortunately I was given a whole lot of misinformation and constantly told that my baby wasn't gaining enough, wasn't feeding for long enough, etc. I called Simone in desperation after seeing other lactation consultants and feeling like I wasn't getting anywhere. Simone saved our breastfeeding relationship. She gave practical and thoughtful advice on what to do. She reassured me that we were doing things correctly and helped boost my confidence at a time where I felt like giving up. Simone has stayed in contact with me over the last 8 months and has answered every question I have had. Simone understands what it is like to be a first time mum trying to do all the right things. Without her advice and guidance I would have switched to formula at 6 weeks. Instead I am proud to say we are still going strong at 8 months. I learnt so much from Simone and now know that next time around I will have the confidence to stand up for myself and do things the way I feel is right for me and my bub. Thank you Simone for all that you did for us. — Rebecca Corn
When my second child was born, he wasn't as keen at feeding as my first. As she'd been pretty voracious, I put it down to just being another difference between siblings. As time went on however, it became apparent something was up as the little man just wasn't gaining weight. So began the trawl between our GP, paediatrician and extra visits to the MHN. This went on for a few weeks, in which time we also sold our house, packed up and moved cities, and had an overnight stay in hospital for a bout of infant gastro. All in all a pretty stressful time. The night we moved into our new home, I Googled lactation consultants and came across Simone's name. I had a good vibe about her from the website, so emailed and next thing you know, Simone was sitting on my sofa watching my baby boy struggle to feed. One of the first things she suggested was that Archie might be in pain and that an osteopath might help. After a few more tips and a refresher on feeding a baby as opposed to a toddler as I had been doing for so long, Simone left me feeling much happier that I wasn't imagining Archie's issues. She also left me with the contact details of a local osteopath whom I promptly booked a session with. To cut a long story short - Simone was right and Archie had sustained a severe neck strain during delivery and responded really well to treatment. The treatment along with extra feeds and making sure I'm sitting up straight for a newborn (all recommended by Simone) means I now have a much happier baby who is gaining weight! Our GP and paediatrician can't believe the turnaround. Simone has been wonderful for us in a very stressful time - always quick to answer phone, email and text. Thanks Simone! — Kristin Aitkin
If it wasn't for Simone Casey, I may not have experienced the beautiful bond of breastfeeding. During pregnancy, Simone gently pointed me in the direction of the Australian Breastfeeding Association, Pinky McKay (lactation consultant and babycare author) and other support groups. At first I thought 'Why would you need support, it's natural and will come naturally, right?' It did, but there were still some breastfeeding issues I wasn't aware of that I relied on Simone and the others for. She has a tireless work ethic and is passionate about what she does. Simone was there for me when I developed mastitis and her tips are very practical and useful. Every new mother deserves a caring lactation consultant.
Andi Lew, health author/presenter, www.andilew.com
After 6 weeks of dramas (inverted nipples, low supply, cracked nipples that wouldn't heal, blocked ducts, thrush, the works), I was lucky enough to meet with Simone. I had seen countless lactation consultants through the hospital and I was made to feel as though I was wasting their time because I didn't 'get it' yet. Simone is such a kind, caring person who recognised that we needed a complete overhaul of the way we were doing things. She sat with me as I fed Jack and spent time suggesting alternative ways to attach my baby to the breast. I left feeling much more confident. She was also very kind and supportive afterwards, which kept my confidence up and got me through many smaller dramas on the road to breastfeeding success. I would recommend her service to anyone who is pregnant or is breastfeeding and needs some professional support. When I have my next baby I plan to have her phone number on speed dial! -- Emily
When my baby was about 4 weeks old breastfeeding became very sore and difficult. It was at times unbearable and I was so close to putting him on formula. However I knew from feeding my little girl previously that the pain wasn't normal and I really wanted to breastfeed him. I contacted Simone and was so relieved she was able to come out the next morning. She quickly diagnosed a tongue-tie, meaning his tongue was overly attached to the base of his mouth preventing it from covering his gums during feeding. Simone gave me a list of doctors who performed the procedure to correct this and I was fortunate enough to get him in that day. The procedure was so simple and quick - so within less than 24 hours of contacting Simone I was able to fix the problem. It took about a week to get breastfeeding completely back to normal but the soreness and pain started to subside immediately. He is now feeding brilliantly with no issues at all and putting on weight beautifully. I am so so grateful Simone was able to diagnose and help correct the issue so quickly.— Louise
Simone has been nothing short of what I have termed as our 'breastfeeding fairy godmother'. I feel I just can’t rave about her enough. I feel emotional writing this. There is so much misinformation out there in regards to breastfeeding. Simone, as my lactation consultant, has guarded me from what could have been disastrous advise (from professionals and otherwise) on numerous occasions. Her wonderful, highly informed breastfeeding wisdoms and tips have been like magic miracles along the way. Keeping me focused with the right support to continue breastfeeding. Simone’s encouraging and passionate approach has been infectious. Her optimism and positivity have been gold. I was always left feeling equal to the challenge after speaking to Simone when issues arose. She always left me feeling empowered as a breastfeeding mum, and to trust and follow my instinct. My favourite part of parenting my daughter is the breastfeeding. I cherish those moments with her and she has thrived from it physically and emotionally. I owe a lot of that to Simone. Every new and breastfeeding mother and baby should have a Simone! — Joanne Tsakoumagos
During the troublesome early months of my breastfeeding journey I saw several health professionals, including doctors, maternal child health nurses, midwives as well as other lactation consultants. Simone’s advice was often different to other health professionals and provided me with the insight and knowledge to continue breastfeeding when I was on the verge of giving up. Simone’s expertise comes from much time spent helping many mums as well as her own experience as the mum of three children. -- Lucinda
Simone is affectionately known as my breastfeeding agony aunt. Throughout this ongoing journey of breastfeeding my twin boys, I have always felt that I could go to her with any questions, frustrations or queries. She always makes time to pass on great advice, tips, interesting articles to read, and more. I have appreciated her help and support; it has helped me so much.
Miles and Darcy were born at 33 weeks gestation. It was not at all what I was expecting; having two tiny babies both weighing less than 2kg each. At first they needed to be fed through a tube as they were learning to suck feed. During this time they were in the Special Care Nursery. I went in to the hospital every day and spent time with the babies in kangaroo care. This skin-to-skin contact that Simone encouraged helped both the babies and I tremendously and became the foundation for our breastfeeding journey together. By this stage I was also establishing my milk supply and was expressing every 3 hours so this could be given to the babies. I was lucky that I began producing plenty of milk and every day I would put each baby on the breast and very gradually the natural instinct to feed began to show. I remember the first time that Miles began to feed continuously for a little while it just brought tears to my eyes; it was the most beautiful thing. Very slowly the feeding increased for each baby, with them taking a bottle of EBM through the night while I was not there. Miles and Darcy were in hospital for 3 weeks before I could bring them home. This was the longest 3 weeks of my life and I found it extremely difficult being apart from them. After about 2 weeks I began to try tandem feeding. This felt like the most uncomfortable and awkward thing I had ever attempted and I thought I would never get the hang of it, but surprisingly as we began to practise each day, it became second nature. I have found this such a lovely time, sitting down together the three of us and both babies feeding at the same time (no one is waiting and everyone is happy!) As time went by, different issues began to arise (and this is still continuing as they are now 10 months old!). I had questions regarding sleep deprivation, feeding during the night and mastitis. I always knew Simone was there to recommend books, websites and give helpful advice. Her knowledge, understanding and kindness have been so wonderful and I feel so grateful for all she has done for me. Thank you Simone! — Deborah Ward
I met/found Simone when my bub was about 3 weeks old. She wasn't putting on weight well and we were told we needed to give her formula top-ups. I was doing everything I could to increase my milk supply, but still needed top-ups. We had already seen two other LCs, but I was concerned she was guzzling the bottle and getting lazy at the breast. Simone came to my house and took time to listen to my concerns and my breastfeeding goals. She assessed both me and my baby to make sure she was feeding correctly, looked over previous weights and talked to me about what I wanted to achieve. I still needed to give top-ups, but Simone introduced me to an alternative to the bottle (Supplementary Nursing System or SNS), and helped me organise top-ups so they were only once a day (previously 3-4 times a day). We eventually weened the top-ups after my baby started solids and I am very pleased to announce I successfully breastfed my baby until 19 months when she weaned herself. I am very clear that without Simone's help, our breastfeeding journey may have been very different. She was so approachable, kind and professional at a time that I was very emotional and feeling vulnerable. I would highly recommend her as an LC no matter what issue you may be having. I am having another baby shortly, and she will be on speed dial. — Emily Bishop
Hi Simone, thank you very much for your excellent service. Jen had a successful time breastfeeding after you left yesterday with minimal discomfort only on initial attachment. We are greatly appreciative of your advice and of your excellent follow up email summary — if only all people are as professional as you are. I do like to make sure I'm involved as I like to make sure I'm pulling my weight as a father to Roman and not just sitting back while my wife struggles through the challenges. — Robert Atanasovski
I was just about ready to give up on breastfeeding before I met with Simone. My little boy was born four weeks early and was bottle-fed expressed milk. I was exhausted from the continuous feeding, pumping and cleaning routine, my supply was dwindling and I was so worried about bub's growth. Simone came in and really listened. She talked about options in an open-minded way (without pushing any particular philosophical approach!) and developed a clever plan that was really well suited for bubs and I to transition to breastfeeding. She was super responsive in the hours and days that followed, providing updated advice and support as the plan played out. Incredibly, within two days bubs and I were breastfeeding happily! My supply had increased so much, I was finally getting some rest and most importantly bubs was stacking on the weight. My family and I can't thank Simone enough for everything — now we are finally able to relax and enjoy this time the way we want.
— Jen Hughes
My daughter had her lip tie and posterior tongue-tie released when she was 2 weeks old. We accessed support through the breastfeeding clinic at our hospital before and after the release. They were great, but I really felt like I needed someone to support us at home. Simone came highly recommended by the tongue-tie support group on Facebook so I contacted her. From the outset Simone was so lovely and approachable. During our first home visit Simone made small changes to our latching technique which made a huge difference to my daughter’s latch and efficiency. She reassured me that we were doing a good job and gave me the confidence to stop waking my daughter for night feeds and trust her to feed on demand, which means all of us are getting a better night’s sleep. Simone has since done two more home visits with us to fine tune our attachment and work on different positions. She has also provided extensive support over email to answer questions I had between visits. Her summary notes after each visit were so helpful that I found myself re-reading them whenever I was unsure about something. Simone has been instrumental in giving me confidence, not just as a breastfeeder, but as a mother. I am so grateful for her support and advice. — Laura MacDonald
When I was pregnant with my baby I knew that the most important thing on my birthing plan was to breastfeed. I assumed that breastfeeding was a natural thing and will come to me easily. Boy was I wrong. My and my daughter's breastfeeding journey started off with a lot of struggle, pain and tears. By day five of my baby’s life, my nipples were badly damaged and breastfeeding became so painful that I dreaded the feeding times. My baby did not recover her birth weight within the first week, which added to my stress. At the time I was advised that my supply was low and I would need to supplement my baby with formula. My baby was also diagnosed with a posterior tongue tie which the doctor was unable to snip. I was devastated! I was also stressed because of all the conflicting information I received from various health providers. However, because I was determined to breastfeed I knew I needed to seek lactation support. I contacted Simone when my baby was 5 days old. From the time Simone came to my house to watch me feeding my baby, she gave me confidence that I can breastfeed. I felt Simone’s knowledge on breastfeeding and parenting was of high standard. She was warm and respectful and gave me all the information I needed to establish a good milk supply and latching positions for my baby. Simone created a plan for us to wean off the formula and gave me confidence that it was possible for me to exclusively breastfeed my baby. We followed the plan and switched to breastfeeding shortly after I first saw Simone. While I was implementing the plan, Simone gave me lots of encouragement and confidence that I needed to keep going which I am very grateful for. As a bonus Simone taught me and my husband some settling techniques which helped us tremendously during the first crazy weeks of being new and unexperienced parents! While my and my daughter’s breastfeeding journey has not been the easiest one with recurring mastitis, I have always felt supported by Simone no matter what lactation issue I was facing. My baby is seven months old now and we are still enjoying our breastfeeding journey, which I feel would not have been possible without Simone’s loving services! — Paulina
I first saw Simone when my baby was 6 days old. Simone was excellent in boosting my confidence and with helping me improve my feeding technique which I initially had issues with. I contacted Simone again a few weeks later to learn new feeding positions which has made a huge difference to me especially at night when I'm absolutely tired. Simone is very positive in her advice and extremely knowledgeable about all things feeding. I am very grateful to her for promptly replying to my messages when I'm freaking out about advice someone else has incorrectly given me. I highly recommend her and will be passing on her details to my friends and family expecting babies. — Priyanalee Ratnayake
I contacted Simone when I was having some concerns about my 8-week-old baby's feeding. All of a sudden he was jumping on and off the breast and never seemed to take a full feed so I was getting stressed and worried that it would only get worse. Simone came over and spent a couple of hours discussing my concerns and watching my baby feed. She showed me a few different positions to use and gave me some tips on dealing with a fast flow and reflux to make my baby more comfortable. I came away so much more confident about feeding and my child's needs. I was especially glad that I sought help early before getting more distressed and was able to find a lactation consultant who was so warm and relaxed that it felt like a friend was visiting and helping out. I can't recommend Simone enough. — Rebecca Kelly
I contacted Simone after reading her blog as I was feeling very demoralised about breast feeding my 2-month-old — lots of pain and at times an unsettled baby. I was thinking about giving up breastfeeding. Simone came to my home and quickly identified the problems and how to put things right. She gave me some good advice about settling my son too! With in days things had vastly improved and the problems had completely resolved after a week or so. Prior to her visit I really didn’t think that I would ever be able to get it right. I will happily recommend Simone Casey to my friends. — Celia
As a first time mum I am beyond pleased that I contacted Simone for her help with breastfeeding. I only knew one breastfeeding position which was very restrictive and she quickly taught me a number more which I have used from that day onwards. She helped put me at ease with my breastfeeding and taught me new skills. And she came to me which was a Godsend. As the first of my friendship group to have a bub I will be recommending Simone to all my girlfriends. — Tegan Reilly
I sought Simone's help two days after our return from the hospital. Jonathan was born at 2.6kg and when we were discharged, he had lost more than 10% of his weight. The midwives at the hospital at that point had convinced us that a formula top-up will be required. I did not like the effect that the formula had on him. He was very grumpy and very difficult to settle. My husband and I were also confused about how best to feed him, including breastfeeding techniques (especially attachment technique) as we were given multiple and inconsistent advice at the hospital. After a home consultation with Simone, I was very happy. As it turned out the whole formula top-up was unnecessary. She taught me how to attach Jonathan and also clarified all the other information about breastfeeding that we were confused about. She also taught me how to increase my supply and these tips worked tremendously. During the weigh-ins at the Maternal and Child Health Nurse clinic, Jonathan continued to gain significant and impressive weight — all on my breastmilk! Simone also taught me different positions when feeding Jonathan. This made feeding more relaxing and enjoyable, rather than a formalised process. Most of all, Simone gave me my confidence back that I can feed Jonathan well. For this, I am very grateful. Thank you very much, Simone! — Jennifer Harlim
As a first time mum, breastfeeding has been a massive challenge. I engaged Simone to assist with correct latching and general support and Simone was fantastic. I instantly felt comfortable with Simone and able to easily express my concerns. We worked through correct positioning and latching. Simones's support has been invaluable and given us the confidence that we are going well. Thankyou Simone for all your help! — Elena
As a first-time Mum, I was having some problems breastfeeding during my son's first month, and was close to giving up and embracing formula. Simone was really helpful in encouraging me to keep trying, and also showed me some excellent breastfeeding tricks (and some general baby tricks thrown in for good measure!). I didn't really know what I was doing wrong until we saw her. Two weeks later and bub is now a pro at breastfeeding and I'm so glad I didn't give up! Thanks Simone! — Ella
I just wanted to say thank you so so much for all of your help. I was discussing your valuable advice today about right when you are about to give up you are almost there! Thank you — you don't know what this means to me to have succeeded! I didn't think i would care so much, obviously I knew breast is best but the connection to Zoe that I felt was wonderful. Thank you for helping me to achieve that! — Lin
After successfully feeding my first child, having real trouble feeding my second came as a frustrating surprise. After weeks of trying to work with the hospital system and the transient nature of lactation midwives I was still no closer to getting my little girl to feed directly from me. She wasn't putting on weight and I was getting quite concerned. I researched the internet for a well respected lactation consultant and came across Simone. The other testimonials completely do her justice. She was kind, considerate and willing to listen to my unique situation. From the instant she entered my house I felt comfortable that she was highly experienced in what she did. As I had fed my first child, I 'mostly' knew what I was doing, but still required with a couple of tweaks to adjust to little Gab, Simone assisted us to attach for the first time ever. I cannot express my relief, I was at the point where I was convinced she would never feed from me and was on a countdown to move her to a bottle permanently. Simone gave me the confidence that I could do it. Gave pointers where I needed it, but never made assumptions, also never did that hand-grab force baby on boob thing (as opposed to hospital midwives who just assumed it was all me and I just felt like a 'number in the system'). She also followed up over the next couple of weeks to ensure we were continuing along our positive feeding path. I highly recommend Simone to anyone (first, second.... fifth child!) who is having feeding issues. She is obviously very knowledgeable and supportive of not just breastfeeding, but mothers in general. I continue to feed little Gab happily, and I'm happy to attribute part of our ongoing to success to Simone. — Catherine
I want to spread the word about the invaluable help an experienced IBCLC can provide for mummas and bubs with tongue and lip ties. At ANY stage of the journey. I consulted with the wonderful Simone Casey in recent weeks as, several months post tongue and lip tie revision, my 2 1/2 year old was still learning how to manage his new tongue mobility and we were having painful breastfeeds and nipple damage again. Honestly, within minutes of watching us feed Simone had provided me with feedback and recommendations that has us feeding pain free again! The adjustments that I had been trying to fix things were actually the opposite of what worked, I guess we had adapted to his ties in a way that wasn't working anymore with his lip and tongue movement. The skill and knowledge of an experience professional definitely gave us a better understanding of how to fix our latch. I am so grateful to Simone for putting us back on a path to my boy self weaning in his own time, and to breastfeeding being a peaceful connection again! — Sue McKenzie
When you are pregnant, the focus is always around the birth. I thought I was as prepared as I could be. Fortunately I had a great pregnancy and birth but from day one, breastfeeding didn't come naturally as I imagined it would. My nipples were flat and as a result my baby girl couldn't latch on properly . This started a cascade of events that lead me to resent breastfeeding my baby. I developed sore, cracked nipples and thrush - which reoccurred 5 times and would sometimes take 13 doses of Diflucan to get rid of :( and lastly, was diagnosed with nipple vasospasm. Everytime I fed my baby my feet would curl in anticipation of the pain that was ahead. I met Simone at the hospital where my baby was delivered. I saw her a few times at the clinic with my breastfeeding issues and also asked her to see me privately at my home. Simone gave me some great tips with positioning, latching and the contact details of a GP who is a breastfeeding guru and was able to help establish a plan (and prescribe drugs of course). Simone recommended I see a dentist as she believed my baby had a posterior lip and tongue tie. She was right! Once the laser was performed, feeding became easier with time. Simone made me believe that I could get through this hard time. I was persistent, I wanted to give my baby the best start in life. Now, 5 months later (and going strong), my little baby girl is thriving. She smiles at me when I feed her and I'm sure this is her way of thanking me too. — Lucreza Struthers
I spent my time in hospital recovering from an emergency caesarean and as a result did not focus on breastfeeding until I got home. While we were in hospital, bubs got used to the bottle pretty quickly and was not taking to the breast very well. Nipple shields helped a little but I found these very annoying to use and I wanted to get off these as quickly as possible.
Simone was recommended by a friend and she came to me on my third day home. Within an hour, bubs was attaching to the boob well and without the nipple shield! I couldn't be more happy and relieved. Simone showed me alternative ways of feeding bubs which I thought was more intimate and natural (the hospital only showed my the traditional cradle hold and the football hold both of which I found uncomfortable). We had a beautiful experience with the baby crawl where bubs was placed in the middle of my chest and actually crawled to the boob and nipple. It was a lovely and inspiring experience. Six weeks later, we still practice with the baby crawl each day which I find is a nice alternative to practicing tummy time on a change table or floor.
Simone also taught me how to feed in bed sideways which makes midnight feeds much easier and less disruptive for bubs. Bubs continues to feed well on both sides and in any position. Thank you, Simone, for making the whole experience easy and pleasurable. — Elle
Breastfeeding my first baby has been a struggle from day one. Born full term but only weighing 2.7kg the paediatrician put her on formula top-ups straight after birth to prevent her from losing too much weight. Upon discharge I decided to stop the top-ups as I didn't want them to impact on my supply and cause any nipple confusion. Breastfeeding became more difficult as Chloe would take an hour and a half for each feed, wouldn't nap much during the day and constantly wanted to be on the breast. Her weight gain was slow and when we had our 6 week check the paediatrician was unhappy with her weight gain and requested I express every feed or give her formula. So I began the very challenging task of expressing each feed, which was physically and mentally exhausting. Then at 9 weeks of age she was diagnosed with anaemia. That's when I decided I needed professional help. Simone first saw Chloe when she was 10 weeks old and developed a plan to help her become more efficient on the breast. We worked on having Chloe feed from the breast with minimal top-ups of expressed milk. This was a more manageable approach I could sustain. Simone saw Chloe again at 4 months as her weight gain was still very slow and she was still taking 45 minutes to feed. I was ready to give up on breastfeeding all together as it was taking a toll on my physical and mental health. So Simone devised a new plan and with her support and encouragement I have continued to breastfeed. Now at 6 months of age Chloe is fully breastfed with no top-ups and I am only expressing once a day. Simone's ongoing advise, encouragement and support as been an integral part of my breastfeeding journey and success. While Chloe continues to be slow on the breast I have achieved my goal of breastfeeding for the first 6 months and I am now focusing on continuing for another 6 months. Thanks to Simone I have a new ad improved attitude towards breastfeeding and enjoy the ongoing support she provides. — Yasmina
I had trouble breastfeeding from the moment the midwives at my hospital suggested formula top ups to allow me to get more sleep at night. Not knowing any different, I followed their advice. Compounding this problem were the two lots of antibiotics I was put on – first during labor for testing positive to Group B strep and secondly to treat an infection in the cesarean incision. By the time my son was 2 weeks old I had two main problems. Incredible pain whilst nursing and low supply. I contacted Simone because feeds were excruciating and my baby was constantly screaming (I later realised he must have been hungry). Simone was able to come and visit me at home within two days of receiving my call, suspecting nipple thrush, and she stayed for several hours, observing and giving me advice. Weeks turned into months and the nipple thrush would not subside. On Simone’s recommendations, I tried all over-the-counter treatments to no avail and then made appointments with my family GP to request prescription medications (which also did not work). Simone told me to keep asking for help, so I did, and she continually had suggestions, from watching what I ate and limiting certain foods to trying the ‘old school’ remedy, ‘gentian violet’. When my son was four months old I was still having to top up feeds with formula and was still in extreme pain not only during feeds, but between them as well. I had had enough! But once again, Simone came through and referred me to an excellent GP/LC and still stayed in touch. Unfortunately, there was no ultimate diagnosis but Simone never gave up suggesting things and checking in on me. Whilst nipple thrush was suspected early on, the GP/LC concluded that I was experiencing a ‘false pain’ and that I needed to let my nipples heal and totally wean. In the end, Simone and I decided that weaning my son down to two breastfeeds per day and giving him formula the rest of the time was a good compromise, and it worked. Simone supported and helped me to wean and even offered advice and help should I wish to increase my supply at any time. I felt thoroughly cared for and never under pressure. I have highly recommended her to many friends and will continue to do so. If it weren’t for Simone, I’d have given up in the very beginning. But my son is still thriving on a combination of breastmilk and formula and I am very grateful to her for that. — Carla Stewart
From the beginning I had struggled to get my baby to latch on, partly due to flat nipples and made more difficult by a fast flow. I left hospital using a nipple shield, as it was the only way I could successfully breastfeed. Although my baby coped well with the shield and I was happy to at least be breastfeeding, I was concerned about potential implications for my supply if I used it long term and was keen to eventually be able to feed without it. Due to my fast flow the shield would often quickly fill with milk, which my baby struggled with or he would flick the shield off, spilling milk everywhere. It was fiddly and I found feeding outside of the home difficult. I was keen to try and wean him off the shield. After initially trying not to use the shield at each feed I found myself becoming disheartened at each feed, and my attempts to get him to latch on without it were becoming increasingly tokenistic. After approximately 10 weeks of using the shield my baby and I were becoming used to it and I knew I needed to act soon in order to be able to change things. I felt like I knew what I needed to do, but needed confirmation of the techniques I was trying and also some encouragement and support and, as a consequence, I contacted Simone after searching for accredited lactation consultants. Living in rural Victoria, but in Melbourne at short notice for the weekend, Simone was extremely accommodating and saw me that weekend. She had a calming influence, and observed my baby’s feeding and then provided practical advice on different techniques we could try and how to incorporate the things I was already doing. This was made so much more comfortable in a home setting. However, most importantly, Simone encouraged me to achieve my goal of feeding without the nipple shield and reassured me that it was possible. Simone also reassured me that it was not the end of the world if we did end up needing the shield long term and answered my questions and discussed my concerns regarding this. I was delighted to receive a follow-up SMS from Simone in the days after her visit. I no longer felt isolated in what I was trying to do. Feeling supported and encouraged and with further follow-up support from Simone after the visit, I was able to be more patient and persistent. I followed Simone’s advice and tips and over the coming days my baby gradually took more feeds directly from the breast, first on one side and eventually on both. I found breastfeeding to truly be an art form and not just a physical act. Having Simone come in and take a ‘fresh look’ at what I was doing, not just in relation to the nipple shield, and provide objective and practical advice, support and encouragement was vitally important in me being able to directly breastfeed my baby, without a nipple shield. — Ingrid Hensley
I was told to give my baby bottle top-ups as he was a sleepy feeder, but quickly he refused to breastfeed, preferring the bottles instead - it was devastating! After seeing a few LC's and trying lots of things I was told it might be too late to bring him back to the breast at 3-months-old and I might need to pump every feed until he was weaned. I was so down, I'd always thought I be one of those mums proudly feeding their babies in cafés and on the go, it looked so easy! Then I had a chance meeting with Simone, and she reckoned it was possible to get him back on and not to give up. Simone is just such a good problem solver and came up with some very clever solutions. Simone's determination gave me the confidence to stick with it, with her signature 'calm persistence'. And it worked! Thank you so much Simone, now my baby is back breastfeeding it feels so easy not have to worry about all the pumping and sterilising - I have more time to cuddle and enjoy my baby! — Kate Sutton
After having my second baby, sadly the same thing was happening as with my first, breastfeeding was just not working, my baby was having 350ml formula top-ups and I was feeling down. I called Simone, as I was given her number from my GP, and since then our top-ups have gone down to 80ml and counting, Simone has changed my whole outlook on breastfeeding. She is not just my lactation consultant, but also my counsellor. She was on hand to help whenever I needed it, always giving me the encouragement to keep going. I am now confident I know what I am doing and more confident as a parent. Simone was by far the best! 11 weeks in and I am still breastfeeding, I cannot thank Simone enough. — Carla Sacca
After two bubs, you would think we would have had breastfeeding all sorted. But after having all sorts of issues with my first two, I was not surprised I had issues again when my daughter arrived. I had a feeling her attachment was not quite right. By the time I got home from hospital, my nipples were extremely sore and grazed and at 1½ weeks we had a bout of mastitis. I also had further damage that resulted in an open wound that would not heal. I was in a massive amount of pain and in tears at most feeds. To top it off, my beautiful daughter had actually lost weight at our 2 week checkup. My confidence was completely shot.
Enter my saviour Simone! I really appreciated that she was able to come to my home, watch us feed in our own environment and offer some great tips and advice. But for me the real support came after she left. On a number of occasions I felt I was taking one step forward and two steps back. Each time I used Simone as a sounding board and we workshoped various ideas that helped me through the process. A few weeks on, we are now pain free and I feel I am able to move on and enjoy life with my little bubba without fear of feeds! I cannot thank Simone enough – without her support and encouragement I don’t think we would have got there! — Kylie Gualano
My first week at home with my newborn baby was just wonderful as well as challenging. I had a problem with attachment on one side which was causing some discomfort so I decided to seek some professional advice. Fortunately, I got the details of a lactation consultant Simone Casey from my hospital due to the convenience of a home visit. After an assessment and supervised feed, Simone was able to immediately identify the problem and modified my technique and I haven't had an issue since. I was most impressed by Simone's caring and professional manner as well as her knowledge not only on breastfeeding but anything to do with caring for a newborn. This is reflected by her qualifications, continuing education and passion for her work. Simone provides an excellent service and invaluable ongoing support.
— Maria Paraskevas, dental hygienist
My introduction to breastfeeding started with my first son in hospital — grope, grab and shove seemed to be the technique taught. At home it all fell apart, I couldn’t feed without a nipple shield, a world of self doubt developed and my confidence in breastfeeding plummeted. It was topped off by an unsettled bub with what I now know is a tongue tie which ended my breastfeeding journey at 10 weeks. I was disappointed, felted cheated and thought I had let my son down. When I fell pregnant with my second son I started my breastfeeding relationship a lot early than the birth. I joined the ABA, did heaps of reading, researched LCs in case I needed one and was going to get help because I was determined to succeed. This time my experience in hospital was more positive. I was more assertive but I still struggled with attachment. Once I got home attachment got harder, so after many frustrating feeds I reached for the nipple shields which made it all easier. Breastfeeding with the shield was better than nothing. After a week or so I wanted to feed without the shield, what was I doing wrong? I emailed Simone and never looked back. Simone was able to do a home visits within days, sorted my attachment issues out and offered advice to help with a quick let-down, block feeding and more. Simone made me feel comfortable, there was no question I couldn’t ask. There was no grabbing or groping but instead a nurturing, supportive and respectful approach. Simone left filling me with confidence and restoring a positive breastfeeding relationship with my bub. Simone followed up the next day reinforcing that I was doing a great job, it was the first time I had smiled and been happy about breastfeeding! Breastfeeding became a strong bonding time with bubs and my 3-year-old who would sit with us chatting and reading books. At 25 days bubs needed an operation and we had a 2-day stay in hospital. Being able to soothe and help my bub when he was in pain in recovery through breastfeeding meant the world to me and the fact the nursing staff told me it was the best medicine made it more special. Stress, no sleep, machine expressing and bubs fasting caused terrible and painful engorgement. A text to Simone for advice and my boobs where back on track. Simone’s care and passion doesn’t stop at one home visit, she is available whenever you need help or just to check in. Simone’s checking in texts and emails of encouragement also go a long way. My breastfeeding journey is still going strong, thank-you Simone. I wish there was more health professionals like Simone in maternity wards supporting mothers and families, so the struggles of breastfeeding are sorted out in the early days saving a lot of stress.— Kristy
My breastfeeding journey was not what I expected. We started off perfectly happy but unfortunately I was given a whole lot of misinformation and constantly told that my baby wasn't gaining enough, wasn't feeding for long enough, etc. I called Simone in desperation after seeing other lactation consultants and feeling like I wasn't getting anywhere. Simone saved our breastfeeding relationship. She gave practical and thoughtful advice on what to do. She reassured me that we were doing things correctly and helped boost my confidence at a time where I felt like giving up. Simone has stayed in contact with me over the last 8 months and has answered every question I have had. Simone understands what it is like to be a first time mum trying to do all the right things. Without her advice and guidance I would have switched to formula at 6 weeks. Instead I am proud to say we are still going strong at 8 months. I learnt so much from Simone and now know that next time around I will have the confidence to stand up for myself and do things the way I feel is right for me and my bub. Thank you Simone for all that you did for us. — Rebecca Corn
When my second child was born, he wasn't as keen at feeding as my first. As she'd been pretty voracious, I put it down to just being another difference between siblings. As time went on however, it became apparent something was up as the little man just wasn't gaining weight. So began the trawl between our GP, paediatrician and extra visits to the MHN. This went on for a few weeks, in which time we also sold our house, packed up and moved cities, and had an overnight stay in hospital for a bout of infant gastro. All in all a pretty stressful time. The night we moved into our new home, I Googled lactation consultants and came across Simone's name. I had a good vibe about her from the website, so emailed and next thing you know, Simone was sitting on my sofa watching my baby boy struggle to feed. One of the first things she suggested was that Archie might be in pain and that an osteopath might help. After a few more tips and a refresher on feeding a baby as opposed to a toddler as I had been doing for so long, Simone left me feeling much happier that I wasn't imagining Archie's issues. She also left me with the contact details of a local osteopath whom I promptly booked a session with. To cut a long story short - Simone was right and Archie had sustained a severe neck strain during delivery and responded really well to treatment. The treatment along with extra feeds and making sure I'm sitting up straight for a newborn (all recommended by Simone) means I now have a much happier baby who is gaining weight! Our GP and paediatrician can't believe the turnaround. Simone has been wonderful for us in a very stressful time - always quick to answer phone, email and text. Thanks Simone! — Kristin Aitkin
If it wasn't for Simone Casey, I may not have experienced the beautiful bond of breastfeeding. During pregnancy, Simone gently pointed me in the direction of the Australian Breastfeeding Association, Pinky McKay (lactation consultant and babycare author) and other support groups. At first I thought 'Why would you need support, it's natural and will come naturally, right?' It did, but there were still some breastfeeding issues I wasn't aware of that I relied on Simone and the others for. She has a tireless work ethic and is passionate about what she does. Simone was there for me when I developed mastitis and her tips are very practical and useful. Every new mother deserves a caring lactation consultant.
Andi Lew, health author/presenter, www.andilew.com
After 6 weeks of dramas (inverted nipples, low supply, cracked nipples that wouldn't heal, blocked ducts, thrush, the works), I was lucky enough to meet with Simone. I had seen countless lactation consultants through the hospital and I was made to feel as though I was wasting their time because I didn't 'get it' yet. Simone is such a kind, caring person who recognised that we needed a complete overhaul of the way we were doing things. She sat with me as I fed Jack and spent time suggesting alternative ways to attach my baby to the breast. I left feeling much more confident. She was also very kind and supportive afterwards, which kept my confidence up and got me through many smaller dramas on the road to breastfeeding success. I would recommend her service to anyone who is pregnant or is breastfeeding and needs some professional support. When I have my next baby I plan to have her phone number on speed dial! -- Emily
When my baby was about 4 weeks old breastfeeding became very sore and difficult. It was at times unbearable and I was so close to putting him on formula. However I knew from feeding my little girl previously that the pain wasn't normal and I really wanted to breastfeed him. I contacted Simone and was so relieved she was able to come out the next morning. She quickly diagnosed a tongue-tie, meaning his tongue was overly attached to the base of his mouth preventing it from covering his gums during feeding. Simone gave me a list of doctors who performed the procedure to correct this and I was fortunate enough to get him in that day. The procedure was so simple and quick - so within less than 24 hours of contacting Simone I was able to fix the problem. It took about a week to get breastfeeding completely back to normal but the soreness and pain started to subside immediately. He is now feeding brilliantly with no issues at all and putting on weight beautifully. I am so so grateful Simone was able to diagnose and help correct the issue so quickly.— Louise
Simone has been nothing short of what I have termed as our 'breastfeeding fairy godmother'. I feel I just can’t rave about her enough. I feel emotional writing this. There is so much misinformation out there in regards to breastfeeding. Simone, as my lactation consultant, has guarded me from what could have been disastrous advise (from professionals and otherwise) on numerous occasions. Her wonderful, highly informed breastfeeding wisdoms and tips have been like magic miracles along the way. Keeping me focused with the right support to continue breastfeeding. Simone’s encouraging and passionate approach has been infectious. Her optimism and positivity have been gold. I was always left feeling equal to the challenge after speaking to Simone when issues arose. She always left me feeling empowered as a breastfeeding mum, and to trust and follow my instinct. My favourite part of parenting my daughter is the breastfeeding. I cherish those moments with her and she has thrived from it physically and emotionally. I owe a lot of that to Simone. Every new and breastfeeding mother and baby should have a Simone! — Joanne Tsakoumagos
During the troublesome early months of my breastfeeding journey I saw several health professionals, including doctors, maternal child health nurses, midwives as well as other lactation consultants. Simone’s advice was often different to other health professionals and provided me with the insight and knowledge to continue breastfeeding when I was on the verge of giving up. Simone’s expertise comes from much time spent helping many mums as well as her own experience as the mum of three children. -- Lucinda
Simone is affectionately known as my breastfeeding agony aunt. Throughout this ongoing journey of breastfeeding my twin boys, I have always felt that I could go to her with any questions, frustrations or queries. She always makes time to pass on great advice, tips, interesting articles to read, and more. I have appreciated her help and support; it has helped me so much.
Miles and Darcy were born at 33 weeks gestation. It was not at all what I was expecting; having two tiny babies both weighing less than 2kg each. At first they needed to be fed through a tube as they were learning to suck feed. During this time they were in the Special Care Nursery. I went in to the hospital every day and spent time with the babies in kangaroo care. This skin-to-skin contact that Simone encouraged helped both the babies and I tremendously and became the foundation for our breastfeeding journey together. By this stage I was also establishing my milk supply and was expressing every 3 hours so this could be given to the babies. I was lucky that I began producing plenty of milk and every day I would put each baby on the breast and very gradually the natural instinct to feed began to show. I remember the first time that Miles began to feed continuously for a little while it just brought tears to my eyes; it was the most beautiful thing. Very slowly the feeding increased for each baby, with them taking a bottle of EBM through the night while I was not there. Miles and Darcy were in hospital for 3 weeks before I could bring them home. This was the longest 3 weeks of my life and I found it extremely difficult being apart from them. After about 2 weeks I began to try tandem feeding. This felt like the most uncomfortable and awkward thing I had ever attempted and I thought I would never get the hang of it, but surprisingly as we began to practise each day, it became second nature. I have found this such a lovely time, sitting down together the three of us and both babies feeding at the same time (no one is waiting and everyone is happy!) As time went by, different issues began to arise (and this is still continuing as they are now 10 months old!). I had questions regarding sleep deprivation, feeding during the night and mastitis. I always knew Simone was there to recommend books, websites and give helpful advice. Her knowledge, understanding and kindness have been so wonderful and I feel so grateful for all she has done for me. Thank you Simone! — Deborah Ward
