A resource to inspire, inform and empower parents.

Breastfeeding in Public

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, breastfeeding in public

Every time someone says breastfeeding in public is indecent they make the world a little bit more dull. Breasts are for breastfeeding. Breasts are also beautiful and you can see a bit of side boob when breastfeeding so what is up everyone’s butt about this? Stop trying to control us, stop messing with our babies and stop sexualizing every last thing about us. Our bark is loud, but our bite is much worse. If you need a pep talk about nursing in public head over to The Badass Breastfeeding Podcast, we have a 3 part series to help you breastfeed in public with confidence!

We Need Breastfeeding Support

Right now insurance companies don’t recognize IBCLCs in PA and this makes accessing quality lactation and breastfeeding help even more challenging. It’s yet another hole in women’s health that needs correcting.

We are looking for signatures for the petition, but more importantly STORIES (the comment section is at the bottom of the petition). We want YOU to share with legislators why IBCLC care is important and to do that we need to hear from moms. We need to hear how access to an IBCLC helped a mother reach her goals or how a lack of access to an IBCLC care hindered her breastfeeding goals. Signatures and stories can come from those outside of PA, the more the merrier.

Here’s the link to the petition:
http://bit.ly/2HcbKtQ

Parenting on Social Media

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, attachment parenting

Here’s a peaceful picture taken this afternoon in Chicago as the snow started to fall. I saw this scene from across the room and immediately took out my phone and was about to put it on my personal Facebook account. But then I stopped. Today was a really bad day. I feel all out of sorts. I was across the room because I couldn’t deal with them close up anymore. I’ve yelled at my kids many times. Exley has thrown several tantrums. Jack has bucked against everything out of my mouth. I feel overwhelmed and broken down. We have these days sometimes. We struggle to get along and flop around like fish out of water. I apologize and try to make right, sometimes I make it worse. When I think I can’t take it anymore the day ends and we wake up new tomorrow. This is just life, but the idea of posting this photo on Facebook today made me feel like a fraud. Like maybe there was going to be someone out there having the same bad day and when they saw this photo it would make them feel more isolated. They might think, “Look at all these families in my newsfeed having pleasant days ands I’m over here crying in the bathroom.” I’d hate for anyone to see this and not know that it was absolute bat-shit crazy chaos in here just moments ago. Remember this when you see perfection on social media. Here’s to all of us who cried in the bathroom today.

Breastfeeding Babies Does NOT Spoil Them

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, spoiling babies.

Isn’t it crazy how controversial this is? But it’s true. It’s absolutely impossible to spoil a baby. You cannot hold a baby too much. You cannot pick them up too much. You cannot breastfeed them too much. You cannot keep them too close. It’s what they are meant to do and where they are meant to be.

Crappy Breastfeeding Advice That’s Ruining Your Breastfeeding Journey

If you’ve ever heard anything about breastfeeding chances are it’s wrong. Most of the information on the internet and being spread by the medical community is flat out untrue. I decided to compile a list of myths and bust them here, but it turns out there is so much terrible information out there that I would have to write this post for the rest of my life to address it all. So I picked a few to give more information on, complied a large list of other myths and started a podcast called The Badass Breastfeeding Podcast with Dianne Cassidy, IBCLC. The podcast is dedicated to correcting the bad information. So check out some common myths here and head to the podcast for more information to help you reach your breastfeeding goals.

Podcast for Apple / Podcast for Android [Read more…]

Breastfeeding Through the Night

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, breastfeeding through the night

Does your baby nurse all night? Have you tried co-sleeping?
Many people think there is something wrong when their baby nurses all night long. It’s totally normal! Your baby is normal! But it’s really tiring, I’ve been there. Co-sleeping helped us get so much more sleep. And it can be done completely safely. Check out The Badass Breastfeeding Podcast for episodes on night nursing, co-sleeping and so much more! Search for it wherever you listen to podcasts!

There’s No Such Thing As a “Former” Breastfeeder

I see this a lot. A mom finishes breastfeeding and then she posts on our wall or in a breastfeeding support group that she is leaving because she no longer belongs.

NO.

That is not true. Actually if you are totally done breastfeeding then you are the expert! You have so much valuable information to pass on to others. You have done it from beginning to end! No matter what happened during your journey you are sitting on some seriously helpful information for another mom. Please stay and connect with other moms. Pick your favorite breastfeeding group and stay! Be the mom that’s been there through it all. 

My Mom on the right nursing my sister. Her sister (my aunt) on the left nursing my cousin. Both woman are deceased. The babies are 42 now. Pic from 1976. Photo shared by Virginia. 

[Read more…]

My Weaning Story

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, weaning story

My blog is 6 years old this week. Exley was hanging out on my lap today while Jack was playing video games when I realized that by the blog’s 7th birthday I won’t be breastfeeding anymore. Jack is on his second week of not nursing. And this guy asked to nurse today, but only because I was about to post this! He goes days between asking. It won’t be long now. When he nursed he asked why there was no milk. I said he can still nurse, but that the milk is gone. I explained that as kids gets bigger and eat more food they nurse less and eventually there is no more milk. This is all part of the journey. Whether you’ve followed from the beginning or are just joining us you’re witnessing my weaning story.

I Hope It Amounts to Something

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder

I feel like we’ve reached a new level of chaos in this house. I’m constantly trying to keep up, make up for mistakes and be a good mom, but the chaos grows faster than I can work. I think back to right after Exley was born. Jack was 3 years old. It was an utter disaster around here. Jack hit the ceiling and I was trying to care for a newborn. But Exley napped. And during those naps I spent time with Jack. We played cards, board games, built things out of cardboard or towers with magna tiles. I know that I have always felt like I wasn’t doing enough, I’ve always felt like the chaos I was in was the biggest chaos that would ever exist in life. But looking back on that time now all I remember are the good times. I probably did a ton of things wrong, but I guess I did some things right too. And looking back it seems like it wasn’t so bad compared to now! Now once again it seems like the chaos is over my head. I feel like I am doing all the things wrong. I hope looking back on this some of the good times will come more into focus. It’s an insanely chaotic string of events and I don’t understand how it can turn out to be anything. I don’t understand how it can amount to anything, but I suppose it does. I hope it does. I hope it’s good.

Photo taken in between the first disastrous part of the day and the second explosive part of the day. This was the only way that they wouldn’t completely meltdown in the museum. I don’t like posting this happy photo because it doesn’t really match what I’m saying and it contributes to all the misrepresentation that goes on over social media, but it’s frowned upon to post tantrum photos. This is what I want to be even if I never feel like the person here.

5 Breastfeeding Tips to Help You Get Through the Night

Nothing prepares you for being a parent. While the first few weeks and months are unforgettable they are also incredibly exhausting.

Amongst all the excitement and the attention given to the newborn, something often gets forgotten, that’s the health of one very important person, you – the mom. And as you have a little one to care for now, nothing is as essential as sustaining your own physical and mental health. [Read more…]

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