Month: July 2015
-
When the World is Too Much: Understanding Your Baby’s Sensory Needs
From their very first breath, babies are learning to make sense of a brand-new world filled with sights, sounds, smells, and sensations. For some, this comes naturally. For others, everyday experiences can feel overwhelming. What’s often labeled as “colic” may actually be a baby’s way of saying, “I need help regulating.” In this post, we’ll…
-
Parenting in a Time of Crisis: You Are Not Alone
Dear Parents, The Surgeon General recently declared parental stress a national health crisis, a statement that resonates deeply with many of us. As a lactation consultant and a parent of three children myself, I want to acknowledge just how real and overwhelming the pressures of parenting can be. Parenting is hard. Really hard. If you’ve
-
Tongue and Lip Ties
*Note: the signs below can have many causes and do not automatically relate to a tongue or lip tie Potential Signs of Infant Tongue or Lip Tie Related to the Parent: * Nipple pain * Mastitis * Compressed nipple * Low milk supply * Nipple damage * Earlier weaning * Plugged ducts and breast pain
-
Caring for Older Siblings While Breastfeeding
Caring for older siblings while breastfeeding an infant can be exhausting, especially in the first few months after a baby’s birth. Read a few tips.
-
Starting Solid Food
Lately I’ve been hearing a lot of not-so-great recommendations related to starting breastfed babies on solid food. Many of these recommendations are put out by the baby food industry and formula companies and are not evidence based. Breastfed babies tend to have completely different eating patterns and needs than formula fed babies. All babies should
-
When Do I Switch Breasts?
Many parents are given time limits regarding switching breasts when they are nursing their baby. Parents are told to nurse from anywhere from 5-30 minutes per breast. Sometimes parents are told not to switch breasts at all. So what is the “right answer?” Watch your baby! If your baby is awake and swallowing at the
-
Why Parents “Fail” at Breastfeeding
The word “breastfeeding” brings such strong emotions for many people. When people ask about my career, I get a variety of responses. Some people act as if I just told them I work in an illicit industry and end the conversation immediately. But many people are extremely supportive. I have heard the comment, “I wish
-
Breastfeeding Upside Down (Latching the Breastfed Baby)
Getting a “good” latch when breastfeeding can feel like such a difficult task! In the past, lactation consultants used to focus on certain positions like the football hold, the cradle hold, the cross-cradle hold, or side lying. While it can be useful to try some of these positions, allowing your baby to lead the way
-
Common Reasons to Schedule an IBCLC Consultation
For some women, breastfeeding is fairly effortless right from the start. The baby latches easily after a little practice and both mother and baby enjoy breastfeeding. Other times, breastfeeding is more of a struggle. The following are common reasons parents schedule lactation consultations. To learn more about what a private practice lactation consultation involves, visit this
-
How to Tell if Your Baby is Getting Enough Milk
Aside from preventing nipple pain, telling if a baby is getting enough milk is the most common concern of breastfeeding parents. In our culture, we hear so many stories of low milk supply that we tend to not trust breastfeeding, despite the fact that our bodies provided all the nourishment our babies needed during pregnancy! We
-
Normalizing Breastfeeding
According to Facebook, a profile picture and comments like this are acceptable. Ads like this are acceptable. Yet an advertisement like this is not. As you can see above, I attempted to pay Facebook to promote my breastfeeding classes. I was told I could not promote my post because it contained profane, vulgar, or offensive
-
The Scoop on Poop
Poop is something that becomes an everyday household word after having a baby. As an IBCLC, I’ve seen poop cause tears of joy and tears of frustration. Some of the first questions I ask parents are about poop, and I also answer weekly questions about poop. It isn’t unusual for parents to text me photos