One of the greatest reassurances a mother has when choosing to breastfeed is the number of benefits of breastfeeding for baby. Breastfeeding your baby is not only natural, it is designed by nature to be the best source of nutrition for your baby. Mothers can confidently feed their babies breast milk and know that it is benefiting both of them in a multitude of ways. Let's take a look at a few of the benefits of breastfeeding.   Breastfeeding 101: Five Great Benefits For Baby Breast milk is the perfect nutrition for babies. Breast milk is the perfect combination of protein, healthy fats, and calories for a growing infant. … [Read more...]

Morning fog and crisp red leaves. Autumn is officially here. Stores are stocked with apple cider, throw blankets and cough drops. On the mornings where the temperature is a cool 48 degrees, all that is wanted is to snuggle with your warm little baby, while breastfeeding. But what happens when sickness strikes? Breastfeeding while sick? Is this a good idea? These are questions every new mother asks. Did you know that breastfeeding while sick, provides baby with much needed antibodies found in breast milk? Top 3 Questions Mothers Ask 1. Will baby get sick? Before symptoms surfaced, baby has already been exposed. Remember your body is … [Read more...]

One of the hottest nutritional supplements, health and beauty aids, and all around health-foodie-favorites these days is coconut oil. There are myriad uses for it, and you can now buy coconut oil at almost any grocery store. But what about breastfeeding and coconut oil? What are its benefits for nursing moms and babies, and is it even safe to use it? Breastfeeding and Coconut Oil - Uses and Benefits One of my favorite uses for coconut oil is to encourage healthy, soft skin. If you've had a baby with cradle cap, you know the frustration of trying to treat the crusty mess. Coconut oil not only moisturizes, but its antifungal and … [Read more...]

Breastfeeding has a lengthy list of benefits for both mother and child ranging from antibody protection to cancer prevention, but one not soon to be forgotten by new moms is the extra calories burned breastfeeding. Many women have asked, exactly how many calories are burned breastfeeding? Well, every woman who has nursed a baby knows that it is a physically demanding task, and all that extra energy expelled isn't going to waste. Each calorie-laden ounce of breast milk made to nourish your baby is burning extra calories for mom. While there are many reasons to breastfeed your baby, one that many moms find to be an added bonus is the extra … [Read more...]

It's funny how we have been given such idyllic images of the early days of breastfeeding, isn't it? Mamas and babies nestled together in nursing bliss. We're lead to believe that it's natural and normal and a good breastfeeding latch should just...happen. And then you actually have a baby and find out that this whole nursing process doesn't always come so easily and it definitely doesn't come without its fair share of discomfort and, yes, even pain. Many of us haven't been told that the breastfeeding relationship, while natural, is still a learned process for both baby and mama. Sure, babies have a sixth sense that leads them … [Read more...]

Most will not argue that breast milk is best for a new baby and that it is the most natural way of feeding your baby. We all hear about the benefits of breastfeeding and how it is not only good for baby, but for mom, too. But has it always been this way? Was breastfeeding always looked at as the better choice? Is it the natural thing to do around the world? What exactly are the benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby? Even after breastfeeding two kids and writing for this website for nearly a year, I am still learning new things about breastfeeding every day. So I thought I'd share with you some new things I've recently learned about … [Read more...]

A few weeks ago I asked women on our Facebook page what the secret to their success was. You know what the most common answer was? Spousal support. Yes, you heard me right. The number one thing that keeps women breastfeeding is a supportive partner. As a breastfeeding mother of two I happen to have had the pleasure of one badly supported experience and one really positive one. Though it's important to seek support and surround yourself with those who want to help you succeed, a negative nursing atmosphere doesn't always have to amount to failure. Because I personally understand how hard it can be to communicate the important things in … [Read more...]

As if being a new mama isn't exhausting enough, when you're a breastfeeding mama there are some added stresses that come along (but don't worry, the bonding far outweighs the few stresses). One of the common situations that a breastfeeding mother will come across is breastfeeding engorgement. Engorgement is a common problem for many lactating mothers in the first several weeks postpartum. Your body is doing something new (or something it hasn't done in awhile) and is going to town making milk to nourish your new, sweet bundle. While you may be feeding around the clock and doing everything right, sometimes we still just can't avoid dealing … [Read more...]

Every new mama (and every mama of a new little one for that matter) needs a breastfeeding helpline. No matter how many babies I had (five so far, and we think we're done), each time I brought home a sweet bundle of baby bliss, there was, for me, an adjustment period. Every baby is different, and every family changes dynamics with the addition of a sibling. As a now "veteran" nursing mama, I am always looking for ways to encourage those a few steps behind on the mommy-path, and it occurs to me others might be, too! How can we support and encourage a new mom in every way, but especially in the way of breastfeeding her baby? Becoming a … [Read more...]

For most new moms there comes a time when snuggling all day with your newborn is not only unreasonable, but can also come off as unproductive. For most women this is around the one week mark. For me it's day three. Day three is the day when I want to get back in the swing of things. Sure you're still a wreck "down there," have uncontrollable milk production, and still have no idea where a shower fits in. But underneath all that "Oh, wow I have a little baby now!" attitude is the desire to get back to normal. Lucky for us breastfeeding and baby-wearing go hand-in-hand. Enter: the breastfeeding slings and other carriers! There are several … [Read more...]