Mama Milk Lactation Support

04/07/2025

Is your baby struggling with reflux?

Spit-up, arching, crying after feeds—it’s heartbreaking to see your little one in discomfort. But did you know there are gentle, supportive ways to help?

On the blog, we’re sharing holistic, baby-centered strategies to ease reflux and support your infant’s nervous system, digestion, and feeding experience.

Whether you’re in the thick of it or just looking to understand more, this one’s for you.

Read more: https://www.mamamilk.org/blog/gentle-strategies-to-help-an-infant-with-reflux

02/14/2025

02/10/2025

https://rachelhessdoula.com/events/

01/28/2025

This popped up as a memory from 2020–a second homecoming for Cooper after getting RSV at 3 weeks old. So glad he was ok. He spent 4 nights total in the hospital, 2 in the PICU.

He had been congested for 4 days or so when I decided to bring him in to the doctor, then they sent us to the emergency department. Because he was under a month it was an automatic stay for at least 24 hours. He started declining that day and thankfully we were in the right place. RSV peaks around day 5-8 of illness.

Although there isn’t a cure, he received supportive care and bounced back. He was on an IV with no feeding for about 36 hours, then able to start feeding at the breast again. Shortly after coming home we were back to regular newborn life…until the world shut down a few weeks later for Covid.

12/02/2024

We would love to see you Wednesday! Preregistration required- visit mamamilk.org/book-now

12/02/2024

We would love to see you this Wednesday! I run a support group each week at The POP Center. Scale available for weighted feeds. Preregistration is required and there is a fee but it may be covered by insurance—reach out with any questions!

11/21/2024

In October I completed the final training for infant craniosacral therapy. It has been a 2.5 year journey so far and I’m not done (and may never be, as I love to learn!) The next phase is to become officially certified. One component involves completing 5 CST sessions on 5 different babies. I know it’s a commitment, so I’m putting it out here to see if any of you are interested—let’s chat! DM me for more info.

11/03/2024

Some amazing advice from . This is not about different breastfeeding positions or tips and tricks for latching!

This is about business and your practice. Change is hard but necessary. Sometimes you try things and then change your mind and that’s OK! (Can you tell I’m talking to myself here 😉).

You may have noticed some changes around here and on my website. While working with families on lactation, I’ve been training in craniosacral therapy for the last 2 years. I feel strongly that if your baby is having feeding problems they probably need CST. So why not integrate the care together.

If you are interested in optimizing your baby’s feeding and development, I can’t wait to work with you!

11/02/2024

Please visit my website for the most up to date info on services. I am working on some exciting things this fall including my new group appointments!

10/31/2024

Starting next week!!! I’m offering small group appointments in Newton at The POP Center 🌟

These sessions will be covered by insurance like other appointments. They are a great option if you…
🤱🏼don’t want or need a home visit
🤱🏼want to have support in a group environment to feel less alone
🤱🏼are having trouble scheduling a home visit with me or another IBCLC and need support ASAP
🤱🏼want to do a weighted feed
🤱🏼…and more!

Space is limited and registration required at mamamilk.org/book-now.

See you soon!

07/29/2024

The AAP’s new report on tongue ties. I don’t disagree with everything, but it’s pretty oversimplified and in my opinion a major overstep to be concerned with how parents spend their money (why specifically call out CST as unnecessary and expensive and NO mention of chiros who want babies to come multiple times per week, indefinitely…)

Problem is a lot of people don’t even talk with their pediatrician about breastfeeding challenges because they don’t want to hear the uninformed comments from them. It is a very personal experience and when it comes to pediatricians, the child is their patient, not the mother.

An IBCLC is uniquely positioned to support both the mother/breastfeeding parent and baby. A pediatrician may be part of the care team, but ultimately the parents are in charge of their own child. (Did you know it’s OK to not completely agree with your pediatrician and not do everything they say?)

I’m going to stay out here using ALL the evidence—research AND experiences from practice—to do my best assessment and evaluation, and give parents the information to make their own choices. ✌🏼

Ankyloglossia refers to a congenitally tight lingual frenulum that limits the motion of the tongue. Whether the release of a tight lingual frenulum in neonates improves breastfeeding is not clear. Because many of the symptoms of ankyloglossia overlap those of other breastfeeding difficulties, a team...