By Wendy Wisner, IBCLC
Like many moms, I had a ton of trouble breastfeeding the first time. My baby was super sleepy and wouldn’t wake up to nurse. Once I finally got him to wake up, latching was nearly impossible. Each latch felt like a puzzle I was desperately trying to figure out. I had to pump my milk for a while and feed him with a medicine dropper until we finally got into our groove.
Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, shares her favorite comebacks to breastfeeding critics. What are your favorites?
If you are a breastfeeder you have most definitely heard at least one of these. I am not here to tell you when to wean, but I am certainly here to tell you when not to wean. Breastfeeding is hard and days can be difficult to get through. Weaning often crosses our minds because we think life will be easier without it. But many of us don’t want to wean. I made a list of terrible reasons to wean! They all come with links to whole episodes from The Badass Breastfeeding Podcast that I cohost with Dianne Cassidy, IBCLC. The podcast is dedicated to correcting the bad information floating around out there.
You can find almost 50 episodes of information that you need. Podcast for Apple / Podcast for Android [Read more…]
I’m sure you’ve heard about not comparing your child to another child. Every child develops differently and there is no way you can judge your baby’s development based on someone else’s baby.
So why do we do the same thing to ourselves? I have a friend who told me that breastfeeding was no problem for her at all. She never had any struggles and breastfed both of her children until they stopped on their own. It used to make me feel jealous and defensive to hear her talk about breastfeeding.
Then I realized that my journey is just as awesome. It’s different than hers. And it’s different than any other mother’s journey. It has been a roller coaster of emotions and problems from kicking formula supplements, to nursing aversion, to tandem feeding and breastfeeding while pregnant. I don’t see my breastfeeding journey with my boys as “problem free.” And I am proud of that now rather than jealous of others.
I have a unique story with my boys. We all do. No one’s story is more valuable than any other’s. This is one beautiful, crazy, messy life that I am proud to call my own and to share with my boys every day.
It’s Breastfeeding Awareness Month 2017 baby! And I am here to rant about things I cannot stand about breastfeeding! Why? Because this is hard. Breastfeeding is really hard! It’s magical and empowering and all that stuff but I need all you new parents and parents struggling right now to know that you will not like everything about breastfeeding. And that’s OK! We do a disservice to each other when we wash over the negative feelings that breastfeeding can bring us. We can find comfort and community in the tough things that we deal with just like with any other journey in life. It’s the secret to our success. So let’s get to it. 10 things I hate about breastfeeding!
by Robin Kaplan, IBCLC
Fan Question:
“Apparently I may have ‘lipase’!! I have 400 oz in my freezer my babes (twins) won’t take? I’m bawling and depressed, my only relief is I’ve been told I may be able to donate??? Can anyone give me advice on this issue and going about donating? TIA” [Read more…]
by Anne Smith, IBCLC
Fan Question:
“I have an over supply problem. Any suggestions as to how to correct this?” [Read more…]
By guest blogger Nichole
There was never a doubt in my mind that I would breastfeed. My mother nursed all of her children; to me, it always seemed normal, blasé, even. (I have a sister who is six years younger than me, and I vividly remember trying to catch milk like raindrops when I would take showers with my mother and she would let down.) [Read more…]
Q&A with Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC 11-20-13
QUESTION 1: My milk supply for my 4-mo-old is decreasing despite taking fenugreek and pumping. Any advice? I’m not ready to give up!
NANCY MOHRBACHER, IBCLC: I’m glad you reached out. You’ll be happy to know that milk production is a hardy process. Even mothers who have never been pregnant have brought in milk for adopted babies! You just need to know how it works. First, despite popular belief, drinking water and improving your diet does not affect milk production. Your body knows how much milk to make by the number of milk removals (breastfeeds plus pumps) each day and how fully the milk is removed. (Drained breasts make milk faster and full breasts make milk slower.) If you breastfeed your baby on cue, your baby will do this for you automatically without you even having to think about it. For most women, 7 or 8 milk removals per 24 hours are enough to keep supply steady. Fewer removals usually mean decreasing milk supply. More than 8 or 9 usually stimulate a gradual milk increase. Taking fenugreek or other herbs will not help if you’re not removing the milk often or well enough. For more on how individual differences among mothers affect this and how to use this info to keep up milk production after you’re back at work, see my posts on the Magic Number concept. [Read more…]
