Engorgement sucks. So what is breast engorgement and how do you relieve breast engorgement when you are breastfeeding a newborn? Basically, it’s breastfeeding welcoming you to the party, waving streamers, and holding balloons. Except it’s a surprise party. Engorgement is when the breasts are swollen, full and hard, babies struggle to latch. It is caused…
As a lactation consultant, I often hear little tidbits about breastfeeding that make me shake my head. One of these is the fat content in breastmilk. This is usually what the medical profession and unsuspecting families will blame for a baby who isn’t gaining weight at the rate expected of them. Breastfeeders might be told to increase their…
As adults, it seems like we really don’t take a lot of time and effort to learn a new skill. Overall, we are busy perfecting the skills we already have, or expanding them. Several years ago, I actually took the time and effort to learn how to water ski. I was in my first relationship with a…
My first born son turned 20 years old a couple of months ago. It was hard to swallow for me – twenty years being his mom, twenty years of concern, anxiety, worry, laughing (he’s very funny), making birthday cakes, celebrating milestones. It led me to think back on those early days as a new mother. It is…
You probably never imagined that you would be looking for a lactation consultant. Until the day comes when you are either expecting a baby, or you had a baby and you are looking for guidance with feeding. So, where do you start? Where’s the best place to find a lactation consultant? You can ask your…
When I was younger, I always thought of March as kind of a transition month. We looked forward to March. In upstate NY, winters can feel long. March is “almost” spring. Maybe we will get a little more snow, but it doesn’t stick. Even the sun feels a little warmer. Last March was hard. I…
Imagine you are a new breastfeeding mother. You are anxious to suck up any and all information you can. You want to do right by your baby, at any cost. Now imagine you go to your provider. Any provider. Pick one – pediatrician, ob, primary care, dentist…etc etc. etc, and they tell you something about…
If there’s anything breastfeeding mothers fear (besides teeth, that is) it’s plugged milk ducts and mastitis. Mothers ask about plugs and mastitis prior to the baby being born. Just because you’re breastfeeding, doesn’t mean that these things are a guarantee. Some mothers will go their whole breastfeeding relationship without ever experiencing either one of these…
You finally get into the hang of breastfeeding and guess what? You’re told it’s time to start solids. How did that happen so quickly? Weren’t you just being discharged from the hospital last week and figuring out how to get the latch down? Don’t panic. I agree, it is confusing. Starting solids can feel really…
Best name ever, right? Very descriptive. This came from a podcast listener who wrote to us asking for an episode on the very real, common phenomena of one side being bigger than the other when breastfeeding. Sound familiar?? I’m sure to some of you it does. It is something mothers will ask about a lot~ one…