Let’s talk about something you might not have expected on your pumping journey: a strange (but totally normal) smell in your breast milk.Yep, it happens and here, nothing is off-topic and nothing is too embarrassing. We talk about it all, because you deserve real answers without judgment. If you’ve recently started breast pumping and noticed a change in the smell of your milk, you’re not alone and you’re not doing anything wrong. A common reason behind this surprising scent is high lipase activity. Read More

Breast pumping can be a game-changer for new moms, offering flexibility, convenience, and the ability to share feeding responsibilities. Whether you’re returning to work, building a freezer stash, or exclusively pumping, having the right pump and knowing how to use it effectively can make all the difference. Here are two of our essential tips to help you navigate breast pumping with confidence.

Choosing the Right Breast Pump:  Not all breast pumps are created equal, and the right one for you depends on your specific needs and lifestyle. Read More

3 Tips to Help You Prepare to Breastfeed

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, nothing can prepare you for the shock of becoming a mother. However, there are some tips and tricks that will help you make the transition from pregnant mom-to-be to breastfeeding-badass.

1. Take a class

Whether it’s online or at the hospital, taking a breastfeeding class can make a huge difference in the level of confidence you feel when you start nursing. Here are some important things you will learn at a breastfeeding class:

• Different hold positions and how they should look
• What shape a baby’s mouth should look like before attempting to latch
• What a good latch should look and feel like
• Important vocabulary such as: latch, let down, engorgement, and more

Having this knowledge in your back pocket will make the entire breastfeeding experience feel less scary and more familiar as you navigate being a new mom and learning to breastfeed. Read More

For those brave mamas who are thinking about becoming pregnant while your first is still nursing, you may end up breastfeeding and pregnant at the same time! This is a lot for your body to handle. However, it’s been done by millions of women before and is definitely doable. Here are a few of our favorite tips to make nursing while pregnant as comfortable as possible.

Try different breastfeeding positions to make it more comfortable to nurse while pregnant

1. Try different breastfeeding positions

If you are used to breastfeeding with your baby on your lap, that may not work for much longer. Read More

How Breastfeeding Affects Fertility

There are a lot of rumors swirling around out there about how breastfeeding can affect fertility. We are here to clear up all those misconceptions so that you can be in charge of growing your family at the right time for you.

Can I Get Pregnant While Breastfeeding?

The #1 question a lot of new moms ask is if they can get pregnant while breastfeeding. The answer is — yes. It is definitely possible. While breastfeeding can inhibit ovulation, it doesn’t always work that way, so it’s important to assume that you can get pregnant. Read More

6 Surprising Things About Having a Baby

Having a baby is a shock. Literally. You will be shocked by how much love you feel, how much work there is, and how different your life is.

Here are six things that we think are very surprising about having a baby.

1.  How much bodily fluid there is

This includes from both mother and child. When you wake up and your shirt and sheets are soaked, your first thought will be — is that breastmilk, urine, or blood. Read More

How to Make Breastfeeding Enjoyable

The truth about breastfeeding is that even though it can be a powerful bonding experience, very few people actually call it enjoyable. The cracked nipples, midnight feeds, and loss of freedom are just a couple reasons why many new moms find breastfeeding to be challenging.

However, there is definitely joy in breastfeeding. The snuggles, the skin-to-skin contact, the feeling that you are able to provide sustenance to your child when nobody else can — those are all reasons to celebrate breastfeeding and embrace the joy it provides. Read More

What to Do if Weaning Your Baby is Emotional

When the time has come to wean your baby, not only are there physical considerations which we talked about here, but there will also be A LOT of emotions.

Each time I weaned one of my babies, I felt equal parts relief and a deep sadness. For me, weaning meant that their baby stage was over and they were turning into little people. I also felt like I was taking something away from them that brought them a lot of comfort. Read More

When I started pumping for my first baby, I enjoyed looking at all that milk in my fridge so much that even if my little one didn’t eat it, I didn’t freeze it. It felt like such an accomplishment to have pumped so much milk and I liked seeing it every day.

Then a few days after I’d started pumping, I realized by not paying attention to when I’d pumped I had wasted so many ounces of milk!! It was so demoralizing. Read More

The Most Useful Supplies for Pumping Moms

A common misperception amongst moms who pump is all you need is a pump and some grit and you’ll be good to go. A minimalist at heart, when I first started pumping I decided I would invest in as few things as possible. The way I saw it, this was a finite time in my life, I didn’t plan to pump more than a year per child, and I didn’t want to be stuck with a bunch of things I didn’t need when it was all over. Read More

Our Five Favorite Tips for Boosting Milk Supply

What is more frustrating than wanting to breastfeed and not having enough milk? When my son, Max, was just a few days old I took him in for a weight check. With my other two babies, they didn’t have any trouble gaining the weight back, so I went into this appointment feeling confident. I was assuming I’d hear what I heard before, “your baby has regained his birth weight, go home and pat yourself on the back.” Read More

How to Pump the Most Amount of Milk in the Shortest Amount of Time

The goal of the pumping mama is to get as much milk as possible in the shortest amount of time as possible. The less time you spend attached to your pump, the more freedom you have. And the more milk you pump, the less you have to worry about having enough for your babe.

When I was a pumping, working mama, I would try to time myself to get 8oz in 15 minutes. Read More