It’s one of the most common parenting suggestions around. I think every family I have worked with has reported hearing it at least once…maybe from a family member, friend or a provider. Parents look on in fear, their minds racing. “What if it already happened?” They are thinking. “What if I ruined everything?” Spoiling your…
Nursing in public. We in the breastfeeding community like to refer to this as NIP. NIP can be quite a hot topic among members of society, and opinions can get pretty heated at times. Every breastfeeding mama has their own comfort level when it comes to nursing their little one while they are with others.…
It seems to me that when I ask an expecting mother what her feeding plan is, she always makes sure to specify that she is planning to breastfeed, but wants to give bottles. Some things I hear are: “I want dad to bond too”, “I have to return to work”, and “I might want a…
I saw this great family today. Baby is 4 days old; he is baby number 2 for this mama. The baby was feeding well, milk was coming in, and mom felt good. While we talked, her older son (3 and a half) was bouncing around and chatting away with mom and dad. He didn’t pay…
Self care. Repeat that again…SELF CARE. Taking care of yourself. It’s like I’m speaking a foreign language. Most mothers I meet are not even thinking about self care, let alone practicing it. It is important, and I’ll tell you why. Burn out is a real thing. When you’re a mom, you aren’t really thinking about…
Milk supply. The dreaded nemesis of every breastfeeding mother. It seems like milk supply dominates the thoughts of breastfeeding women everywhere- and not just low supply. I get questions about low supply and oversupply, concerns when supply is perfect. Usually when supply is perfect, mothers are worried that it’s still not enough. Milk supply issues,…
It’s your first day home with your baby. Could anything else feel more terrifying? I don’t think there is a new parent out there who didn’t say to themselves “I am not qualified to take care of a baby!” at some point in those early days. When you are in the hospital (if you gave…
What is extended breastfeeding, anyway? How do you determine when you have crossed over from “regular” breastfeeding and into “extended” breastfeeding? I have heard many opinions about this, so let’s get right down to it. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends babies breastfeed for 2 years. The World Health Organization (or WHO) recommends up…
When my babies were born, I remember being unsure of what to do. Not just with feeding, but with so many other aspects of parenting. Bedtime, bathing, breastfeeding, pediatrician appointments, and sleep habits…the list goes on and on. The more questions I had, the more opinions I received. Or so it seemed. And this was…
Sometimes it seems as if there is never enough hours in the day. I remember a time when it didn’t seem like life was so jam-packed with stuff to do. If it’s not about work, its kids, or pets, or the house…as overwhelming as it seems at times, sometimes I wonder if I do better…