gabi eckereder
midwife (rm), lactation consultant (ibclc)
as creator and founder of mumsmilk, we officially began our journey back in 2013. truth be known, the journey really began for me way back in 1999 in hamburg, germany. on the 22nd of july to be exact. on that morning, two important things happened. firstly, our beautiful son ben was born. secondly, I decided that one day I would broaden my nursing skills and become a midwife. the rest, as they say, is history. or better still herstory.
i was no lactation consultant back then and as fate would have it, breastfeeding my baby boy was at first a challenge and a struggle. those days were hard and beautiful at the same time and i gained an instant appreciation for the much needed support i received from my lactation consultant. so, speaking from experience, i can very much empathise with what our mums are going through.
i am a registered midwife (rm) and an international board qualified lactation consultant (ibclc). i am also trained in gentle myofascial therapy for breastfeeding related issues, as well as shiatsu for midwives and love applying these skills in my practice.
i am most passionate about helping mum & baby on their path to a successful breastfeeding journey. it is so rewarding! in addition to enjoying the challenges of running a private practice, i am also working as a lactation consultant at the women’s.
i come all the way from graz in austria and after 16 years in the bayside area, i am proud to call melbourne home. when i am not caring for mums & babies i spend time with my partner, our teenage son and our beloved irish terrier yarra. … and i love travelling around the globe!
in 2015 i welcomed the lovely alicia davidson into the mumsmilk team to offer our care to the mums & babies of melbourne’s northern suburbs. alicia and i share a common philosophy and we focus on what mums are doing well. we love working together to create a more rewarding breastfeeding journey for mum & baby.
alicia davidson
midwife (rm), lactation consultant (ibclc)
this journey began for me working with new families as a mothercraft nurse way back in the 1990’s. since that time a career in breastfeeding support has been my goal. in 2007 i completed my studies in midwifery and began my career at the women’s hospital. 7 years later i qualified as a lactation consultant and along with my hospital work, i love working as part of the mumsmilk team north of the river.
in 2008 i too became a mum! this gave me real insight into the hurdles of breastfeeding. it also reinforced for me the value of great hospital and community based lactation consultants. with a little help, my baby and i were soon enjoying feeding and experiencing that deep feeling of connection and achievement. i still rate it as one of the great accomplishments of my life. my ongoing involvement with my local australian breastfeeding association group is a direct result of the care and support i received in those early days as a mum.
breastfeeding is so much more than providing breastmilk and new mums know this intuitively. sometimes just a little bit of help and advice is all that is needed to turn around the challenges of those early days. it is so rewarding for me to be able to help support the sacred connection that exists between mum & baby.
i’ve lived in the northern suburbs for 16 years now and love it. my partner and i are often found frequenting our local parks with our son and two dachshund dogs. in my spare time i love to drink tea, read and balance active and creative pursuits.