Day: November 5, 2023

  Expressing and storing breast milk What is expressing? Expressing is a way to get milk from your breasts when your baby is not breastfeeding. You can express milk by hand or with a pump. There are manual pumps and electric pumps available. Not everyone will need to express breast milk. Why would I need to express? Being able to express breast milk is useful in several situations. Such as if your baby has been born prematurely is unwell and is not able to breastfeed can’t attach and suck effectively is refusing the breast your breasts are very full and uncomfortable needs to be

There are many different types of breast diseases. They include infections, cysts and growths, with or without pain. Some growths are benign, meaning not cancer, and some are malignant, which means they can spread. The most common breast conditions are painful breasts, mastitis (inflammation of the breast), cysts, benign lumps and cancer. It’s important for women to be aware of how their breasts look and feel, and to see a doctor if they notice any changes. Women aged 50 to 74 are recommended to have a free mammogram every two years through BreastScreen. If anything suspicious is found, women are usually offered a combination

What are breast cysts? Breast cysts are bubbles of fluid in the breast. They are like blisters. Breast cysts are benign (not cancer). They are common in females aged 35 to 50 years. They are also common in females taking hormone replacement therapy. Types of breast cyst In the breast, fluid is always being made. After being made, the fluid is reabsorbed. This means the fluid goes back into the breast tissue. Breast cysts can happen if more fluid is produced than reabsorbed. During a female’s menstrual cycle, breast cysts may form or get larger. Sometimes breast cysts happen when a milk

Why should I check my breasts regularly? Checking your breasts regularly is the best way to learn what your breasts look and feel like, so you can learn what is normal for you. By checking your breasts often, you will be able to notice changes as soon as they happen. Finding breast cancer early provides the best chance of surviving the disease. It gives you the most options for treatment. If you notice any changes in your breasts, see your doctor as soon as possible. It’s important to remember that not all lumps are dangerous, and 9 out of 10 changes are

Coping with family break-up, separation or divorce How do people respond to separation and divorce? When you have separated or divorced, you will probably have very strong emotional and physical responses at first. Every person and every situation is different, so you will have your own response, especially if you experienced domestic violence or ongoing conflict in your relationship. Even if your partner was abusive, you may feel sad, angry and conflicted at the ending of the relationship. The early emotions may be so intense you could feel as though you are not coping. You might: feel very angry or shocked feel rejected or

Respite care What is respite care? Respite care’ is when someone else takes care of the person you usually care for, so that you can take a break. Respite care provides an organised, temporary break both for the carer and the person they care for. Letting someone else do the caring for a few hours or days has benefits for both of you. Sometimes carers get physically and emotionally tired. It is important that they can have a break so they can be better carers. Respite care also benefits people who receive care, such as children or adults with disability,

What is a brain tumour? A brain tumour is a lump of abnormal cells growing in your brain. Your brain controls all the parts of your body and its functions and produces your thoughts. Depending on where it is, a tumour in your brain can affect these functions. When cells grow abnormally they may form a lump called a tumour. Tumours can be benign or malignant. A benign tumour grows slowly and stays in one place. It is unlikely to spread to another part of your body. Benign tumours are not cancerous. But a benign brain tumour may cause damage just

What is a bowel obstruction? Bowel obstruction (also called intestinal obstruction) is when something blocks the normal movement of food and liquids through your bowel (intestines). It can happen for a variety of reasons. There are different types of bowel obstruction. A blockage in your digestive system can be: in the small intestine or the large intestine partial (meaning your bowel is partly blocked and some faeces (poo) can still get through) or complete (meaning it is fully blocked and not even gas can get through) simple (just a blockage) or complicated (meaning the blockage has cut off your bowel’s blood supply and caused

What is a bowel infection? Bowel infections are caused by microorganisms (‘bugs’, or germs) that have found their way into your gut. The gut (also called bowel or intestine), is part of your digestive system. An infection of the bowel is sometimes called a gastrointestinal infection, or gastroenteritis or (gastro). You can get gastroenteritis by eating or drinking contaminated water or food. This is often called food poisoning) You can also get gastroenteritis from contact with germs through infected people or contaminated objects such as cutlery, taps, toys or nappies. Bowel infections are common in Australia, but people also frequently get infected when travelling