Rural Kansas Lactation

12/31/2025

I was recently featured in an article for Liberal First. I am excited to expand the lactation care for our area and offer home and virtual lactation visits!

www.sunflowerandsagelactation.com

https://liberalfirst.com/index.php/en/news/3813-smith-provides-critical-service-to-new-moms-when-it-comes-to-breastfeedingwe

Liberal, Kansas and High Plains news leader.

12/30/2025

It’s normal for your baby to continue to wake for middle of the night feeds. Night feeds are developmentally normal and do not need to be purposely dropped just because your baby has reached a certain age.

Sleeping through the night for babies is highly variable and is dependent on your own milk storage capacity, your baby’s temperament and development, sickness running through the house, etc.

Because of the way our body’s make milk, dropping night feeds or pumping sessions prematurely may have a negative impact on your overall milk supply. Dropped feeds can also cause your baby’s weight to falter.

For those with a large milk supply and high storage capacity, your baby may sleep longer stretches at night earlier than those who have a smaller milk supply and lower storage capacity.

Every body and baby are different. Don’t feel pressure to force “sleeping through the night” just because your baby is a certain age. Follow your baby and your body’s cues. ✨

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas, friends!

Thank you so much for being part of this community. 🥰 Postpartum is a vulnerable time and it is truly a privilege to be trusted with your lactation care.

If you need breastfeeding support and would like to work with me, check out the website in my bio or comment on this post and I’ll send you a booking link. 🫶🏼

12/23/2025

Shake it like a Polaroid picture. Giving your pumped milk a shake to mix up the fatty layer isn’t going to break down the components of the milk. I hear the swirl advice still being floated around so I wanted to share.

12/19/2025

Listen, bodies come in all shapes and sizes and yes there are those few who truly need a size 24mm fl**ge. But a majority of you will need much smaller - like 15mm - 19mm. I’m sorry if professionals are giving outdated information to add mm or size up if it’s hurting. 🙈

12/14/2025

Shared this in my stories a few weeks ago and thought I should share it in my feed, too. I have a very average supply. Sometimes I pump exactly what my baby takes while I’m away. Other times, I pump a few ounces more. I know you may feel anxious not having a large amount of milk in the freezer when you’re away from your baby, but I’m here to tell you you don’t have to have an oversupply to feed your baby. If you have questions about pumping or feeding your baby, reach out for support. 🫶🏼

12/06/2025

That hard, painful spot isn’t really a “plugged duct” in the way you might think. It is actually due to inflammation happening within the breast tissue which then causes milk ducts to become narrowed. The narrowing doesn’t allow for adequate milk flow. The result? More pain and inflammation.

The key to resolving this issue before it turns into big time mastitis or something worse like an abscess is to ✨ decrease the inflammation✨ and allow milk to flow.

I was feeling much better within 24 hours by following much of what the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine suggests 👇
1. Feed or pump like normal. No need for over feeding on the affected side. That can make things worse.
2. Ice packs on the affected side after feeds for 15ish minutes.
3. Ibuprofen to decrease inflammation and Tylenol to decrease pain.
4. Utilize “breast gymnastics,” a term coined by Bolman which uses gentle movement of the breast to help move extra fluid out which decreases swelling.

The days of aggressive massage or vibration to “massage the plug out” are gone. This just adds more inflammation to the tissue. Be gentle with your breasts. If the pain persists or symptoms worsen after 24 hours of doing the above, reach out to your doctor, as you *may* need an antibiotic.

If you have reoccurring plugged ducts and want to figure out why, schedule a lactation visit. 🤗

12/03/2025

Y’all are so kind. 🥹🥰

12/02/2025

Guess what I’ve been up to?!

I have officially opened a lactation practice - Sunflower and Sage Lactation. I am excited to now offer breastfeeding support in your home or online!

It’s been a bit of a passion project to be able to offer lactation support to rural communities who already drive for so many appointments. Let me come to you!

If you’re a interested in scheduling with me, check out the link in my bio. 🫶🏼.

Editing to add: I will travel to see families i SW KS and NW OK! 🌻🤗

(This is completely separate and in no way affiliated with my hospital job. I will still be available for lactation visits at the hospital, though.)

12/02/2025

The algorithm must think I need a schedule for my baby. 😅 seeing reels and posts about baby “schedules” can make it feel like you are failing or doing something wrong when your baby isn’t falling into that sort of box. You’re not failing. You’re listening to your baby. You got this.