Breastfeeding isn’t always an easy journey. Breastfeeding after exclusive pumping is a journey of its own. Learn more in this reader’s inspiring story.
Robin Wrote a Breastfeeding Book!
One thing that many people don’t know about me is that I have always had a passion for writing. Before becoming a lactation consultant, I wrote curriculum for local museums and websites and wrote two unpublished children’s books. So when I was approached to write this breastfeeding book I knew that there was no way I could pass up this amazing opportunity.
Supporting new families through their breastfeeding journeys has truly been my calling. I love my job and the adrenaline rush I feel when I have empowered a family and helped them to meet their breastfeeding goals. There is so much more to breastfeeding than just latching a baby to a breast. There are nuances, both simple and challenging, that help make this process enjoyable and seamless. We, as lactation consultants, have the honor to facilitate this breastfeeding process, when needed, and this book is just one step in that journey. Latch: A Handbook to Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage provides families with the supportive and educational basics they need while breastfeeding their children, from pregnancy to weaning.
Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing some content you will find in Latch. This book is a great baby shower gift, for even the most seasoned-breastfeeding parent, as well as something you will want to buy even if you have already started breastfeeding. Latch is already available for presale on Amazon at: bit.ly/LatchBook and can be in your hands as early as March 13, 2018!
Thank you for following along and I look forward to sharing more details about Latch over the next few weeks!
Iron Rich Foods for Infants and Toddlers
Breastfeeding Truly Takes a Village!
A few months ago, we sent out a Call for Breastfeeding Stories. Our desire was to flood the Internet with beautiful breastfeeding stories of triumph, overcoming challenges and struggles, and positive outcomes, regardless of the total amount of milk a mom was producing. We are thrilled to share these stories with you, our readers, and hope that they offer support and inspiration for you, wherever you are in your breastfeeding journey.
Thank you to all of the mothers who submitted their stories! If after you read these memoirs you are inspired to submit your story, feel free to send it to RobinKaplan@sdbfc.com.
Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction - A Memoir
A few months ago, we sent out a Call for Breastfeeding Stories. Our desire was to flood the Internet with beautiful breastfeeding stories of triumph, overcoming challenges and struggles, and positive outcomes, regardless of the total amount of milk a mom was producing. We are thrilled to share these stories with you, our readers, and hope that they offer support and inspiration for you, wherever you are in your breastfeeding journey.
Thank you to all of the mothers who submitted their stories! If after you read these memoirs you are inspired to submit your story, feel free to send it to RobinKaplan@sdbfc.com.
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This breastfeeding memoir is from Jenna
Ten years ago, eighteen-year-old Jenna was bouncing between San Diego and Los Angeles counties looking for a plastic surgeon. They had to be willing to do a keyhole incision and leave my nipple attached while they performed a bilateral breast reduction. I was a senior in high school and had my breast reduction surgery during spring break.
Fast forward six years. I find out I'm pregnant the day my boyfriend gets to Djibouti, Africa, where he'll be deployed for the next 7 months. I sought out a natural birth provider in my network after reading the book, Defining your Own Success: Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction Surgery by Diana West. In this book, it encouraged mothers to birth as naturally as possible for the best chance at breastfeeding after a reduction and this book had become like a Bible for me, so I followed its every recommendation.
We Were Not Meant to Mother Alone
A few months ago, we sent out a Call for Breastfeeding Stories. Our desire was to flood the Internet with beautiful breastfeeding stories of triumph, overcoming challenges and struggles, and positive outcomes, regardless of the total amount of milk a mom was producing. We are thrilled to share these stories with you, our readers, and hope that they offer support and inspiration for you, wherever you are in your breastfeeding journey.
Thank you to all of the mothers who submitted their stories! If after you read these memoirs you are inspired to submit your story, feel free to send it to RobinKaplan@sdbfc.com.
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Our first breastfeeding memoir is from Michelle
I booked at least 2 vacations for my maternity leave, all on airplanes. I was going to wear my baby everywhere, nursing her as we went along. I had the organic breast pads purchased, all the nursing tanks, and the most breastfeeding-friendly bottles, but of course I wouldn’t need those for at least several months. I would see Mamas nursing their babes at the beach and I would find myself staring as I daydreamed about my nursling that was to come. December 2013, my sweet baby girl arrived. She latched and we were a nursing team. 24hrs later I was told she was Coombs positive and her jaundice levels were high. She was sleepy, was losing too much weight and I needed to give her formula in a bottle. I cried lots of tears. "FORMULA? No way!", but I had no other options. Every time I fed her, and I wouldn’t let anyone else feed her. I felt awful and felt like I was letting her down. 7 days later I was told, "your daughter is failure to thrive". Queue more tears, more formula, more guilt, and not a lot of milk being produced from me.
Introducing the Top 8 Allergens to Infants
Age-appropriate Portions for Toddlers (and Moms)
Understanding Infant Sleep - 6 weeks to 4 months
In our previous sleep article, we discussed normal sleep patterns and realistic sleep expectations for infants up to 6 weeks. By the time we hit 6 weeks, our children have gone through so many developmental changes, including what shapes their sleep patterns. What do these patterns look like now and when will you start to actually get some sleep?
Breastfeeding the Older Baby: 12-18 Months
Written by Anna Choi, BS, IBCLC
Thank you for joining us for our third and final article in our blog series, Breastfeeding the Older Baby – What to Expect and How to Adjust. I’ve enjoyed writing these articles, as we have explored the evolving breastfeeding relationship between mama and baby, and I hope to have provided some insight for you about what this evolution might look like for you and your little one. In this final article, we will look at months 12 through 18 of your toddler’s life.