A resource to inspire, inform and empower parents.

Ask A Lactation Consultant: Vitamin D For A Breastfeeding Baby

“Does my breastfed baby need vitamin D? My pediatrician says I should give my 4-month-old a vitamin D supplement. What should I do?”

The short answer is yes.  However, there is a lot more to it.  Parents sometimes assume that they will need to supplement their baby with additional Vitamin D because human milk is deficient in Vitamin D.  This is usually what they are told.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The truth is human milk does have Vitamin D, but it is rarely enough for both the parent and the baby.  There are many variables to consider about this as well.  The most efficient way we get Vitamin D is from the sun.  Was your baby born during winter months(not that we recommend having your newborn out in the sun anyway)?  Do you live in a colder climate?  Do you or your baby have darker skin color?  All of these things can affect how much Vitamin D you and your baby are exposed to.  If you are breast/chest feeding and you are deficient in Vitamin D, the chances are good your baby is as well. 

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Breastfeeding and Zoloft

Dr. Samantha Radford is a chemist with expertise in Public Health. She focuses on how mothers and babies are exposed to chemicals, and what the effects of those chemicals are. In addition, Samantha owns Evidence-based Mommy, where she helps mothers and their kids to thrive using science and wellness. Samantha has four children of her own.

Is Zoloft safe for breastfeeding?

Whether you’ve dealt with mental health challenges in the past, or it’s a new experience for you due to postpartum hormone changes, anxiety and depression can be debilitating for a new mom. And while there’s several ways to help with PPA or PPD, one of the most common remedies is to prescribe Zoloft (sertraline). 

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I Judge You

By Abby Theuring, MSW

The “mommy wars” are imaginary. They do not exist.

People judge. It’s normal and it’s natural. It’s not a human flaw. It’s not that people haven’t heard the whole story. It’s just what happens with humans. We judge each other. We are social creatures and this is in our nature. We do not have to stop. We do not have a major character flaw. [Read more…]

10 Things My Breastfeeding Mother Didn’t Have

 

I was recently talking to my mom about what her experience was like nursing me in the 70’s. During our conversation I realized just how many convenience items have been developed for breastfeeding moms that she didn’t have. There are many items that I have never tried, but I was surprised at how many are actually inside my house right now. As blogger I get the opportunity to sample many things. Here’s 10 things that my mom never had.

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder, breastfeeding newborn with mother by her side. [Read more…]

To the Person Offended By Breastfeeding

By Abby Theuring

Abby Theuring, The Badass Breastfeeder breastfeeding toddler.

I’ve pretty much heard it all by now. “I’m all for breastfeeding, but… as long as you do it in private, as long as you go to the bathroom, as long as you cover, as long as I don’t have to see it.” “I don’t want my kids/husband to see that.” “That’s so gross.” “Why can’t you just put it in a cup?” And on and on with the stipulations that people love to put on other people’s behavior. [Read more…]

Yes, Still Breastfeeding, For Me, It’s All About Me

By Abby Theuring, MSW

I never saw anyone breastfeed before I was in the hospital with a nurse hanging her head over my boob trying to get my first son to latch. Before this moment the only things to touch my nipples were me, my bra and men. I probably had some unspoken idea that I would breastfeed for about 6 months. Once we got rolling I pushed that to a year. I worked so damn hard to get started, I wanted to breastfeed as long as I could. A year was surely as long as people breastfed. Not that I even knew. [Read more…]

My Interview With George Moss

You all remember the rapper made famous in the on-line mommy world for posting a photo of himself washing his wife’s pump parts after a concert, “If you ever wonder what #rappers do when they get off stage, they clean breast pumps for their wives so their baby can eat. #thuglife.” Well, his name is George Moss and since he is such a badass I set out to talk to him about how breastfeeding works in his family. [Read more…]

A Review of the Sarah Wells Breast Pump Bag

If you ever travel with your breast pump you need a bag. But not all bags are created equal. If you travel outside with your pump often (to work or simply get outside!) then your transport bag is just as important as the pump itself. Too bold of a statement? I don’t think so. If you use a standard bag that your pump comes with then you know that they make those just so that the pump and its parts fit inside. What about all of your work stuff? Your laptop, purse, lunch, diapers? Not mention trying to carry your baby… [Read more…]

11 Tandem Nursing Myths Busted

By Abby Theuring, MSW and Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC

The amount of misinformation about breastfeeding is staggering so it’s sort of surprising to me that when it comes to tandem breastfeeding the problem is that there is very little information at all! Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA and I (both of us have tandem nursed) are here to help you navigate the world of tandem nursing myths. [Read more…]

Normalize Breastfeeding

By Melody Fetterman

I had a conversation with someone recently, someone who I really love and respect. It was a hard conversation, though. If my friends and family describe my parenting, they use one word: breastfeeding. Breastfeeding, more than any other single factor, has influenced my parenting style. It has dictated where I can go and for how long, how I sleep, how I eat, what I wear, and most importantly, how I respond to my son. [Read more…]