https://www.hkpost.com.au/community/spilt-milk-spills-breastfeeding-wisdom
Breastfeeding is both beautiful, and frightening.
The experience of mothers feeding their children varies so greatly breastfeeding is hard to discuss and explain with a singular story.
Elizabeth Yip, a retired mid-wife, nurse, and lactation consultant from Royal North Shore Hospital, along with editor Dani Malone, created the book Spilt Milk, which documents the honest breastfeeding experiences of over eighty mothers.
The book is an amalgamation of stories written by ordinary women, who described breastfeeding from both sides of the spectrum: women who loved it and women who struggled. From stories of oversupply to no milk supply at all, to juggling feeding twins and triplets, the women in Spilt Milk share their testimony.
‘It really is in the women’s own words,’ says Elizabeth. ‘[The book] does express a certain viewpoint: no one’s the same.’
With Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, the well-being of women and their breasts are at the forefront. Though breastfeeding, an innate natural capability of females, is not. The research and resources for lactation, Elizabeth claims, is lacklustre and should be more readily available for people to access.
‘There are some lactation people in the system. But, to me, every local health district in New South Wales should have a lactation clinic that a GP can contact,’ says Elizabeth.
Spilt Milk was launched on the 26th of August by Dr Vijay Roach, an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and Catherine Knox, the Chair of the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter.
Spilt Milk is available at Willoughby library and for purchase on Amazon, Constant Reader, and at www.spiltmilkstories.com
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