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…]

A Review of the Ardo Calypso-To-Go Breast Pump

It’s kind of amazing that it was only two decades ago that the first electric breast pump for personal use was manufactured. Nowadays, if you have chosen to breastfeed, it’s likely that you have bought or at least thought about purchasing one for yourself. Lots of women pump for lots of different reasons; some women work outside the home, some women are not able to breastfeed but still want to feed their babies breastmilk, some women want to donate their milk to milk banks or other moms and still others, like me, simply want to keep an “emergency stash” of breastmilk in the freezer so we can pop out of the house once in a while for some alone time. [Read more…]

TO AVOID EARLY WEANING, KEEP NURSING COZY

By Wendy Wisner, IBCLC

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Every mom has different goals for breastfeeding. As an IBCLC, I always strive to support each mom in her specific nursing goals, whether she wants to nurse for just a few months or many more. Each mom’s life situation is different, nuanced, and complicated. As much as I know the powerful benefits of nursing a child to 12 months and beyond, I would never tell a mother she should do so if it is not something she wishes to do, or if she feels that her life circumstances don’t warrant it. [Read more…]

I Love My Baby More Than You Love Your Baby:

How the On-Line Motherhood Support Community is Committing Mass Suicide

We love nothing more than to say we have this wonderful, global community of women designed to support each other in a way that many people in our daily lives have not. And yet, we shit on this very community every single day. Many times a day. All day. I am just about at my wits end with the woman on woman hating on the internet. Yes, I am talking about you. And I am talking about me. Every single one of us needs to take responsibility.

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Ask an Expert: Nipple Pain

by Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA

Fan Question:

“I’m demand feeding my week old and having a lot of pain. His latch looks fine. I am nursing through the cracks and pain and using lanolin. Please help! Is there anything else I could be doing? He is nursing 15 to 20 minutes on each side most feedings, but the pain is like a pinchy stabbing pain that is really intense. Is this something that will get better? My daughter never latched so I pumped for her and my son never really took to nursing, so I also pumped for him. This is all new to me and I am hoping it works this time.” [Read more…]

My Rainbow Nursling: Healing From Infant Loss

By guest blogger Kayce

I recently gave birth to my third baby girl, Samara.  I’m twenty seven years old and my girls are 7 and 3 months.  My middle daughter, Emma Blyss, would be turning 4 this year but she now resides in heaven. She passed away suddenly and completely unexpected on May 12, 2012. The day before Mother’s Day and two weeks before her second birthday.  To this day we still do not know why as it was deemed natural causes.

I was never raised up to believe that breastfeeding was the best thing a mother could do for their child and still have very little support from my family. I’m forced to cover or be closed in a back room when I’m at a family member’s house. I even bear rude, ridiculous comments.  I choose to breastfeed all three children. Honestly, I look to your awesome blog as my one and only support system (besides my wonderful husband). I’m very thankful I found such a badass group of moms.

rainbow baby [Read more…]

Tara’s Breastfeeding Story

By Guest Blogger Tara

Tara with newborn

I found out I was pregnant on thanksgiving day of 2012. My Fiancé and I were so excited! I always knew that I wanted to breastfeed and did my research on it throughout the pregnancy. I also knew I wanted a natural birth, mostly because I already have a high pain tolerance and I’m very sensitive to medications. EVERYONE I knew (family, coworkers, strangers, etc.) told me breastfeeding was painful, awkward, difficult, etc. they also told me once I was in labor I’d be begging for pain medicine like they all were. Their lack of confidence in my decisions only made me more determined to stick to my plans! [Read more…]

Transgender Breastfeeding

We have received many messages since launching the “Sometimes Badass Breastfeeding Looks Like This…” graphic series on Facebook. Last week we were contacted by a fan in Germany who wanted to share her family’s truly unique story.

Transgender breastfeeding

“My name is Tabea, I live in Germany. Maybe our family’s attitude is something for the badasses, too. My baby’s daddy is transgender, feels kind of half man half woman. The picture shows him feeding our son, Bela, some weeks ago, it’s my milk I pumped to enable him to feel the joy of breastfeeding a child. As I personally don’t feel the milk flowing out of my breasts, I guess it’s quite close to feeling like a breastfeeding mother. We do so from time to time, when I had to go to the dentist in a case of emergency it was very helpful to have breastmilk in the deep-freezer so he could have it. We don’t give him my milk like this in public.”

Yours,

Tabea