Mama Bear Family Care

01/14/2026

All. Of. This. 💯💯💯💯💯💯🐻💙

For more on this, don't miss Jennifer Hafele's recorded presentation "Is My Baby Growing Okay On My Milk?"

https://vimeo.com/1133332966?fl=pl&fe=sh

It's common practice in the US for people to be told that babies should be "back to birthweight" by 2 weeks...there are some things to know about this:
~ research supports the norm that babies should be on their way back to birthweight within the first week and back to birthweight by 10 days...so if one waits until two weeks, there is already going to be a delay in intervention.
~ If someone has IV fluids in labor, the baby's birthweight will be elevated artificially
~ if a baby isn't already on the upswing with weight gain by day 5, it's a good idea to schedule a consultation with an IBCLC to figure out what is happening with latch and suckle, as well as milk supply
~ too often, when babies need to gain weight, instead of recommending that a parent start pumping to give their milk to a baby (and see a lactation consultant), parents are just told to add in bottles of formula, which doesn't help with milk supply nor support a parent's goal of breastfeeding their baby.

What to know? Go ahead and schedule a feeding consultant with a trusted local IBCLC for day 5, 6, or 7 of baby's life...why not get reassurance or get earlier intervention when needed? If all is going very well, delay the visit a few days and reassess.

Did you see an IBCLC and get help within the first week of your baby's life Earthside?

01/12/2026

Good info here! 🐻💙

Mastitis is horrible!

But rushing to get antibiotics may not be the answer.

If you have a sore, swollen and hot breast using cold compresses, lymphatic massage and anti inflammatories are the first line of defence.

It’s also recommended only to feed your baby as normal, rather than increase feeds or add in pumping, so as not to add more stress to an already inflamed breast.

These steps alone may well be enough to get the mastitis under control and avoid the need for antibiotics.

It’s interesting to know that the use of antibiotics too early will alter the microbiome of the breast and increases the risk of bacterial mastitis. And we all know the risks of over using antibiotics leading to possible resistance at a time our bodies may really need them.

It’s also worth noting that many antibiotics and anti fungal medications may have anti inflammatory properties which may explain the relief some women experience soon after commencing treatment.

But they won’t deal with the root of the problem…often, issues with milk removal.

So when might antibiotics be indicated?

-you’re not feeling better after 24-48 hours
-if your temperature goes above 38.4c
-you’ve seen active signs of infection like pus
-your breast increases in size, or the sore patch gets bigger

Please check out my previous post about the NICE guidelines for mastitis treatment too.

And if I can help, please get in touch.

01/10/2026

Thankful for a beautiful reminder this January day of how much I love doing virtual visits. 🐻💙

There's just nothing like supporting a family out-of-state with a 4-day-old as they stay cozied up at home, meeting their own needs and their baby's needs in real time.

Our appointment concludes with the family feeling better educated, armed with info to keep everyone safe and well, and empowered as they adjust into their roles as new parents.

And no one even had to get out of their pajamas - other than me. 🤪

Grateful for their (and their referral's!) trust in me. What a gift to be on their support team. 🥰

01/08/2026

I'm so grateful for the chance to experience this lovely memory today. It all remains true, and I'm all kinds of blessed.

How is it possible that our collective kids are now ages 8-17??

We need to get an updated pic, my friends -- maybe this weekend?

Love to you all 😘

Rachel Hart-Brinson
Hannah Luedtke
Christine McCorkle
Katie Dubbs

As we get ready to launch a Mama Bear Lactation Care in-person support group, I can't help but reflect on how momentously impactful attending LLL meetings when my kids were younger, has been on my life. 🐻💜

My relationships with these four lovely people were forged in, during, and around our infant feeding journeys!

Through the challenges and the wins, we cried and celebrated together.

And to this very day, we still meet regularly to laugh, cry, enjoy authentic Mexican food, and offer one another support and care as we navigate all that life brings us.

Our lactating days are behind us, with our collective kids now ranging in age from 5-14, yet our friendship endures.

I am so very thankful. 💞

01/07/2026

💕🐻💙

✨💛 Keepsake Ultrasounds at EloRose 💛✨
There’s nothing sweeter than seeing your little one before they even arrive.
The tiny nose… the wiggly toes… the sleepy smiles that melt your whole heart. 💕

Whether it’s your first peek or your favorite weekly ritual, our keepsake ultrasounds are made for moments you’ll never forget — moments that remind you just how much love is already growing. 🌿

Bring your partner, your kids, your best friend…
Cry happy tears. Laugh at cute baby wiggles.
Take home images that you’ll cherish forever. ✨

Because every heartbeat is a memory. And every memory deserves to be kept.
💛 Book your keepsake ultrasound today.
Call or Text: 715-382-0641
EloRoseUltrasound.com

01/07/2026

Oh look, it's meeeeeeeee
💯💯💯💯💯💯💯🐻💙

01/06/2026

is incredible! 🐻💙

How amazing is this???

Your milk transforms into personalised medicine for your baby.

When your baby is sick and they feed at the breast, their saliva flows backwards into your breast, and your body starts making antibodies to help them get better.

01/05/2026

💕🐻💙

If you breastfed for all of 2025… here’s what your body actually did…

If you nursed your baby this year… even imperfectly, even with combo feeding, even with a pump in the mix your body has been doing WORK.

Like… Olympic-level, hormonal, metabolic, sacrificial mom-strength work.

Here are some wild breastfeeding facts ⤵️

🕰 Hours spent nursing:
On average, breastfeeding moms spend 1,200–1,800 hours nursing in the first year.
(For comparison, a full-time job is about 1,950 hours a year.)

So yes… it’s basically another full-time job.

🔥 Calories burned:
Your body has likely burned around 400–700 extra calories per day just producing milk which adds up to over 150,000–250,000 calories in a year.

Your metabolism has literally been fueling another human.

🧬 Antibodies delivered:
Your milk isn’t “just food.” It contains:
• living immune cells
• antibodies tailored to your baby’s environment
• protective factors shown to reduce respiratory + ear infections
• gut-building probiotics + prebiotics

When your baby gets exposed to something, your body helps create targeted immune support for them. Unreal.

💗 Bonding & regulation:
Breastfeeding helps:
• regulate baby’s heart rate + breathing
• reduce cortisol (stress hormone)
• stabilize temperature
• support emotional regulation + attachment

You weren’t “just feeding.”
You were co-regulating an entire nervous system.

💪 And for mom:
Breastfeeding is associated with:
• lower risk of breast + ovarian cancer
• lower risk of Type 2 diabetes
• reduced postpartum bleeding
• oxytocin release (hello tears + peace + everything in between)

It has shaped your body, brain, hormones, sleep, emotions all year long.

So if you breastfed at all in 2025…
full time, part time, through latch battles, lip ties, clogged ducts, pump sessions in the car, late-night cluster feeds…

You did something incredibly hard, deeply biological, and profoundly meaningful.

You didn’t “just feed a baby.”