Breastfeeding 101: The Top 3 Things New Moms Need to Know

There is so much to think about when expecting a baby. When I was pregnant with my first (and second and third), I felt like my mind was being pulled in a million different directions every day.

I was thinking about actually being pregnant – was I eating right, exercising, would the sunscreen I was wearing seep into my skin and harm the baby?

Then I thought about the birth – did I want the epidural (HELL YES), how could I avoid a C-section (I couldn’t), who did I want in the delivery room (just my husband). Read More

What Is Mastitis and How Can You Treat It?

A few months into my breastfeeding journey, my left breast started to ache. I noted that it was hurting and thought of it as odd, but went about my day. By that night I had a fever and my breast hurt so bad I could hardly touch it. I knew something was wrong.

I called my doctor to describe my symptoms and she immediately told me I had mastitis. She prescribed an antibiotic and told me to put warm compresses on my breast. Read More

Everything You Need to Know About Breast Flanges, Breast Shields, & Nipple Shields  

Whenever I’m looking for a new recipe to cook I’ll skim the ingredient list and the second I see an ingredient that intimidates me (I’m looking at you yeast and fennel) I immediately write it off. I am simply not a good enough cook to attempt yeast.

For a while, this is how I felt about breast flanges, breast shields, and nipple shields. Just reading those words intimidated me. Read More

How Much Do New Babies Need to Eat?

I remember sitting in the hospital room after my first baby was born and wondering if she was hungry.

I had no milk and wouldn’t for another three to four days and while she would latch nicely, I had no idea if she was getting enough food.

Lots of moms have told me they have this same concern. I have a friend who asked the nurse to give her daughter formula because she was worried her daughter wasn’t getting enough sustenance. Read More

What to Wear to Pump at Work

Before you became a nursing mom, I bet you never thought that one day you’d be sitting at work with your boobs hanging out. It’s not something one normally considers.

However, once you become a working/nursing mama, it quickly becomes your reality.

There are a few different ways to dress so pumping at work is as easy as possible. Here are 6 tips for how to dress when you return to the office.

1. Layer with tank tops

This is my go-to suggestion for all nursing mamas. Read More

Baby #3’s Birth Story: Accepting My Fate as a C-section Mama

If you read my first two birth stories you know that I ended up with two emergency C-sections. They were unplanned and while I never felt like a failure or like my body had failed me, I still would have preferred not to have surgery.

Since having my C-sections, I’ve read many articles about how moms felt like they didn’t get to experience birth as it was meant to be. Read More

Baby #2’s Birth Story: Trying (and Failing) for a VBAC

When I became pregnant with my second baby (read about my first baby’s birth story here) my first order of business was talking about a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean).

“I want a VBAC,” I told my doctor at my twelve-week appointment. Surprisingly, she pulled out her phone. After a few taps into an app only OBGYNs know about, she told me I had a 54% chance at a vaginal delivery and anything over 50% she was happy to go for. Read More

Baby #1’s Birth Story: Nothing Goes as Planned

When I was pregnant with my first, I read every birth story I could get my hands on. I was fascinated to learn how women were able to get babies out of their bodies. It seemed impossible, even though I knew I had no choice but to do it. The one thing I knew for certain was that I was going to fight a C-section with all my might. Spoiler alert: I ended up having three C-sections. Read More

What if Breastfeeding Is Really, Really Hard?

As you read in my previous post about my breastfeeding story, I had a fairly easy time with breastfeeding. While my birth stories were less than ideal (two emergency C-sections and one planned C-section), breastfeeding came easy to both me and my babes.

However, I know many women who weren’t as lucky.

So what happens when breastfeeding is really, really hard?

Marci S. — a mom of two — talked to me about her experiences and how breastfeeding was one of the biggest challenges for her as a new mom. Read More

4 Reasons I’m Thankful for Breastfeeding

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I don’t know about your family, but in my crazy, crowded, cozy home after we all load our plates to the breaking point, we go around the table and say what we are thankful for. A cheesy tradition to be sure, but it’s tradition and who am I to mess with that?

I am very lucky I have a lot to be thankful for, and this year I will be thanking my body. Read More

How to Prepare for Breastfeeding Before Your Baby Arrives

If you’re nearing the end of your pregnancy, your feet are probably swollen, you pee 30x a day (or maybe 30x an hour), and all you want is for your baby to come out and be in your arms. Those first few newborn snuggles will rock your world, but then some of the realities of being a mama set in. You have to actually try to feed this beautiful baby!

I know it’s not easy, which is why I have some insider tips that I hope help you on your breastfeeding journey. Read More

Everything You Need to Know About Pumping at Work…From Someone Who’s Been There

Whether your baby is six-weeks, twelve-weeks, or six-months, heading back to work after child birth and maternity leave is no small feat. Not only are you leaving your baby for the first time, but if you’re a nursing mama then you have a whole new world of pumping at work to learn.

I pumped at work for two full years (one for each of my daughters). What nobody tells you is that learning how to efficiently pump at work is like learning a new skill. Read More