When I was young, if you had asked me what I was going to do with my life, lactation consultant would not be my response. I can guarantee it. Maybe teacher or social worker. I used to always say that I wanted to help women who are struggling in areas of life that I had…
I get questions about supplements. All. The. Time. Let’s face it, we are living in a society right now where there is a lot of excitement surrounding supplements of all kinds. I think we have all fallen into this at one time or another…be it protein shakes, or energy drinks, or, yes, even milk supply…
Whenever a new mother tells me about a situation where she felt discriminated against for breastfeeding, I always figure that it will be the last time. After all, we are in the 21stcentury now, right? I guess I just don’t quite get it. Let’s consider this a minute, and pardon me for stepping up onto…
I think I get as many questions about oversupply as I do about low supply. Of course, having too much milk probably sounds like a good problem to have, huh? Think again. Ask any mother who has struggled with oversupply and she will tell you that it is not a good problem to have. Sometimes I…
I often get calls about a baby who won’t take a bottle. This is usually accompanied by a plea from a desperate mother who is getting ready to return to work and fears that her baby won’t eat all day. The internet is full of helpful (or not so helpful) suggestions for parents to try. …
Boundaries are tough. It’s easy to say that you will be able to set and keep boundaries, until that day comes. As soon as your child cries or complains the likelihood of caving in to toddler demands is indisputable. This is the same for breastfeeding boundaries. When we talk about breastfeeding boundaries, we are referring to…
I was a distance runner when I had my first baby. I ran throughout pregnancy, and started running about 2 weeks after he was born (I DO NOT recommend that, BTW). It was important to me. I was a little surprised when I got pregnant with Nathan, and I was determined to keep life as…
A few weeks ago I received a random text from Missy. Missy has been my bestie since we were in Girl Scouts at the age of 8. “Matthew is trying to tell me that we are NOT the only species that drinks a different species’ milk. Tell me he’s wrong” the text read. “Matthew is…
Nipple confusion. The cryptic puzzle that has plagued my lactation practice for years. To me, nipple confusion is like the Loch Ness Monster or Big Foot – some swear it exists, yet I have never seen or met anyone who has experienced it. So lets talk about nipple confusion. It is a common fear for so…
I cringe whenever a new mother tells me that her baby’s birth was awful, but all that matters is that her baby is healthy and well. I want to scream “NO! That’s not all that matters! YOU matter just as much!” Somehow, society has decided that what happens during the birth is obsolete, and all that matters is a…