In a perfect world, all medical care providers would be most concerned with what is best for mother and baby in their particular circumstances. They would offer objective advice and evidence-based research. Compassion and kindness would be icing on the cake, and par for the course. Worrying that your care provider does not support breastfeeding would not even be a concern! Unfortunately, we all have our biases. Doctors (and nurses, and midwives, etc), like all the rest of us, sometimes let their personal experiences and opinions inform their priorities when deciding how to counsel a patient. Your care provider may be a wonderful source of … [Read more...]
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Disclaimer: The information in this post is for educational purposes only. I am not a doctor. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. None of the opinions are meant to diagnose or treat any disease or illness. You should always consult your healthcare provider.
Can I Drink Caffeine While Breastfeeding?
"Can I really drink caffeine while breastfeeding?" Here, hold on—let me put down my coffee while I answer this. The short and easy answer is yes, you can. The long answer gets a little more involved, and requires you pay attention to your intake and your baby's behavior. Only you will know your and your baby's limits. Many mommies can't imagine starting their morning without a beloved cup of tea or coffee. Perhaps you drink a soda in the afternoon for a quick pick-me-up. Whatever your reason, it's important to know how caffeine may affect your child through you. Factors that affect how your baby handles caffeine while … [Read more...]
Come Celebrate! Eco-Babyz 5-Year Blogiversary Giveaway
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Eco-Babyz is celebrating their 5-Year blogiversary! BreastfeedingPlace is excited to help with the celebrations by bringing the presents to you! Anastasia started writing when she was 8 months pregnant with her first baby back in 2008 and wanted an outlet to share everything she was learning and to connect with other parents. We are helping Eco-Babyz celebrate and together with ten more fabulous bloggers we are giving away some prizes from generous sponsors. It's a way of thanking readers new and old for taking the time to be part of the blogging community through their comments and presence! FIRST PRIZE ($698, US … [Read more...]
Know Your Public Breastfeeding Rights: A Tale of One Mother’s Brush With the Law
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There are times in our lives when we feel the need to stand up for ourselves, for our children, and for the children around us. Breastfeeding rights is one of those. Breastfeeding in public has been a heated issue in the news. Lately, scheduled nurse-ins at restaurants or clothing stores have occurred, due to some manager with a need to enforce ludicrous rules that are not baby friendly—and certainly not in the best interest of the mother. Never mind that they are unlawful to begin with! Here's a phrase I have mentioned countless times to the mothers I have worked with: "You need to know your breastfeeding rights. In most states, you are … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding Problems: What is a Lip Tie?
Breastfeeding a newborn can be difficult. It is not something that always comes easily. Many mothers of new babies experience several breastfeeding problems on their journeys through early parenthood. Some of these early issues are attributed to latch issues. Poor latches can lead to cracked nipples, thrush, plugged ducts, etc. Fixing bad latches might be easy. Other times it could be pure determination, like when my son was diagnosed with a lip tie. What is a lip tie? A tongue tie is a webbing that exists between the bottom of one's tongue and the soft palate of the floor of your mouth. A lip tie is a similar webbing, but it exists on the … [Read more...]
Breastfeeding and Postpartum Thyroiditis
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Many women experience milk supply problems when breastfeeding and postpartum thyroiditis may be to blame. This condition is often overlooked by healthcare providers because it typically resolves itself within a year of onset. I struggled with postpartum thyroiditis after all three of my pregnancies. What is postpartum thyroiditis and how can it affect breastfeeding? Postpartum Thyroiditis Basics Postpartum thyroiditis is inflammation of the thyroid within the first year after giving birth. It is characterized by the production of thyroid antibodies plus swings between hyperactive and underactive thyroid. It is very similar to Hashimoto's … [Read more...]
Why Do I Nurse?
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Have you ever stopped to think about why it is that you want to breastfeed? Asked yourself, "Why do I nurse?" I have asked this of myself so many times; what is it inside of me that drives me to nurse my babies, to nourish them with my body and my heart? Why is it that I love to breastfeed? I nurse because... I nurse because of the look in his eyes. I nurse because of the pride and the strength that comes from feeding my baby with my own body. I nurse because of the protection it gives him. I nurse because of the tiny fingers that hold on for dear life, and find comfort there. I nurse because my milk is his … [Read more...]
Encouragement for the First Time Mom: When Breastfeeding Isn’t Easy
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I was so excited about the idea of breastfeeding my baby. Soon after we found out that we were expecting, I began doing something I discovered a love for in college—research. So, so much research. I was really good at studying and getting good grades in college. What was the secret to my success? I'm a nerd and loved research. Surely, I could just apply the same principles that brought me college success to parenting. Then, soon enough, I'd be an expert mom. It didn't take long for me to discover the many benefits of breastfeeding—benefits which compounded by the month, and benefits that I definitely wanted in my baby's life.Certainly … [Read more...]
7 Essential Books to Get New Moms off to a Great Start
If you're like me, you read up about birth. And then you read up about taking care of your new baby...and about feeding your baby...and potty training. Yes, I love reading. I want to share with you today 7 books that are great additions to any new mom's cabinet. And right now, for a short time you have the opportunity to get them all together. These 7 books would typically cost over $60, but you can get them all for $29.95 (plus 59 other books with them!). Don't miss this opportunity because it just lasts a few days. The sale will end on November 9th. 1. Fearless Birth Do you get scared thinking about the birth of your baby? I know … [Read more...]
Ultimate Bundle of Resources for Health-Minded Mama’s
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86 eBooks, a dozen online conferences, and $150 in bonus resources all for only $1,034 $29.97. Ladies, this bundle is for you. This bundle has some amazing books for new mamas and for experienced mamas alike. Want the ultimate book on cloth diapering? Need to start learning how to potty train gently? Do you want to begin making your own baby food? Yup, there's resources on ALL of these topics and much much more. You won't find a more comprehensive healthy living bundle than this one! I am excited to not only be offering this to you, but also to be an author AND conference speaker for the Natural Baby Care segment of the "Coffee Table … [Read more...]
