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You’ve probably heard teaching sign language to your baby can help lessen frustration for them (and possibly save you from some tantrums) by allowing them to communicate things to you they don’t have spoken words for just yet. This sounds amazing, right?! But teaching your baby sign language is so much more than avoiding tantrums. You might not know it now, but there’s another BIG benefit to this early communication with your little one. 
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"When a child loses a parent they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses their partner they are widowed. When parents lose their child there is no word to describe them...simply that they are still parents" - President Ronald Reagan October 15th marks a sad day for many parents as it's Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Although the whole month is dedicated to pregnancy and infant loss awareness thanks to President Ronald Reagan. Statistically it is thought that ¼ pregnancies ends in miscarriage. While this may seem like an odd and sobering topic for a lactation blog, for many grieving parents, lactation is still a process they have to go through, even if their pregnancy ended without a living baby. Loss after 16 weeks may still trigger Lactogenesis - the hormonal process of making milk. This can be shocking for a parent dealing with the unexpected loss of a pregnancy. They don't have their baby. Why should they have milk? We help these parents navigate the confusing and often emotionally painful process, letting them know their options and supporting them in whichever they choose.  8/22/2019 0 Comments can you afford not to breastfeed?You've heard it before. Everyone has. "Breast is Best." But what does that really mean? Best for babies? Moms? Better for their physical and mental well being, of course. But what about the environment? Breastfeeding is very green! Society at large? Surely the global economy can't benefit from your breastfeeding relationship, right? Think again! A study completed in 2017 showed that if just 50% of the world's infants were exclusively breastfed for 6 months, it would save 300 billion (yes, billion with a B) dollars and 520,000 children's lives. Those are some big numbers. For every $1 invested in supporting breastfeeding mothers, that dollar generates $35 dollars in economic returns. Talk about a good return! What does that mean for you personally?  6/29/2019 2 Comments A Tale of Two Jars: How I went from pumping 4oz to 16 oz of breastmilk in 4 hours. See.... we have here two jars of breastmilk......  The jar on the left has 4 oz, the jar on the right has 16 oz. Both of these were collected in two pumping sessions, over a span of 4hrs. So, what's the story behind these jars of milk? How did one collect only 4oz in 4hrs, but the other was able to collect 16oz????
Both were collected using the same techniques, the same breast pump, by a mom nursing a 4 month old baby..... so.... what's the deal? What do you think the difference is between the mom with the 4oz jar on the left and the mom with the whopping 16oz jar on the right???? What advice would you give to the poor mom who only pumped 4oz, to help her increase her milk supply??? Read on to find out exactly what we (breastfeeding experts) would do....  Did you know the birth you have matters when it comes to breastfeeding? There are certain interventions that can affect breastfeeding and your milk supply. Some common interventions that can affect your ability to breastfeed are IV fluids, epidural, Pitocin, and cesarean births.
Sometimes birth interventions are necessary, and if that's the case that doesn't mean you can't breastfeed, it just means we may need to alter the way you approach those first feedings, and early postpartum period so you can have the best breastfeeding experience despite your birthing circumstances. Knowing is half the battle. As a lactation expert, one of the fist things I would say to you during a virtual breastfeeding support session is... "tell me about your birth". I can get clues about what's going on based on your birth experience, and then use that knowledge to make a plan of action that will work for you, your baby, and your circumstances. In this post we cover different birthing scenarios, and how you can still have Your Best Start to Breastfeeding, no matter your birthing outcomes.  Please help me welcome Lynn Turcotte-Schuh, who has written this guest blog post for us today! She is a child birth and parenting expert, and the owner of Happy Mama Wellness. Lynn helps expecting families prepare to welcome their little ones, and care for them after they arrive. Thank you Lynn for your wisdom, and for this incredibly informative guest post for our audience. As a first-time expectant Mama, you want to be prepared for anything and everything. The problem is, most of what lies ahead will be out of your control. Rest assured, no matter HOW your baby enters the world (vaginal, traditional cesarean or gentle cesarean) you can still have an empowered birth experience!
The large majority of Mamas are going to enter their birth experience laboring towards a vaginal birth. Nationally, just over 30% of those Mamas will end up having a cesarean birth.  How much time have you spent thinking about your birth? If you're like most first time moms, I bet it's alot! You want to know exactly what to expect, and that makes complete sense- you've never done this before. You've taken the birth class, you're preparing for labor and practicing your pain management techniques... All of this is good, really important stuff, BUT- you're missing one really important piece.
Exhausted?? Us too! So is our Successful Breastfeeding Community. When I shared the news that I was going to be tackling the topic of how to get a baby to sleep through the night our group jumped on board, and asked ALL THE QUESTIONS. (Join us here btw.)
So.... When we stumbled across Elizabeth Bine Sleep Consultant, I knew I had to record a podcast with her, and sneak away with a load of her golden nuggets of wisdom. And oh boy did I!!! Elizabeth has solutions to help you get your breastfed baby to sleep through the night, and do so without loosing your sanity or letting your baby cry it out. This is probably one of the most valuable collaborations we have ever done! In this episode we cover.... *How to get more sleep without weaning. *Tips for transitioning from cosleeping to independent sleep. *When can we expect a baby to sleep through the night. *How can we get baby to sleep without a Rock N' Sleeper after the recall? And a whole lot more! 
If you've ever taken my online breastfeeding class, then you've probably seen this statistic:
The #1 reason a woman gives up breastfeeding is because she thinks she isn't making enough milk. Why is that??? Well..... one of the top reasons a mom thinks she's not making enough milk is because she doesn't understand what her baby is trying to communicate. The great news is newborns are actually excellent communicators, if you know how to interpret their language that is. In this blog we're going to talk about the 3 most important cues your baby uses to communicate, that could just save your breastfeeding relationship. 12/27/2018 0 Comments How to Safely Sleep with Your BabyI bet you've heard that sleeping with your baby is dangerous and that you shouldn't do it. We've all seen the "Back to Sleep" campaign, which says the only safe place for your baby to sleep is flat on their back, in a crib. For many, this is actually true. HOWEVER, it can be safe to sleep next to your baby if you follow all of the rules. This is your guide to figuring out if you can safely sleep with your baby and how to do so. You might find it's best for your family and helps you get more sleep.  |
 AuthorKelly Maher, CLC, CLE Categories:All Advice For Your Partner Birth Bottle Feeding Breastfeeding Twins Child Care Co Sleeping Education Latching Milk Supply Podcast Episodes Preparing To Breastfeed Pumping Recipes Self Care Sleep Successful Breastfeeding Stories Supplementing Support Tips! Weaning Working And Breastfeeding Archives
November 2019
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