TEN GAME CHANGING WAYS TO MAKE BREASTFEEDING EASIER Breastfeeding is hard! Breastfeeding is easy! You will hear both of these proclamations. Which is it? The truth is it can be hard for some mamas, and it can be easy peasy for others. I’m going to share ten ways to make breastfeeding easier for you. I am all …
Nipple pain is one of the most common reasons why women give up breastfeeding. Some women tough it out. But breastfeeding is not a pleasant experience for them. They may even come to dread feedings. Certain situations that cause nipple pain can result in reduced milk transfer. A baby doesn’t get enough milk and doesn’t …
FAST RELIEF FOR SORE NIPPLES WHILE BREASTFEEDING Read More »
Do you worry about how much milk you are making? Most moms worry about their milk supply. One of the most common reasons a woman stops breastfeeding is because she thinks she doesn’t have enough milk. It is a breastfeeding truth that most moms do make enough milk for their baby to grow at a …
SURVIVING A COLD WHILE BREASTFEEDING One minute you are fine. The next minute you are starting to feel that scratchy throat sensation. You sneeze, your nose starts to run, and then you are in the clutches of a full-blown cold. Nobody likes being sick. Breastfeeding moms have not only themselves to think about. They also …
How to Safely Survive a Cold While Breastfeeding Read More »
THRUSH TREATMENT WHEN BREASTFEEDING Yeast infections are a common problem for nursing moms. It is one of the causes of nipple pain while breastfeeding. Painful breastfeeding is one of the most common reasons moms give for weaning early (Source). If feeding your baby is painful due to thrush, you will want to find a fast …
FINDING THE BEST TREATMENT FOR THRUSH WHILE BREASTFEEDING Read More »
Essential Oils for Nursing Moms Guest Post by Allison Shorter Essential oils are wonderful for so many things including cleaning your home, cosmetic use and treating injuries. However, there is some debate among professionals about essential oil use for pregnant and nursing moms. Let’s look at essential oil use if you are one of these …
DIY NURSING SCARF COVER Are you a breastfeeding mom who wants to look fashionable? Do you prefer to cover up when you are breastfeeding in public or when you are nursing in front of certain people? Are you looking for an alternative to traditional breastfeeding covers? A DIY nursing scarf cover is the perfect solution! …
How To Stop Breastfeeding When It’s Time To Wean When you stop breastfeeding having a plan will help you avoid tears and pain. Deciding to wean can happen for different reasons. It may be your decision to stop breastfeeding. Perhaps you had a goal to breastfeed for a certain length of time. You may be …
BREAST PUMP TIPS AND TRICKS – THE SECRETS TO GETTING MORE MILK There is a breast pumping revolution taking place. 85% of breastfeeding moms will use a breast pump by the time their baby is five months old (Source). A mom may pump once. She may pump every few hours for the entire time she …
BREAST PUMP TIPS AND TRICKS- {11} SECRETS YOU NEED TO KNOW Read More »
Breastfeeding Hacks Every New Mom Needs Let’s be real, breastfeeding can be hard. These breastfeeding tips will make it so much easier for all of you new mamas. I have been a lactation consultant for 25 years. I breastfed my own babies for a total of four years. These are the best of the best breastfeeding …
There’s nothing like unsolicited advice. Moms get a lot of it. It usually starts the minute people find out that you are pregnant and continues for the rest of your parenting days. My three kids are all adults and I still get unasked for advice on how to parent. While I believe most people mean …
Round-Up: The Worst Breastfeeding Advice Moms Have Heard Read More »
TIPS FOR BOTTLE FEEDING A BREASTFED BABY If you’re a brand-new breastfeeding mom, you may be wondering when you can introduce a bottle to your breastfed baby. Some moms might even wonder if they should give their little one a bottle. Full disclosure, I’m a lactation lady who believes that that breastfed babies should take a …
11 GENIUS TIPS FOR BOTTLE FEEDING A BREASTFED BABY Read More »
GOING DAIRY FREE FOR YOUR BREASTFED BABY I learned quickly that going dairy free for your breastfeeding baby could be very helpful when a baby is very fussy. Early in my lactation career, I got a call from a mom that went like this: Mom: My baby cries all the time. Do you think …
The Best Breastfeeding Accessories Have you ever put the word “breastfeeding” into the Amazon search bar? You’ll get over 20,000 results! And searching on Pinterest is not much better. (There is even one item I see on a lot of those lists that makes me cringe. I’ll tell you which one that is a little …
The Ultimate List of the 9 Best Breastfeeding Accessories Read More »
5 Easy to Remember Tips for Breastfeeding the First Week The classes pack a lot of information into a couple of hours. The books often don’t seem relevant when you’re still pregnant. When you are pregnant you are just trying to figure out how that baby is going to get out, and when that is …
Breastfeeding the First Week: 5 Easy to Remember Tips Read More »
WHY IS MY BABY CLUSTER FEEDING? It is a terrible feeling, worrying that your baby is not getting enough to eat. Many new moms worry about this when their newborn eats very frequently. Very frequent feeding is called “cluster feeding.” There are different reasons for those times when it can be hard to distinguish …
WHY IS MY BABY CLUSTER FEEDING? – ALL THE ANSWERS Read More »
Many moms think that their baby will be ready and waiting to breastfeed as soon as they are born. It is true that some babies will do just that and will continue feeding frequently. Everybody will be happy, and no one will worry. Then there are the babies who are more interested in sleeping off …
BREASTFEEDING YOUR NEWBORN THE FIRST DAY Your brand-new baby has arrived. You have been waiting nine months for this moment. Now what? Breastfeeding is so important to you, and you want to make sure you do everything you can to get it right. The most important piece of advice to getting it right is to …
Breastfeeding Your Newborn the First Day – All You Need to Know Read More »
BREASTFEEDING AND RETURNING TO WORK Breastfeeding and working can be challenging, but it has so many benefits. Continuing to breastfeed when you go back to work may seem like it is going to be a lot of work and a big, fat hassle. I can assure you, it is worth it. Breastfeeding has both short …
Epic Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Breastfeeding and Returning to Work Read More »
If breastfeeding is so natural, why can it be so hard to do? Because while a mom may plan to breastfeed, she doesn’t often prepare to breastfeed. It’s common to take birthing classes, buy a diaper bag, and think about what kind of breast pump you should get. Having a good breastfeeding experience involves more …
13 Essential Ways to Prepare for Breastfeeding While Pregnant Read More »
BREASTFEEDING AND SIDS STATISTICS SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is every new parent’s worst fear. Breastfeeding has a dramatic impact on SIDS statistics. WHAT IS SIDS? Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of a baby that has no explanation. It occurs in children who are one month to one year old. …
WHAT EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT BREASTFEEDING AND SIDS STATISTICS Read More »
ESTABLISHING BREASTFEEDING The first few days after a baby is born is a whirlwind. Moms are expected to learn all sorts of new things when they are running on little sleep and high levels of adrenaline. There will be a laser focus on breastfeeding. If you give birth in a hospital, you will be asked …
ESTABLISHING BREASTFEEDING – AVOID COMMON MISTAKES WITH THESE {21} TIPS Read More »
BEST GIFTS FOR BREASTFEEDING MOMS All you need are breasts. Breasts are all you need. La la la la. Sing it with me! (To the tune of “All You Need Is Love.”) Please don’t tell me that you don’t know that song by the Beatles. And don’t even think of telling me that you don’t know …
FREE BABY STUFF FOR BREASTFEEDING MOMS Having a baby is a money pit, am I right? I would go into a store to buy baby stuff and feel like I should hand over my wallet and say, “Let me know if there is anything left over when I’m finished.” Breastfeeding is a legit way to …
THE HOLIDAY FOODS THAT DECREASE MILK SUPPLY WHILE BREASTFEEDING I get calls from frantic breastfeeding moms every holiday season. They are worried because, all of a sudden, they are making less milk than they normally do. They want to know what tips I have to help them increase their milk supply fast. Don’t be that …
3 Holiday Foods That Decrease Milk Supply While Breastfeeding Read More »
LIFE-CHANGING BREASTFEEDING LATCH TRICKS I will never forget the first time a mom told me I had changed her life. Angela came to me because breastfeeding was causing her nipples to hurt. Wait, maybe “hurt” isn’t the right word. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said. “I really wanted to breastfeed …
15 NATURAL WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR MILK SUPPLY Do you worry about how much milk you are making for your baby? Do you have a low milk supply and have to supplement with formula? Maybe your baby is gaining just fine on your milk, but you want to make more to build a good freezer …
15 NATURAL WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR MILK SUPPLY FOR PROVEN RESULTS Read More »
Please share!308sharesShareTweetPin It!HOW TO CLEAN YOUR BREAST PUMP Do you know what is one of the least favorite things about breastfeeding? Cleaning breast pump parts. I have never heard a mom say this was something she looks forward to. Not once. That probably doesn’t come as a big surprise to you. It’s the breastfeeding equivalent …
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR BREAST PUMP – LAZY MOM’S GUIDE Read More »
Please share!149sharesShareTweetPin It!21 Ways Make Sure You Are Bed-Sharing Safely The best laid plans. I wasn’t planning to bed-share when I had my first baby. The issue of bed-sharing safety never even crossed my mind. I thought a baby in my bed would disrupt my sleep. Then baby Nicholas came along and laughed at my …
BREASTFEEDING AND REFLUX You’ve seen those cute baby bibs that say “Spit happens.” You may have chuckled the first time you saw one. It’s all fun and games until spit is happening all the time. If it’s a screaming baby who is doing all that spitting then the fun and games are definitely over. A …
Dressing for Breastfeeding With Style When I was enormously 9 months pregnant, I wanted two things. I wanted to hold my baby and I wanted to be able to tuck my shirt in again. After my baby was born, I realized that tucking your shirt in is highly overrated. You may think wearing a shirt …
A Fashionista’s Secrets to Dressing for Breastfeeding With Style Read More »
Simple and Easy Guide to Building Your Breast Milk Stash I was working in labor and delivery when I got the dreaded call from my husband. I was working an eight-hour shift and baby Nicholas had polished off all the breast milk I had left. This was a problem. We didn’t keep formula around the …
Simple and Easy Guide to Building Your Breast Milk Stash Read More »
Clearing a Clogged Milk Duct I remember when I got my first clogged duct. I woke up with pain in my left breast. When I felt it I discovered a small lump. It may have been small, but it caused a big pain. I did what I heard you were supposed to do. I put …
How to Clear a Clogged Duct (Including a Little Known Way) Read More »
Breastfeeding for Beginners The first time I breastfed I felt like I was supposed to know what I was doing. How in the heck would I know how to do something I had never done before? You may feel just as clueless when you begin your breastfeeding journey. Although I had helped countless moms with …
Breastfeeding for Beginners – Don’t Sabotage Yourself Read More »
Exclusive Pumping Sometimes when breastfeeding gets really hard a mom will ask, “Can I just pump and bottle feed?” This is know as exclusive pumping, or EP. And it’s a huge commitment. It takes time, energy and dedication. Studies have shown that about 6% of moms are exclusively pumping. Why Choose Exclusive Pumping? Moms often choose …
Exclusive Pumping – Everything You Need to Consider Read More »
Please share!753sharesShareTweetPin It!Why Every Mom Needs These 15 Essentials in a Breastfeeding Basket Breastfeeding takes a lot of time. I am not going to do the math. Trust me, it takes a lot of time. I never tried to calculate all the hours that I breastfed, because, what’s the point? It is time well invested. …
15 Essentials Every Mom Needs in a Breastfeeding Basket Read More »
HOW BLOCK FEEDING CAN HELP BREASTFEEDING Do you feel like you are making gallons of milk? Does your baby struggle during breastfeeding? If you answered yes to both of those questions you may have an oversupply of breast milk. Moms who don’t make enough milk often get sympathy. Moms who make too much milk …
NIPPLE SHIELDS FOR BREASTFEEDING I was alarmed when I saw nipple shields on so many Pinterest “breastfeeding essentials” lists. Pinterest is the place that so many new and expectant moms go to see what accessories they will need for breastfeeding. They want to be ready. I started reading the mommy blogs about breastfeeding and found the …
What No One Tells You About Nipple Shields for Breastfeeding Read More »
ESSENTIAL STEPS TO HAVE A GOOD MILK SUPPLY Raise your hand if you’ve ever worried if you are making enough milk for your baby. This is a really common concern expressed by breastfeeding moms (no pun intended). In fact, it is one of the most common reasons a mom stops breastfeeding. Keep reading to see …
How To Decrease Breast Milk Supply “If breastfeeding is so natural, why is it so hard?” We’ve all seen the pictures of the blissfully content mother cradling her infant at her breast. And isn’t it true that they are usually in a rocking chair? Would your picture show a miserable mother and miserable baby? Do …
Too Much of a Good Thing – How to Decrease Breast Milk Supply Read More »
Using a Supplemental Nursing System, or an SNS can be helpful with many breastfeeding problems. This video covers How to use a Starter SNS How to use a Regular SNS What reasons there are to use an SNS https://youtu.be/DMACBwr_Gm4 Andrea Tran RN, IBCLC Andrea Tran RN, MA, IBCLC Andrea has been working with new families …
SURVIVING SECOND NIGHT SYNDROME Newborns sleep, eat and cry. This we know. But how much sleeping should we expect? How much crying is normal? Is eating all the time a warning sign? What you really want to know is, “How do I know if my baby is okay????” Keep reading and I will tell you what you want …
PUMPING BREAST MILK – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW When I was a fresh-faced new nurse the hospital where I worked had exactly one pump. That was for 150 moms who gave birth there each month. It was not in use most of the time. Now, some hospitals have a breast pump in every room. …
Everything You Need to Know About Pumping Breast Milk! Read More »
From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. I didn’t know much about it, but I knew it was healthier and free (compared to formula that cost a lot of money that I didn’t have). When my daughter was born and they told me I needed to …
How I Didn’t Let Tongue Tie End My Breastfeeding Story Baby B was my third baby. I thought I knew what there was to know about breastfeeding. I’d done it before. However, there I was. Sleep deprived, irritable and feeling like something wasn’t right. I hadn’t slept more than 2 hours a night in 5 …
There are many things you do that encourage a good milk supply. There are also things you can eat that can decrease your milk supply. Eating peppermint has a powerful effect on milk supply. In fact, this is one of the suggestions I make to moms who have too much milk and that is causing …
Milky Minutes-Protect Your Milk Supply by Avoiding This Read More »
Milky Minute – Breastfeeding Failure and Guilt Don’t Let it be a Thing I did a consult with a mom recently. As I got her history she said she was exclusively pumping and bottle feeding. She said she ran out of patience with the problems they were having with latch. I sensed that she felt guilty about this decision. I …
Milky Minute -Breastfeeding Failure and Guilt – Don’t Let it be a Thing Read More »
Breastfeeding and Traveling Tips Vacation, business trip, long distance move. These are all reasons why you might be traveling while you are breastfeeding. For some parents, the thought of traveling with their baby strikes fear in their heart. Worry not. Read on for the best breastfeeding and traveling tips. With my first baby Nicholas, we …
Bottles and Breastfeeding Breast is best, but breastmilk in a bottle is pretty awesome too If you’re a brand new breastfeeder, you may be asking when you can or should introduce a bottle. Full disclosure, I’m a lactation lady who believes that it’s a good thing for a breastfed baby to take a bottle. I have …
Finding Your Breastfeeding Tribe Moms need other moms. You weren’t meant to go through this powerful experience on your own. When you are breastfeeding, it is very important to find other breastfeeding moms, or what I like to call, your breastfeeding tribe. If I’m feeling really clever, it becomes your breastfeeding sisterhood. My Story When …
