Dear first-week me, Put down the scale. Put down the timer. And please, for the love of everything, take care of your nipples. I know you are sitting there convinced that you are doing something wrong. The baby is fussing. You cannot tell how much they are getting. Your nipples feel like they have been through something they were not designed for. You are exhausted in a way you did not know was possible. You are not doing it wrong. You are just in the first week. And the firs

She was not just feeding a baby. She was managing a full-time job in her mind, around the clock. Tracking wet diapers. Counting feed times. Calculating how long it had been since the last nursing session. Watching the clock during pumping. Logging output. Worrying if the number was enough. Worrying if she had eaten enough. Worrying if the stress from worrying was affecting her supply. Breastfeeding has a physical dimension that we talk about constantly. What we rarely discuss

She thought she would feel relieved when she decided to wean. She had met her goal. Her baby was thriving. It was time. What she did not expect was the grief. Weaning is one of the least talked-about transitions in the motherhood journey. We spend so much time preparing for breastfeeding that we rarely prepare for what it feels like to end it. And for many mamas, it feels like a loss — even when it is entirely their choice. IF YOU ARE READY TO WEAN First: there is no right ti

Your birth training was thorough. Your postpartum training was solid. But when your client asked about her milk supply at the two-day home visit, what did you say? If you hesitated — or gave a vague answer and hoped she did not push further — you are not alone. And you are not inadequate. You were just trained in a system that has historically treated lactation as a separate specialty rather than an essential part of birth work. But here is the reality: your clients do not se

Black Breastfeeding Week was not created to exclude anyone. It was created because too many Black mothers have been excluded from quality lactation care. Every year during the last week of August, communities across the country come together to celebrate, support, and center the breastfeeding experiences of Black families. And every year, I am reminded of why this week is not symbolic — it is necessary. THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE NEED Black mothers initiate breastfeeding at lower

Before you spend money on expensive supplements that promise the world — here is what an IBCLC actually recommends. Galactagogues — substances that support or increase milk supply — have been used across cultures for centuries. And while the supplement market has gotten crowded and sometimes misleading, there are specific herbs that have real support behind them. Let me break down the three I use most often in my practice. MORINGA Moringa is a nutrient-dense plant native to p

She had a birth plan. She had taken a breastfeeding class. She had a glider picked out and a nursing pillow waiting at home. And then her baby came six weeks early, and suddenly none of that applied. If you are navigating a NICU journey and still trying to feed your baby at the breast — or just trying to establish your milk supply while your baby grows — I want you to know: your breastfeeding goals are still possible. And you deserve support that knows how to meet you where y

Every unlatch, every clicking sound, every frustrated cry at the breast is a message. The problem is, nobody teaches new mamas how to read it. As an IBCLC with a NICU background, I have spent years learning the language of babies at the breast. And once you understand what to look for, a latch tells you a tremendous amount about what is — and is not — working. THE CLICK That clicking sound during nursing? It is not just annoying. It is a sign that your baby is losing suction

I have recommended a lot of things in my career as an IBCLC. Specific pumps. Specific herbs. Flange sizing tools. Feeding positions. The list is long. But BrainTap is the recommendation I keep coming back to — not because it is trending, but because I have watched it make a real difference for the mamas I care for. WHAT I KEPT SEEING Time and time again, I would work with a mama who had everything technically in place. Good latch. Appropriate pump. Strong nutrition. Consisten

She set alarms every two hours. She pumped through the night. She was exhausted in a way that felt cellular. And the bottles still showed less than an ounce combined. She thought she was doing everything right. And in her mind, she was. But the approach was not the issue — the fit was. MORE PUMPING DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN MORE MILK One of the biggest myths in the pumping world is that if you pump more, you will make more. And while frequency does matter, it is not the whole stor

Her body was doing everything right. She was eating. Taking her supplements. Trying to rest when the baby rested. But something still felt off — and her milk supply was reflecting it. What we eventually uncovered was not a physical problem. It was a nervous system stuck in survival mode. THE SCIENCE BEHIND STRESS AND MILK SUPPLY Here is something that does not get talked about enough in lactation care: your brain directly affects your milk. Prolactin — the hormone responsible

She had been a doula for three years. She had supported dozens of births. She knew how to hold space, how to advocate, how to read a room. But when her postpartum client called her in tears because her baby could not latch — she froze. Not because she did not care. Because she had never been trained for that moment. THE GAP NOBODY TALKS ABOUT Birth worker training is rich in labor support, comfort measures, and postpartum emotional care. What it often does not include is subs

Your body runs a 24/7 restaurant, and your baby is the only customer. I know that sounds a little funny — but it is actually one of the most useful ways I have found to explain how milk supply works. Welcome to The Breastraunt. HOW THE KITCHEN WORKS Your breasts do not store milk the way a refrigerator stores food. They produce milk on demand. The more your baby orders — meaning the more frequently and effectively they feed — the more your body prepares. When the kitchen gets

She cried every time her baby latched. Not because her baby was doing anything wrong — but because the pain was real, and nobody had told her it could feel like this. If you are in the early days of breastfeeding and your nipples are cracked, raw, or sore, I want you to hear this first: some initial sensitivity is normal. Significant, ongoing pain is not something you just have to endure. And there is help. WHY NIPPLE PAIN HAPPENS Nipple pain in the early days most commonly c

Before your baby is even born, someone will hand you a list. A list of pumps. Bottles. Supplements. Creams. Gadgets. Products that promise to make breastfeeding easier. So you start buying. Then your baby arrives, and suddenly you're awake at 2:00 a.m. wondering why no one taught you how to know if your baby is getting enough milk. No one explained cluster feeding. No one told you your baby might want to nurse again an hour later. As a Registered Nurse, NICU nurse, and Intern

When she asked her nurse for help breastfeeding, she was told formula was just as good. She was not given a referral. She was not connected to a lactation consultant. She was given a pamphlet and a bottle of formula and sent home to figure it out on her own. This story is not unique. I have heard versions of it from more Black mamas than I can count. THE DATA TELLS THE TRUTH Black women initiate breastfeeding at lower rates than their white counterparts. They are less likely

Everyone prepares for the baby. The nursery is painted. The hospital bag is packed. The car seat is installed. And then the baby arrives — and suddenly you realize that nobody prepared you for what was going to happen to you. The fourth trimester — those first twelve weeks after birth — is one of the most physically and emotionally intense seasons a person can move through. And yet we barely talk about it. YOUR BODY IS DOING THE MOST After birth, your body is healing from a m

It was 3am. Her baby had been at the breast for what felt like hours, and she was the one crying. The baby had finally fallen asleep. But she was sitting in the dark, staring at a pumping output that barely covered the bottom of the bottle, wondering if she was failing. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Low milk supply is one of the most common concerns I hear from the mamas I work with — and it is also one of the most misunderstood. WHAT LOW SUPPLY ACTUALLY LOOKS L

THC and Breastfeeding: The Truth Nobody Told You If you've ever Googled "weed and breastfeeding" at 2am while nursing a baby and trying to hold yourself together, this post is for you. Not for the version of you that's supposed to have it all figured out. For the real you — the one managing anxiety, chronic pain, or just the relentless weight of postpartum life without nearly enough support. No judgment here. Just the facts you deserve to have. First, Let's Talk About Who's A

Breastfeeding is not just about feeding your baby. It is about maintaining comfort, protecting your body, and staying consistent. At The Breast Choice, we see the same challenges often. Discomfort, inconsistent milk flow, and irritation that begins to affect the entire feeding experience. The difference is not effort. The difference is having the right support early. That is why we created The Essentials . What’s Included Mama’s Flow supports milk flow and letdown, especially