Sip & Support: World Breastfeeding Week 2025 with Thomson Parentcraft Centre
This World Breastfeeding Week, we invited three incredible breastfeeding moms to our Mère Home.
Each mom opened up about the unique challenges they have faced and how they are still pushing through with so much love and strength.
We have invited Chen Liqin, Head of Thomson ParentCraft Centre and a Senior Lactation Consultant, and Li Shuhan, a Assistant Nurse Clinician and a Senior Lactation Consultant from the same team, joining us.
Their warmth, knowledge, and no-judgment support made the session feel like a safe space. The kind every mom deserves.
At Lovemère, we are all about real, and meaningful conversations. And this gathering turned out to be emotional, healing, and uplifting.
And yes, we asked everyone for their favourite drink and snack before the event. So we came prepared with matcha lattes, decaf lattes, truffle chips, and popcorn.
Everyone had space to share, laugh, and just be. No rush. No pressure. Just real talk and a chance to breathe.
At some point, emotions ran high.
This Sip & Support session wasn't just about breastfeeding.
It was a moment to learn, to connect, and to rediscover the strength we hold as women and as mothers.
Sharing snippets of our Sip & Support session, we hope these raw and honest conversations are helpful to you:
PHOEBE at 6-months postpartum
“I was diagnosed with spinal injuries post-delivery that don’t allow me to carry my baby. As a first-time mum, it means that I can no longer be my baby’s primary caretaker, and it threw me into depression, always wanting to look after myself. Worse still, it was hard to see how difficult and tiring it was for my hubby and mum rushing in to help, despite having to work, and my mum also suffers from similar spinal conditions.
My breastfeeding journey was also extra tough, always clogging every two weeks or so, while struggling to provide enough for my child and having spent a bomb hiring various LCs and masseuses. The journey still isn’t easy, but breastfeeding is what empowered me to overcome the depression and challenges I faced.
Breastfeeding enables me to feel worthy as a mum, on top of all the mum guilt and identity crisis I faced as a first-time mum, therefore it becomes an emotional need for me.”
EDNA at 2-months postpartum
“When the baby was born, I was trying to catch up on rest and attending zoom calls for work - not being aware of the need to start expressing colostrum for the baby nor be prepared for breastfeeding. Every wheel in by the nurse always ends up with an unsatisfied baby turning to formula. Subsequently, by the time I was discharged, I was faced with serious engorgement, nipples were bleeding and breasts were both swollen and warm. Thankfully, consultation with a lactation consultant helped to reduce the swelling slowly but painfully.
Through the 1st month, I was facing an undersupply. After understanding and being extremely disciplined, my supply slowly increased and I am able to latch the baby for each nursing session without supplementing with formula nor topping up with expressed breast milk.
Breastfeeding takes a lot of discipline and effort, but it has been a rewarding and meaningful journey thus far despite the exhaustion.
I hope to keep this up as long as my body allows.”
JACQUELINE at 4-months postpartum
"I started breastfeeding my firstborn son in March 2023. The first 4 weeks was such a struggle as he spent the first 5 days of life in the hospital due to jaundice requiring phototherapy and they bottle fed him to optimise the time under the light, resulting in nipple confusion.
We were blessed by the LCs who taught us how to retrain the baby's latch and that took about 3 weeks which was a real struggle given that he fed 10-12 times a day for 30-45 mins each time on top of cluster feeding.
I also faced the usual problems many mamas talk about such as broken nipples, engorgement as the milk came in, leaking etc. The first 4-6 weeks were truly overwhelming.
Then all of a sudden it got easier.
The nipples healed, the breasts softened and before I knew it, my baby turned 1. We mainly directly latched as I did my maternity leave solo and we love traveling so direct latching suited our way of life. When I went back to work when the baby was around 6 months, I went from direct latch to a mix of latching and pumping.
I initially planned to stop at 1 year but my son was a demanding boob barnacle so we continued to nurse through my second IVF attempt for no.2 and through my second pregnancy. My supply dried up but LO still enjoyed dry nursing so we persisted despite the nipple discomfort during pregnancy.
This March, we welcomed our second child and I have been tandem nursing since. I try to ensure my newborn is fed first but sometimes my no.1 can be quite demanding.
We have worked out a schedule of sorts since and occasionally I tandem nurse them at the same time. No.1 is very affectionate and will sayang his little sister while they latch together. Got to say it is also soooo much easier this time around. I did have a few episodes of engorgement but I knew how to manage them and didn't feel overwhelmed like the first time.
To be honest, I am so deep in this breastfeeding journey right now, I wonder when I will ever stop.
I don't feel the need to at this point as I am enjoying this process but I do wonder if my older one will ever wean. I hope that the process will be a gradual and gentle one when it comes. It is as much my breastfeeding journey/goals as it is his so I don't want him to feel forced or rushed.”
From one mom to another: how did this session feel, and what would they love to share with moms who are trying to breastfeed:
We like to thank our partner - Thomson Parentcraft Centre for supporting this meaningful tea-party session with our amazing breastfeeding moms.
Happy World Breastfeeding week, from Team Lovemère.
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Exclusive to Lovemère moms:
Enjoy 3 weekday sessions of Lactation Consultation at Thomson ParentCraft Centre for just $348.
Their experienced consultants will guide you through:
🤱 Latching techniques
🍼 Managing milk supply
🧘 Breastfeeding positions
🧊 Pumping & milk storage
😣 Sore nipples, engorgement & more
📍 Learn more about their courses and workshops: https://bit.ly/LEARNTMC
📩 Have questions or want to book a session? Send them an enquiry here: https://bit.ly/TMSTAYCONNECT
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Terms & Conditions:
- Valid for weekday appointments only, excluding PH. All visits require advance booking.
- Appointment slots are available from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm on weekdays only.
- Prenatal lactation consultations are applicable for mommies between 30th to 36th week of pregnancy.
- Each session includes 45 minutes of one-to-one personalised consultation with a lactation consultant. Additional time is chargeable at $35 per 15-minute block, for up to 30 additional minutes.
- A $25 surcharge applies for requests to book a preferred lactation consultant.
- It is non-refundable and non-exchangeable for cash.
- It is valid for one (1) year from date of purchase.
- Not valid in conjunction with other promotions, benefits, or privileges.
- Consultations will be held at: Thomson ParentCraft Centre, 1 Thomson Road, Balestier Hill Shopping Centre #01-346, Singapore 300001
- Thomson ParentCraft Centre reserves the right to amend the rates and terms & conditions without prior notice.