Mama Bear Family Care

09/30/2025

During our live virtual circle tonight, we had several expectant folks wanting to chat about strategies for navigating a new baby joining your family. 🐻💙

If you missed it, here's a past video with some useful tips!

"Adding a Sibling": https://vimeo.com/1080656738?fl=pl&fe=sh

This is "Adding a New Sibling Summary (orig. aired 10-30-23)" by Jennifer Hafele on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

09/29/2025

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09/29/2025

Haha, you’re not imagining things: I DID, in fact, record the above video back on Sept. 8. But hey, it all still applies, and we’re doing the same thing TONIGHT - Monday, 9/29, starting at 6:30 PM!

Friends, we continue to prioritize modeling how perfection is never required for meaning and purpose and connection. So we’re showing up imperfectly and invite you to do the same. Hope to see your face tonight if it works for you!

09/28/2025

Celebrating with this family and their new addition! 🥰🐻💙

A mother delivered a baby girl at home with some help from her toddler son https://www.weau.com/2025/09/27/mother-delivers-baby-girl-home-with-help-her-toddler-son/

09/28/2025

💯🐻💙

Feed your baby to sleep
For naps
At bedtime
Every time they wake overnight

Feed your baby to sleep
With no hesitations
No second thoughts
No conscience decisions

There has and will never be a sound reason not to feed your baby to sleep

This harmful myth disconnects mothers from their beautiful biology an innate knowing. From their birthright as mothers.

This harmful myth disconnects mothers from their baby. Putting a barrier between their sacred bond and their years where they exist in many ways as one being.

Breastfeeding or bottle feeding is your greatest strength to help your baby to sleep. Breastmilk contains sleepy ingredients to the brain of baby and mother. Sucking by breast or bottle rhythmically calms a baby to sleep. Some describe it as delivering baby an internal massage.

Your baby’s sleep will develop on their developmental timeline. I fed my son to sleep for every single nap, bedtime and wake up. When he was with others they used other ways to help him to sleep. His sleep developed beautifully and so will your baby’s. You’ll be in the company of billions of mothers here on earth and who have come before us.

Free yourself from this myth!

Please don’t miss another second of your sleep!

Feed your baby to sleep.

Sending love today and everyday 💗

Has this myth affected you?

09/27/2025

💯💯💯🐻💙

09/26/2025

Some of my most impactful work with families centers on helping babies be more comfortable - and EVERYONE benefits when babies are more content and relaxed in their own bodies! ❤️‍🩹🐻💙

When feeding with a bottle, especially with expressed breast milk, it’s easy to unintentionally overfeed. Unlike nursing directly at the breast (where baby naturally regulates intake), bottles can deliver milk faster and in larger amounts than a baby may actually need.

👉🏼 Signs of possible overfeeding include:
-Frequent spit-up or vomiting
-Crying or fussiness right after eating
-Constantly seeming hungry (but really looking for comfort)
-Gagging, choking, or struggling to keep up with the flow
-Loose stools or frequent blowouts
-Reflux symptoms
-Gas, colic, or bloating
-Increased night wakings

💡 Important tip: After the first month, a breastfed baby typically needs about 3–4.5 oz per bottle. Unlike formula-fed babies, their intake doesn’t steadily increase with age because breast milk composition changes to meet their needs. One thing to note, if an infant is eating less than 8 times daily, the amount in a bottle may vary. For example 5-6x daily, some babies may be eating 4.5-6oz per sesssion. (Average 25oz per day)

Kelly Mom has a great calculator: https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/milkcalc/

✨ How to prevent overfeeding:
- Use paced bottle feeding to mimic breastfeeding flow
- Watch for hunger and fullness cues instead of the clock or bottle
- Stick to smaller amounts and offer more only if baby truly needs it
- Trust your baby’s ability to self-regulate

Remember: feeding is about connection as much as nutrition. Slowing things down and tuning into your baby’s cues can help prevent tummy troubles and make bottle-feeding a calm, positive experience. 💕 d

09/26/2025

Nice analogy here! 🍽️🍰🐻💙

Many parents we work with really focus on how long their baby feeds at each side. If baby doesn’t feed for the same amount of time on each breast, the parent sometimes worries about their supply or baby’s intake. We’re here to tell you that every breast or chest feeding session can be a little different.

Giving baby access to both sides is the best way to go, but remember that they may not feed the same duration on both sides. Some babies may even seem satisfied after feeding on one side!

Think of the first side as “dinner.” Just like us when we eat dinner, we will clean our plate. This translates to baby taking most of the milk from this breast. Once your baby shows signs of finishing their “dinner,” you can switch them to the second side.

Consider it the “dessert” side: just as we (are supposed to) eat a little bit of dessert, it’s likely your baby will have a shorter feed on this side. They may only spend a few minutes here and do not take a lot of milk from this side. At the next feeding, start baby on the “dessert” side to help give breasts equal stimulation.

Please note that this is general advice. It may not apply to every nursing dyad; please reach out to a lactation support person or IBCLC for care specific to your situation.

09/25/2025

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