Jamie Owens Lactation, LLC

02/06/2022

Fad? Dare I say not!

This picture is taken from the Obladen 2010 paper discussing the history of tongue tie. The pictures are from woodcuts by Fabricius and Scultetus in 1620 and 1666 respectively. In 500 years, little has changed - the instrument used to pick up the tongue looks identical to what is depicted here AND the babies are giving these surgeons the same look they give me.

07/06/2021

08/19/2020

Tomorrow from 11-12, I will be doing my very first webinar for Abbott Nutrition Health Institute. I will be speaking for about 45 min with a Q&A after. It’s free to register and provides continuing education for those who qualify. I’ll be discussing Lactation support, benefits of breastmilk and breastfeeding, barriers to breastfeeding, incorporating telemedicine into practice, and breastfeeding during Covid-19.

05/01/2020

Any pregnant mamas (and partners) looking for a prenatal breastfeeding class? Contact me to set up a video class!

04/14/2020

As I was falling asleep last night, anxiously, as I have been for a month now, I had a thought: when a breastfeeding mama is sick, she creates antibodies which are passed directly through her breastmilk to help protect her nursing baby. What if we dosed all of the Covid + patients with breastmilk of a Covid + mama??? And then, I was sent this article:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2020/04/09/scientist-calls-for-breast-milk-to-study-coronavirus-antibodies/amp/

Could the cure for coronavirus be abreast? Medical researcher Rebecca Powell, Ph.D., is asking mothers of newborns to donate breast milk to her study, with hopes of analyzing its healing powers. Th…

04/05/2020

Close contact and early, exclusive breastfeeding helps baby to thrive. WHO SAYS A WOMAN WITH COVID-19 should be breastfeeding!

Close contact and early, exclusive breastfeeding helps a baby to thrive.

A woman with COVID-19 should be supported to
• breastfeed safely
• hold her newborn skin-to-skin
• share a room with her baby

03/22/2020

Under these very scary circumstances, I keep thinking about my new mamas who need breastfeeding support and may not be able to get in-person care. I just wanted to put it out there that I am here quarantined with my kiddos but I can do FaceTime calls where I can give you the support you need. It may not be exactly the same with no physical contact, but I will make sure that I give you all the same comfort, assistance, and answers to all of your questions, as well as watch an entire feeding. Please reach out to schedule a call.

(*If your insurance company covers IBCLC visits, I will send you the superbill in the mail after our call for you to get reimbursed)

12/28/2019

This 🙌🏻

Breastfeeding is so many things. It can be emotional and challenging. Or even soft and blissful. But when you throw other people’s opinions into the mix of b***s and babies, it can become downright polarizing. During my first six months of breastfeeding, people were supportive, almost congratulato...

11/17/2019

The importance of seeing breastfeeding around you and the necessity of support from other breastfeeding mamas!

In a zoo in Ohio, a female gorilla was born and raised in captivity, got pregnant and had a baby gorilla. On the day she had her baby, she didn't know what to do. She had never seen another gorilla nurse, and she had no concept of breastfeeding. Sadly, the baby gorilla died.

When she became pregnant again the gorilla's keeper called La Leche League and volunteer nursing mums went to the zoo to nurse their babies in front of the pregnant gorilla. At first the gorilla ignored them, but as her delivery date grew closer she became very interested. When the baby gorilla was born the mother gorilla forgot all that she'd learned and started to freak out. The keeper quickly called the La Leche League and another volunteer rushed over and slowly showed the momma gorilla what to do. The gorilla watched, mimicking the moves step by step until, with a nearly audible sigh of relief, the gorilla looked down at her chest and saw her baby feeding happily for the first time.

We are no different - breastfeeding is a skill, and sometimes it just helps to watch another mom breastfeed. Thank you to LLLN.I. for this post.

11/13/2019

Made me laugh!

10/24/2019

“A photo showing droplets of breast milk fending off armies of harmful bacteria in Petri dishes is going viral on Facebook.⁣
⁣
The photo, posted by a biology student in England, features nine Petri dishes completely colonized with the bacteria M. Luteus, except in the center, where tiny puddles of breast milk have created what looks like “moats” of protection around themselves.⁣
⁣
The student, Vicky Green, said she had similar results with Petri dishes full of e.Coli and the dreaded anti-biotic resistant “super bug” MRSA.⁣
⁣
⁣
“The white spots in the middle are discs soaked in two samples of breastmilk,” Green wrote in the caption of her post. “See the clear bit around the discs ― that’s where the proteins in the milk have inhibited the bacteria!”⁣
⁣
An article from YourPediatrician.com explains how this is possible:⁣
⁣
“About 80 percent of the cells in breast milk are macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. Breast-fed babies are protected, in varying degrees, from a number of illnesses, including pneumonia, botulism, bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza, ear infections, and German measles. Furthermore, mothers produce antibodies to whatever disease is present in their environment, making their milk custom-designed to fight the diseases their babies are exposed to as well.”⁣
⁣
What’s even more impressive is that the samples of milk in the photos came from the mother of a 15-month-old and a 3-year-old, providing further evidence that breast milk continues to protect against illness long beyond infancy.”

A photo showing droplets of breast milk fending off armies of harmful bacteria in Petri dishes is going viral on Facebook.⁣
⁣
The photo, posted by a biology student in England, features nine Petri dishes completely colonized with the bacteria M. Luteus, except in the center, where tiny puddles of breast milk have created what looks like “moats” of protection around themselves.⁣
⁣
The student, Vicky Green, said she had similar results with Petri dishes full of e.Coli and the dreaded anti-biotic resistant “super bug” MRSA.⁣
⁣
⁣
“The white spots in the middle are discs soaked in two samples of breastmilk,” Green wrote in the caption of her post. “See the clear bit around the discs ― that’s where the proteins in the milk have inhibited the bacteria!”⁣
⁣
An article from YourPediatrician.com explains how this is possible:⁣
⁣
“About 80 percent of the cells in breast milk are macrophages, cells that kill bacteria, fungi and viruses. Breast-fed babies are protected, in varying degrees, from a number of illnesses, including pneumonia, botulism, bronchitis, staphylococcal infections, influenza, ear infections, and German measles. Furthermore, mothers produce antibodies to whatever disease is present in their environment, making their milk custom-designed to fight the diseases their babies are exposed to as well.”⁣
⁣
What’s even more impressive is that the samples of milk in the photos came from the mother of a 15-month-old and a 3-year-old, providing further evidence that breast milk continues to protect against illness long beyond infancy.

10/21/2019

REMINDER for my Jersey City/Hoboken PREGNANT MAMAS!
My PRENATAL BREASTFEEDING Workshop is on SATURDAY NOVEMBER 2 at 10am at Hazel Baby and Kids at 199 Montgomery St in downtown JC and will be about 2 hours. The course is $100 with or without a partner or support person but they are definitely encouraged (and should!) to come. The workshop will give you ALL the necessary information to help guide you and help you be the most successful in your breastfeeding journey from your very first latch all the way through to the end. You will walk out of my class feeling confident and empowered to begin your journeys.
For more information including what I will be teaching and to register and pay for the workshop, please check out my website written in comments below or seen in the flyer! Cant wait to share my knowledge and support you!
(* if you get multiple visits covered for Lactation Consulting services from your insurance company, you can most likely use one for this class. If, however, you only get one visit covered, I'd recommend paying for this one and saving the reimbursement for a post-birth in-home visit. Reach out to insurance and ask!)

09/28/2019

NOW IS HER TIME! (Note: breastfeeding mama in there!)

https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/adidas-originals-pharrell-williams-now-is-her-time/

Pharrell Williams’ new adidas Originals campaign, “Now Is Her Time,” is all about female empowerment through the power of representation and bold choices.

09/02/2019

Sunday, September 8 is my next PRENATAL BREASTFEEDING WORKSHOP at Momique in Morris Plains at 10am. For all the pregnant mamas (new and experienced!), this is a class to help you feel totally prepared and confident heading into your very first latch all the way through your breastfeeding journey. For more info and to register, go to my website: www.jamieowenslactation.com/classes

08/30/2019

THIS is why Black Breastfeeding Week exists on its own and why it is so important!

Yes, there is something unique about black breastfeeding. Several somethings, actually.

08/24/2019

Heartbreaking and the truth about separating a nursing mother from her baby.

I can’t imagine—or, rather, it hurts my heart to think about—how my five-month-old son would feel in the arms of a stranger, hungry, abandoned, alone.

08/17/2019

Adoption and breastfeeding and induced Lactation!

**Edited to add: When we originally posted we should have been more sensitive and added that in*******al adoption can be an incredibly sensitive subject. We are only highlighting one family’s experience but believe that it’s up to each individual and family to research their options, do self-exploration, and decide what’s best to do. Also wanted to highlight this really insightful Red Table Talk on in*******al adoption: https://www.facebook.com/redtabletalk/videos/1430912810380278?sfns=mo

✨ ADOPTION & BREASTFEEDING ✨

“I’ve been asked a lot lately (especially this last week) if I am still nursing Emelia. - 16 months and we are still going strong! Of course this picture looks cozy and peaceful and it was. It was a special quiet moment that we had in an otherwise busy weekend a couple weeks ago. It was why I snapped a picture. I had no intention of sharing it at the time. But this scene was not how our nursing journey began.

Between her severe tongue and lip tie and multiple procedures to correct them and my body reacting with excruciating vasospasms making me dread every single nursing session, we started our journey with lots and lots of tears between the two of us and not knowing if I could continue. I spent months preparing my body to nurse (I used the Newman-Goldfarb protocol for anyone interested). My husband knew that this would be a special thing for us if I could just get past this part so he was constantly encouraging me through it.

This has been a very healing experience for me. My body has been able to nourish her and help her grow...something I had no part in before she came to us. In an area where my body had failed me time and time again it was finally doing something wonderful.

Sometimes I wonder if I should even be sharing something so personal but then I remember that the only reason this was even possible for me is because a woman shared it with me years ago. So I do it for the woman reading this who didn’t know this was possible, maybe feeling that her body is broken and is losing hope in ever being able to have an experience that comes so easily for others. First of all, you are perfect the way you are and nursing or even being able to give birth are not the things that define a mother, but I see you. I have felt that too.

This is something I wanted to do for US. And it was a good choice for our family. I know not all mommas choose to nurse or can nurse and that is most certainly ok. As my beautiful friend High Five For Love Photography said the other day, “Let’s but let’s also normalize supporting mothers because really - we are all just doing our best.”

Repost 💕

07/19/2019

MAMAS! Next TWO Breastfeeding Workshops for pregnant moms (plus partners strongly encouraged!) coming up at Momique in Morris Plains! First time, many time, last time -- this class is for all the MAMAS who want to walk into the hospital ready and confident for all things breastfeeding from the very first latch in the Hospital (including how to advocate for yourself and your baby), all the way through your journeys. AUGUST 4 and SEPTEMBER 8 at 10am. The workshop is $75 and about 2 hours. For more information on what is taught, please go to my website (shown in comments). To register, click directly on my site or go to Momiques Vagaro dot com page.