Ever want to try something and decide to keep it quiet in case you fail? That’s what I did. I’m finally ready to share my secret. Six months ago, I joined a gym. Ok, that doesn’t sound like such a big deal, right? But you need a little background information to understand why this was […]
You may be thinking, wait, what? Don’t we need folic acid? Truth is that some forms might not be ideal for everyone. Folate is a naturally occurring B vitamin, necessary for function on a cellular level and important for daily detoxification. While there are many problems that can occur in our bodies without enough folate, […]
Ok, going to reveal my age here. Way back when, when my first baby was born, the easily removable carseats that almost everyone uses now, were new on the market. We had the kind that stayed in the car. Let’s not talk about how there were few rules about those seats, and how it was […]
Percentiles, growth charts, curves, oh my… So much stress over weight gain! In my experience, the actual weight or point on the growth chart doesn’t matter as much as this: is your baby getting enough every day to have consistent weight gain and growth? What’s important to measure is how much your baby is gaining […]
Most healthcare providers use lab testing in their medical practices. As a midwife in New York State, I am licensed to order and interpret lab tests in the same way as a doctor can. I prescribe standard “covered by insurance” blood tests, as well innovative, functional medical testing for my patients. Because of my advanced functional […]
As a mom you may be wondering what to eat now that your baby is here. What types of food will nourish your baby, keep yourself healthy and strong and shed the extra pounds that you gained during your pregnancy? As a Midwife and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant this is a subject that I […]
I feel an urgent need to spread a message. And I’m going to ask you to spread it far and wide as well. We need to correct a myth that is having a detrimental effect on parents and babies. It is interfering with parents being able to give their babies their own breast milk as a […]
I have been contemplating “why” often lately. Not only “why” as in what is the cause, but “why” as relates to motivation. Why is looking deeply at your health important? Why should you make self care a priority? Why should you care of yourself before you care for others? The habitual answer is the old […]
I am not one for New Year’s Resolutions. Arbitrary dates to do certain things have lost their appeal to me in recent years. In my life, the cycle of improvement is constant. Yes, it waxes and wanes, and needs renewal sometimes, but I don’t feel the need to make a promise at the beginning of […]
Dr. Bobby Ghaheri and Melissa Cole IBCLC, et al., have completed and published a study which gives evidence to the positive results that moms and infants experience after release of lip and tongue tie. A very important aspect to this research is the inclusion of the lactation consultant in the process. In fact, as stated […]
As a healthcare provider with over thirty years of listening to women’s concerns, I’ve heard this hundreds of times. Other things my patients say: my thyroid is “just a little off”…Or I’ve been on synthroid forever…Or I have some stomach issues…Or hormonal issues…Or I am tired all the time…Or I’m depressed/anxious but I don’t want […]
Click to learn more: Tongue Tie Course I see so many babies who have trouble breastfeeding due to oral restrictions, including lip, tongue and even buccal (inner cheek) ties. As a lactation consultant, I diagnose this issue almost daily. Revealing these restrictions often brings confusion for parents. Many times this is the first they are […]
Supplementing a breastfed baby is controversial, even when that supplement is a vitamin. Nursing moms are wary of the need to give their baby anything but breastmilk. As a lactation consultant, I agree. We should be very careful about anything we tell moms to put into baby’s mouth during those early months. Couple this with […]
Last night I attended a screening of the controversial documentary “Vaxxed”. Before I go any further, I need to explain the reason I am moved to write about this. It isn’t to add fuel to the debate surrounding the pros/cons of vaccines. That fire has enough spark. I am writing because the message of the […]
On a page for breastfeeding professionals, someone asked about leaving the hospital for private practice. After a long hospital career, I started a private practice just nine months ago, so this query caused me to pause and reflect. The conversation that followed in the post were pros and cons of having a private lactation practice. […]
The discovery of tethered oral tissues (tongue/lip tie) often creates conflict. The IBCLC who identifies it must explain to the parents that their infant’s anatomy is interfering with optimal breastfeeding. Then she must explain that it is very likely that the infant’s pediatrician will not agree with her. In fact, in many cases the pediatrician […]
So I asked a group of moms what they wish they had known about breastfeeding before they had their babies. I was hoping to capture important points that maybe I miss in my teaching or advocacy work. I was expecting lists of things such as, “I didn’t know it might hurt” or “I didn’t realize […]
This is a question that I hear often, especially if the expectant mom doesn’t have any one around her who is breastfeeding and doesn’t know what to expect. Often, what one needs to do to prepare for anything baby related seems to mean “what do I need to buy?” as evidenced by baby showers, baby fairs, […]
