Lactation Land Podcast

This is one of the top questions I get from new parents. There are ways you can tell if your baby is getting enough and in today's episode, I'll teach you what to look for.

Covered in today's show:

• How to tell if your baby is drinking
• Milk drunk/milk comas
• Wet and dirty diapers
• Weight gain and growth curves

Breastfeeding sabotage happens all the time by formula companies, by providers and looking to the wrong people for support. In today's episode I'll give you a very specific example of how a breastfeeding relationship can be sabotaged.

Also covered in today's episode:

• Formula marketing
• Formula is not the same as breastmilk
• Normal baby behaviours
• How I evaluate a dyad
• Influencers
• Importance of prenatal breastfeeding education
• You deserve support

Mentioned in the show:

Perceived low milk supply isn't actually low milk supply. It's the perception that your supply is low based on beliefs about what milk supply should look like and/or how your baby is behaving. In today's episode I'm going to walk you through several factors that make you think your supply is low when in fact, it's not and what real support can look like including a look inside my group support program.

Covered in today's episode:

• What perceived low supply is
• Let-downs
• Cluster feeding
• Bottles & top ups
• Soft breasts
• Frequent feedings
• Night time wake ups
• The Bumps + Breastfeeding Academy

Perceived low milk supply isn't actually low milk supply. It's the perception that your supply is low based on beliefs about what milk supply should look like. In today's episode I'm going to walk you through how society influences your ideas about milk production as well as how companies influence you and what real support can look like including a look inside my group support program.

Covered in today's episode:

• What perceived low supply is
• What normal milk production looks like
• Bottles & pump collection cups
• How breastmilk changes
• Lactation cookies
• The Bumps + Breastfeeding Academy

It's not about shaming or shoving breastfeeding down your throat. Breastfeeding and breastmilk is the biological norm for human babies. In today's episode I'm sharing how I feel and what comes up for others often during this time of year.

Covered in today's episode:

• What World Breastfeeding Week IS and IS NOT
• Formula companies
• Lactivists
• My plans for World Breastfeeding Week

Join me live every Monday this summer to chat all things baby feeding including milk supply, pumping, latching, mastitis, pacifiers and more! It's free and it's happening inside my private Facebook group, Breastfeeding Mavens.

You can access breastmilk even if your baby is not in the NICU. Milk donation is something available to many people but it isn't talked about often. It can be done safely and in today's episode, I'll share more about how to receive or donate milk and what you need to consider.

Covered in today's episode:

• What is informal donation
• What is formal donation
• How to find people to donate to/receive from
• Requirements for formal milk donation
• Questions to ask your milk donor before accepting
• My milk donation story

Join me live every Monday this summer to chat all things baby feeding including milk supply, pumping, latching, mastitis, pacifiers and more! It's free and it's happening inside my private Facebook group, Breastfeeding Mavens.

Lactation cookies and coconut water aren't the answer. When you know how milk production works, you can take the steps to increase it. In today's episode I'm going to walk you through how you can increase your milk supply by working with your body's natural ability.

Covered in today's episode:

• Your body makes milk while you're pregnant
• The roles of oxytocin and prolactin
• The "push-pull" of a baby drinking at breast
• Prolactin receptor theory
• Empty breasts make milk faster
• How you can increase your milk supply

Join me live every Monday this summer to chat all things baby feeding including milk supply, pumping, latching, mastitis, pacifiers and more! It's free and it's happening inside my private Facebook group, Breastfeeding Mavens.

Foremilk and hindmilk are all over the internet when you’re trying to find the answers to if your baby is getting enough milk. Some sources suggested keeping your baby at breast for a specific amount of time but what’s actually most important is how your baby feed. It’s much more important than how long they feed for and I’ll explain why.

In today's episode I cover:

• What foremilk and hindmilk are
• If your baby should spend a specific number of minutes feeding
• How fat content changes
• How to best tell if they're drinking milk
• Why your baby's diapers matter

Currently nursing or pumping?

If you're currently struggling or feeling confused about breastfeeding information, the community inside the Bumps + Breastfeeding Academy is your solution. You can create your own unique relationship with breastfeeding that supports both you and your baby. And inside this 3 month program, I’ll be there every step of the way to support you!

Having a freezer stash seems to be something on every new parents mind. Even if you’re returning to work quickly (to anyone in the US or anywhere with a short maternity leave) you still don’t need a huge stash⁣. You may be thinking there’s no way this applies to you and that you do in fact need a large supply in the freezer but I’m going to share with you why you may need less than you think.

In today's episode we'll cover:

• How much milk a baby drinks in a day
• How much your baby needs if you're away from them
• How to begin collecting milk for the freezer
• What to do "just in case"

More importantly than what a latch looks like is how it feels. In today's episode we'll talk about how you're supposed to know if your baby has a good latch when the most common thing you hear about breastfeeding is that it can hurt.

Social media and the content we consume on a regular basis significantly impacts our thoughts on breastfeeding and our perception of what’s biologically normal whether we realize it or not. In todays episode, I’ll open your eyes to how social media (and baby product marketing!) is influencing you. You'll also have the chance to learn more about why a prenatal breastfeeding class is so important and what I, as an IBCLC, include in mine.

Have a baby on the way?

Nipple shields are a breastfeeding tool that are often just handed out or suggested without any real guidance as to how to use them correctly and how to wean from them when the time comes. In today's episode I'm talking about the benefits of nipple shields, the considerations to make before or while using one and how to wean from them.

If you're currently using a nipple shield and you need some guidance around how to wean or you're looking for support along your feeding journey, the community inside the Bumps + Breastfeeding Academy is your solution. You can create your own unique relationship with breastfeeding that supports both you and your baby. And I’ll be there every step of the way to support you inside this three month group program. 

In today’s episode I’m talking about busy babies. Nursing the 7-11 month olds who are starting to get mobile and might be nursing less often or for shorter periods of time. I'm also sharing a real life example from nursing my 8 1/2 month old (at the time of recording) and sharing with you how I managed a time when he was so fussy he didn't want to nurse.

This episode is all about what can happen when you "top-up" your baby after a feeding just in case. The effect it can have on your milk production and what that could mean for your breastfeeding relationship. 

You *can* breastfeed while you're pregnant (and get pregnant while breastfeeding for that matter) but what can you expect? 

Why does everyone always tell you breastfeeding hurts when it's really not supposed to?! In this episode I share a bit about the stories I hear from clients (and heard myself) from other people who had painful experiences. I'll share the most common reason I see for a painful latch and talk about some common remedies and whether or not they work and what I choose to use with my clients. 

What does being a Lactation Consultant mean and how is it different from an IBCLC. I'm shedding some light on the different types of lactation professionals and a peek inside what it looks like to become an IBCLC. 

Share a screenshot to social media and tag @motherhoodbloomslactation

I never imagined I would be spending my days helping people feed their babies. But before I got here, I had to go through a huge personal transformation. This is the short story of how I made the life changing decision to change careers, become an IBCLC and launch a business. My passion for lactation and breastfeeding runs deep and I can't wait to share more with you!