I have been teaching prenatal breastfeeding classes for many years. One of the first things we discuss is the benefits of breastfeeding. Parents often have very specific reasons for wanting to breast/chest feed. Whether it’s health benefits for the baby, health benefits for the parent, or any of the other amazing reasons, we agree breastmilk…
Maybe you had envisioned having your sweet baby, lying skin to skin with them, and breastfeeding. But then it happened; your baby didn’t latch. Or the latch was painful, too painful to continue. How do you breastfeed if your baby doesn’t latch? First things first. We need to figure out why your baby won’t latch. …
Feeding on demand. It sounds complicated and very involved. Just what does it mean when lactation consultants (and others) recommend feeding on demand? Well, there are several reasons why this is important. Let’s take a closer look at what feeding on demand looks like. Feeding on demand is basically what it sounds like. Is your…
Getting ready to introduce a bottle to your breastfed baby can feel overwhelming. How much to give, what kind of bottle, how to give the bottle. Honestly, these questions are one of the main reasons why I decided to breastfeed in the first place. It all just seemed too difficult to figure out. It’s recommended…
Sometimes it seems like breastfeeding is going on forever. You know what I mean, those days when the baby has been on your breast / chest all day long. I have heard some parents refer to this as being a human pacifier. This is when family members and medical professionals might make it sound like…
The benefits of breast/chest feeding for both parent and baby are undeniable. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend exclusive breast/chest feeding for the first 6 months. Sometimes breast/chest feeding can feel difficult, and you need a reminder of why it’s important to keep on track. When I had my first…
Breastfeeding can feel like an absolute chore if you have sore nipples. Let’s be clear, no one wants to experience sore nipples. Ideally, it will never get to this point. Realistically, you may have some nipple sensitivity and tenderness when you first start breastfeeding. It is important to note that this is different from nipple…
A nipple shield is an ultrathin, silicone nipple used to assist with breastfeeding. Typically, they are used if a baby isn’t latching well if the latch is causing pain or nipple damage, or for premature babies who need a little help with feeds. Nipple shield use for breastfeeding has grown quite a bit in the…
The art of the tattoo is at least 6,000 years old and tattooing is the sixth fastest-growing American industry. Of those who have tattoos, 70% have more than one tattoo and 20% have more than five. 36% of Americans between the age of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. 72% of adults with…
I have noticed over the last several years that breastfeeding problems seem to come in waves. I might have one month when most of the issues are sore nipples and latch problems. Other months I might see more babies with slow weight gain. More recently, I have had several mothers complain about teething and biting…