Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn’t mean it always comes naturally. Millions of mothers around the world struggle with real, solvable breastfeeding challenges every day. The problem isn’t the struggling, it’s waiting too long to ask for help.
As a lactation consultant visiting Perth homes for years, the most common thing I hear is: ‘I wish I’d called sooner.’ This guide will help you know exactly when it’s time to pick up the phone.
Sign 1: Breastfeeding is Painful
Breastfeeding should not hurt beyond the first few seconds of a new latch. If you’re wincing through feeds, dreading the next one, or reaching for a towel to bite down on, that’s not normal, and it’s not something you have to push through.
Nipple pain is most commonly caused by a shallow latch. It can also indicate a tongue tie, thrush, vasospasm, or a positioning issue. All of these are addressable with the right support.
Sign 2: Your Baby Has Cracked, Blistered, or Bleeding Nipples
Damaged nipples are a signal that something is mechanically wrong with how your baby is attaching. This is not just uncomfortable, open wounds can become entry points for infection. A lactation consultant can assess the latch in real time and help you fix the root cause, not just manage the symptoms.
Sign 3: Your Baby Isn’t Gaining Weight as Expected
Babies are expected to regain their birth weight by around day 10–14, and then gain approximately 150–200g per week. If your midwife or child health nurse has flagged concerns about weight gain, a lactation assessment can identify whether the issue is supply, transfer, latch, or feeding frequency.
Sign 4: Feeds Take Longer Than 45 Minutes, Every Time
Some feeds are long. Cluster feeding is normal. But if every single feed is dragging past 45 minutes and your baby still seems unsatisfied or falls asleep at the breast quickly, they may not be transferring milk effectively. This is worth investigating rather than assuming it’s just ‘how this baby is.’
Sign 5: You Hear Clicking Sounds During Feeding
Clicking during feeds happens when a baby loses suction and has to re-establish it repeatedly. It often (though not always) points to a tongue tie or latch issue. The clicking also means your baby is taking in air, which contributes to wind, discomfort, and unsettled behaviour after feeds.
Sign 6: You Have Engorgement, Blocked Ducts, or Mastitis
One episode of a blocked duct can often be resolved at home. But if you’re getting mastitis repeatedly, or you can’t shift a blocked duct despite massage and feeding frequently, a lactation consultation can identify what’s causing the recurrence and help you break the cycle.
Sign 7: You Worry Your Supply Is Too Low (or Too High)
Supply concerns are one of the top reasons Perth mums reach out to me. Low milk supply can be caused by infrequent feeding, poor latch, hormonal factors, or underlying medical conditions, and not all of these are obvious without a proper assessment. Equally, oversupply can cause its own painful problems. Either way, there are real strategies to help.
Sign 8: Your Baby Refuses the Breast
Breast refusal, when a baby who was previously breastfeeding starts crying or pulling away at the breast, is distressing and often has a fixable cause. It can happen after a bottle is introduced, following a period of illness, after a tongue tie release, or during a developmental phase. A lactation consultant can help you figure out what’s driving the refusal and work on reestablishing feeding.
Sign 9: You’re Planning to Return to Work
Going back to work while breastfeeding takes planning, pumping schedules, milk storage, maintaining supply while away from your baby. A consultation before you return to work can help you set up a realistic pumping routine and avoid supply drops. It’s one of the most proactive things you can do.
Sign 10: Something Just Doesn’t Feel Right
This one matters. Mothers have strong instincts, and ‘I’m not sure but something feels off’ is a completely valid reason to seek support. You don’t need to have a ‘serious enough’ problem to ask for help. If feeding is stressful, exhausting, or simply not what you hoped for, that’s enough.
◆ You don’t need to wait for a crisis. Early support prevents problems from escalating. A single consultation often resolves in one visit what weeks of struggling couldn’t.
What Happens in a Lactation Consultation?
When Tracy visits you at home, she’ll take a full feeding history, watch a complete feed from latch to finish, assess your baby’s oral function, weigh your baby before and after feeding (test weight), and give you a clear, personalised care plan, not generic advice.
You can view services and pricing here, or text or call 0432 422 816 to talk through whether a visit is right for you.
Book Your Northern Perth Suburbs Home Visit Tracy Steele | Breastfeeding Solutions :
📞Call Tracy: 0432 422 816 | Email: [email protected] | Northern Perth Home Visits Available
Frequently Asked Questions
Call a lactation consultant if you have nipple pain, your baby isn’t gaining weight well, feeds are very long with an unsatisfied baby, you have blocked ducts or mastitis, or something simply doesn’t feel right. Early help prevents problems from escalating.
Tracy at Breastfeeding Solutions offers same-day and next-day home visits across Perth in many cases. Call or text 0432 422 816 for availability.
It is never too late. Tracy sees babies from newborns through to toddlers who are still breastfeeding. Whether your baby is 4 days or 4 months old, help is available.
