At her first pediatrician appointment after the birth of her son the doctores were shocked that she looked so well rested when she had a three day old..... But wait??? Well rested with a newborn?? That's not a thing..... Is it?

 Enjoy the sleep now while you can because when your baby comes you'll never sleep again! That's what you hear, right? Everyone likes to talk about how sleep deprived you're going to be with a newborn. And alternatively, those same people then turn around and want to know if your baby is sleeping through the night, then silently judge you if your answer is no. 

Well.... guess what??? Babies are NOT supposed to sleep through the night BUT there are absolutely some things breastfeeding mommas can do to make night time a whole lot easier! "I asked my husband what the most surprising thing about having a baby has been for him, or the thing he didn't expect. He said sleep, hands down. Everyone said he'd be sleep deprived and miserable with a new baby and he's not." - Allison Alexander.

Click below to listen to the podcast episode all about how YOU can get MORE SLEEP!

Today I had the opportunity to interview Celeste Kraft, an experienced breastfeeding momma of four, and now grandma who supports her own daughter-in-love, as she calls her. Celeste shares with me her own unexpected breastfeeding journey, how her journey has influenced the support she offers her daughter, and shares her best piece of advice she has for new breastfeeding moms. And WOW what she had to say was so powerful. Her words of wisdom gave me chills! Click below to take a listen to the interview, and hear what she has to say. Be sure to check out the pictures she shared with us as well!

OMG. Breakfast is a struggle for me. I need something quick because mornings are nuts. I've got kids to get to school, a baby to feed, and there's not time for me to eat before we run out the door. (My body and blood sugar hates this though.)

For me, this is the perfect on the go breakfast. Fast. Easy. Delicious. Satiating. And keeps my energy levels up, which is soooo important when you're a breastfeeding momma. Also, I make it in advance so it's ready to go. No morning prep. It takes me about five miutes, once a week, to whip this meal together. 

​So.... Onto the recipe!

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.

When I was just starting out on my breastfeeding journey, I ended up in rough shape just a few days in. I had no idea why my nipples were cracked and bleeding, but I knew I couldn’t go on that way and I was determined to find a solution.

While it was a great, positive mindset and I’m happy I didn’t give up, my search for a solution wasn’t easy. During my unpaid maternity leave, I was stretching every dollar for essentials. Unfortunately, I wasted a lot of time and money trying to troubleshoot a solution on my own.

I bought........
*Nipple cream for the pain
*A Manual Breast Pump to relieve engorgement
*Disposable Breast Pads to catch the drips
*Bottles and Pacifiers to give me a break

And all of it was a waste and actually NOT AT ALL WHAT WE NEEDED! Great. Here's what those products ended up doing for me....... They wasted my time. They wasted my energy. And I was still in a really rough place with breastfeeding.

I bet you've heard that sleeping with your baby is dangerous, 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. And you know what? For many, this is actually true, HOWEVER, it can be safe to sleep next to your baby if you follow ALL of the rules.......

Here's the sad truth: 
Our breast pumps are just NOT as effective as our babies when it comes to draining the breast. When you're going back to work, you really need to make sure you're able to maximize your output for your baby. And that is where hand expression comes in.

​Which means sometimes we need a little hands on help. Hand expression is one of those tools you'll want to know how to do, and how to do well, to save you on a rainy day, or get that last precious ounce of milk after a pump session.

Hand expression is simple, but for some can be tricky before you get the hang of it. But don't worry... I'm going to guide you through it.

Working and pumping makes you feel over the top burned out! Am I right?

Dragging baby to day care. Pumping. Working. Working. Pumping. Coming home to make dinner. Nursing. Pumping. Nursing. Bed time routing.
 REPEAT!

When do you get time for you??? If you're not practicing regular self care, you will crash and burn, momma!
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In this podcast episode we are talking all about realistic, unselfish ways to add self care into your every day. We are going to help you recharge, regroup, and fill your cup so you can keep going like the superwoman you are!!!

Are you confused by the Break Time Law for Nursing Moms?? Most of the moms in the Successful Breastfeeding Community were! 

And it's not surprising. The law is wordy, confusing, and full of loop holes and exemptions.

On this episode of the Successful Breastfeeding Podcast I am interviewing Tifani Sadek, a corporate attorney who previously was in private practice for small businesses. She will be answering our questions about the Break Time Law for Nursing Moms. Tifani is not only an attorney, but also a working and pumping mom and member of our Successful Breastfeeding Community!
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