Once again, I came across a biased breastfeeding bashing article that demonized lactation consultants, and I’m royally pissed. I’ll cut straight to the chase here:  There is a huge difference between a “Breastfeeding Nazi”, and a “Lactavist”. As an IBCLC, I’m insulted by being called the former, and proud to be called the latter. I am NOT a Boob Nazi. …

In the United States, nearly one in three births is a cesarean birth. Many of these cesareans are unexpected, so it is a good idea for the expectant mother to become informed and educated about the procedure before her baby arrives. An operative birth versus a vaginal birth can impact the breastfeeding experience in several ways. Mothers who have eagerly …

You and your baby have been happily nursing for several months. You have overcome the common problems nursing couples have in the early weeks, such as sore nipples or engorgement, and things are progressing nicely. Suddenly, he begins refusing the breast and seems quite unhappy about it. Is he weaning? Is he sick? Is there something wrong with your milk? …

Candida (also called yeast, or thrush) is a fungus that occurs naturally in the mucous membranes and on the skin. Use of antibiotics promotes the overgrowth of yeast by killing off the ‘good’ bacteria that normally keep the yeast from multiplying too quickly. During pregnancy, yeast infections are more common because high levels of estrogen lead to elevated levels of sugar, …

Advantages to baby Advantages to mother Advantages to the family Advantages to society   With nearly 79% of women in the United States currently choosing to breastfeed their infants  (as opposed to around 20% in the seventies), it is obvious that the majority of women are aware of the many benefits of breastfeeding. When asked why they chose to nurse …

Some mothers nurse several babies and never experience plugged ducts or mastitis (breast infection), while others have recurrent episodes. There are many reasons for these problems to occur, but treatment is essentially the same: rest, apply heat, breastfeed often on the affected side,  and use antibiotics only when medically necessary. A plugged, or clogged, duct is a sore, tender lump …

Sore nipples are one of the most common reasons new mothers give for discontinuing breastfeeding, often during the first week of nursing. This is quite unfortunate, for nipple soreness is almost always a short-term problem, and can usually be corrected in a matter of days. Breastfeeding isn’t supposed to hurt, but the fact of the matter is that most mothers …

There are many situations in which a mother may need to pump milk from her breasts. Some are short term – for example, occasional separations; mother on medication incompatible with breastfeeding;  breast engorgement; severe nipple soreness; or increasing milk supply. Some are long term:  a premature or hospitalized infant, or regular separations such as those encountered with returning to work …