Oxytocin: the love hormone. Oxytocin is often called the love hormone, but do you know how it bonds us to our babies during breastfeeding? This powerful physical response to feeding your baby ensures the best for you both! What is oxytocin? What does oxytocin have to do with breastfeeding? Oxytocin is a hormone vital in mammal reproduction. Produced by the hypothalamus and secreted by the pituitary gland it floods your brain with the neurotransmitter during intimate moments with your partner or your baby. Oxytocin usually makes you feel blissful, calm, safe, and nurturing. The more you bond with those you love the more you produce, … [Read more...]

Sometimes you discover something in the natural world that is so special, so perfectly orchestrated, so amazingly complex as to cause one to wonder at the Creator who designed it all--the metamorphoses of the caterpillar into a butterfly, the earth's tilt, turning, and perfect distance from the sun, the wonder of the science behind the functioning human eye. The breastfeeding crawl is another one of these wonders. Ever heard of it? Well, I hadn't either until my doula mentioned it to me in a prenatal visit. "Look it up on YouTube," she said to me. So, I did. Watching it was very cool, but understanding what all was taking place in the … [Read more...]

Breastfeeding can be a wonderful bonding experience. But sometimes feeding your baby in situations where they can become distracted can be difficult and darn right embarrassing. You know what I mean if anyone has walked up and started talking to you so that your baby looks and flashes everyone. That moment for me was when my son looked and sent milk spraying onto my husband's First Sergeant. I don't think I have ever turned so red. (Note: He took it really well.) Enter: the need for breastfeeding games! 5 Breastfeeding Games to Play with Baby Here are five easy breastfeeding games to help keep your baby on task rather then looking around. … [Read more...]

When I had my oldest I was young. I never received any good breastfeeding advice. Before the school social worker spoke to me about breastfeeding I thought like much of society today. I thought it was inappropriate, disgusting, and the idea of pumping and refrigerating breast milk for my baby - gross. The idea of others feeding my body fluids to my baby made me cringe. After seeing someone I looked up to nurse her baby with no discomfort (she talked about it as a normal, everyday thing), I changed my mind! Her baby seemed so happy, so content - and she loved her milk. I had made up my mind then. I was going to breastfeed my baby. I … [Read more...]

I will warn you. This is sometimes a hot button topic. When asked the question, "Are there any disadvantages of breastfeeding?" some breastfeeding advocates will insist that there are none. I strongly believe that to help all mothers, we all need to be honest about motherhood.  I've been nursing and/or pregnant for nearly six years straight. Let me level with you. Breastfeeding does have disadvantages. I wholeheartedly feel the benefits completely outweigh the disadvantages, but it's important to understand the good, the bad, and the ugly!  Thankfully, many of the disadvantages of breastfeeding can be worked around! Potential … [Read more...]

We all know the importance of breastfeeding because breast milk is the best nutritional option for your baby, if at all possible. But did you know that breastfeeding can play a vital role in mother and child bonding during the first hour of life? Giving birth is such a beautiful, life changing experience. Even through the difficulties, even if it's really hard or traumatic, when all is said and done you are handed this precious little bundle of baby that makes it all worthwhile. Then all you want to do is hold your little one and get those first few minutes of bonding in. It is typical in hospital births, however, for the baby to be … [Read more...]

We all know how great breastfeeding is, right? It's probably one of the most amazing gifts God has given mothers to put in our mothering tool belt. But, what if I told you that your amazing milk-producing glandular tissue was capable of even more wonderful feats than you previously imagined? No, they cannot clean the kitchen for you, or play taps, but they are certainly magnificent! What if you learned a fact that was a game changer for you? If you are on the fence about whether or not to breastfeed, then pull up a chair, drink a glass of bubbly and set a while with me. If breastfeeding feels like a no-brainer for you; well, this article … [Read more...]

You probably know her as Blossom from the 90s sitcom of the same name. You may recognize her as Amy Fowler on The Big Bang Theory. But she is more than a talented actress. Armed with a Ph.D in neuroscience and a knack for research, Mayim Bialik is now a champion of "attachment parenting" in her new book, Beyond the Sling: A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way. Breastfeeding Place had an opportunity to interview Mayim about her thoughts on breastfeeding older children. She offers moms who want to try extended breastfeeding some encouraging words. Has extended breastfeeding impacted your … [Read more...]

Breastfeeding toddlers is a whole other ball game. Most likely the days of latch and supply issues, falling asleep during a feeding, and weight gain concerns are things of the past. Now, your only goal in life is to keep your nipple attached to your body! So how can an extended season of breastfeeding be enjoyable for mom, too? Curiosity Curiosity kills the cat...or the nipples. As babies grow older, their desire for independence and their curiosity for the world around them grows, too. The smallest sound causes them to "pop off" and sometimes forget to open their mouths. Ouch! Babies who are used to a particular environment (such as … [Read more...]

Most new mothers know, or suspect, that there are things they need to do to prepare for successful breastfeeding. Perhaps you've signed up for a breastfeeding class, or gotten advice from experienced friends, or read a dozen breastfeeding books. No matter how much you try to prepare, there will likely still be things that you have to learn along the way. I have three breastfeeding experiences to reflect on, and each one has been different. In the last 5+ years of my breastfeeding career, there are a few things that have presented particularly surprising obstacles... . Traumatic Birth Experience If either baby or mom have a tough time during … [Read more...]