Susan Howard, IBCLC

Susan Howard, IBCLC Nurse. Lactation Consultant. Mentor. Lactogeek. Baby Bottle whisperer.

02/14/2026

Let’s put to rest for good the false assumptions that bottle-feeding is “easier” for preemies than breastfeeding. Acording to this 2026 RCT, at their first feeding by mouth, preemies breastfed had measurably better oxygen levels and heart rates compared with those whose first oral feed was by bottle. The breastfed preemies even took more milk! Please share these findings far and wide! https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41318959/

Happy (early) Valentine's Day! I made these valentines for an in-person feeding group, and I love how they turned out. S...
02/14/2026

Happy (early) Valentine's Day!

I made these valentines for an in-person feeding group, and I love how they turned out.

Share with a breastfeeding mom friend! It'll make her day.

Bottle refusal is one of the most challenging issues IBCLCs encounter. Having the tips and tools to address it makes all...
02/11/2026

Bottle refusal is one of the most challenging issues IBCLCs encounter.

Having the tips and tools to address it makes all the difference for the families we support.

If you're an IBCLC looking to strengthen your skills in this area, I have workshops planned for 2026.

Give me a follow for updates on workshops! You can also fill out the workshop interest form below:

📋Interest form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYFFQaPPR_vka1kkac5QHayGCjG9ykY_LOGBN6WM-Nbl_w9Q/viewform?embedded=true

Have you tried this?Using a shoe organizer to store bottles and pump parts is just one of those simple solutions that wo...
02/10/2026

Have you tried this?

Using a shoe organizer to store bottles and pump parts is just one of those simple solutions that works for all kinds of things. It keeps everything visible, organized, and easy to grab when you need it.

Hang it on the back of a door or in a closet, and suddenly you're not digging through cabinets trying to find the right bottle ni**le or that one missing valve.

It's not fancy, but it's practical.

And when you're juggling feeding schedules and washing pump parts for the tenth time that week, practical is what matters.

If you have a storage hack that's worked for you, I'd love to hear it in the comments. 💙

02/07/2026

The evolution of baby strollers 👶 brought to you by a lactation consultant and self-proclaimed history nerd 🤓

Here are the facts:

The first stroller was invented in 1733 by William Kent for the Duke of Devonshire's children. It was called a pram, shaped like a shell, made of wicker, and designed to be pulled by a goat.

Yes, a goat!

There was no handlebar for parents (you just had to hope your goat cooperated)

It wasn't until 1848 that Charles Burton designed the first hand-pushed stroller in America, finally allowing parents to push their babies themselves.

By 1889, William Richardson filed the first stroller patent with features like spring suspension and a rotating basket—but these early strollers weighed up to 50 pounds.

Through the early 1900s, strollers were expensive and mostly used by wealthy families. They were made of wood, wicker, and steel, and definitely not easy to fold up and toss in the trunk.

By the 1960s, parents wanted something lighter and more portable. That's when Owen MacLaren invented the first folding umbrella stroller, the Maclaren buggy. It changed everything.

Today, strollers are safer, lighter, more versatile, and designed for every lifestyle. We've come a long way from goat-pulled prams.

What surprised you most about stroller history? Let me know in the comments.

After my last workshop, I had a lot of feedback pour in...and this one from Laci means a lot to me. 💙Hearing that IBCLCs...
02/03/2026

After my last workshop, I had a lot of feedback pour in...and this one from Laci means a lot to me. 💙

Hearing that IBCLCs are already seeing results after taking the Bottle Skills for the Bottle Refuser workshop is exactly why I teach.

Bottle refusal can be one of the most challenging issues families face, and when we have the right tools and framework to address it, we can help them move forward with confidence.

If you're an IBCLC interested in learning more about bottle refusal, I'm starting to plan workshops planned for 2026. You can fill out the interest form to stay updated on dates and topics.

🔗Interest form link here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYFFQaPPR_vka1kkac5QHayGCjG9ykY_LOGBN6WM-Nbl_w9Q/viewform?embedded=true&pli=1

Bottle fed vs. breastfed babies: what the research shows.There's a common misconception that all babies should eat the s...
02/03/2026

Bottle fed vs. breastfed babies: what the research shows.

There's a common misconception that all babies should eat the same amount of milk, regardless of how they're fed.

But research shows that bottle fed babies and breastfed babies have very different feeding patterns.

Bottle fed babies take larger feedings:
🥛49% more milk per feeding at 1 month
🥛57% more at 3 months
🥛71% more at 5 months

Bottle fed babies also feed less frequently. Because they're taking larger volumes per feeding, bottle fed babies need fewer feedings throughout the day.

And over 24 hours, bottle fed babies consume more total milk:
🥛23% more at 3 months
🥛23% more at 6 months

What does this mean for breastfed babies?

You should NOT expect your breastfed baby to take nearly as much milk over 24 hours as a formula-fed baby. Different feeding methods create different intake patterns.

For breastfed babies, the number of feedings and volume of milk consumed per day stays fairly consistent between 1 and 6 months.

Why does this matter?

If you're pumping for a breastfed baby, don't compare your output to what a formula-fed baby consumes. They're not the same. Knowing this, set realistic expectations for yourself.

Normal looks a little different for every baby—whether you're breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or doing both.

Did you find these differences interesting? Let me know in the comments.

📘Source: Working and Breastfeeding Made Simple, Author: Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA

01/30/2026

If you've watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, you might remember this scene from season 2.

It's set in the 1950s, and a new mother is offered "a shot" to dry up her milk. The nurse presents it matter-of-factly, as if it's standard procedure.

How different it is now!

From the 1940s through the 1970s, hospitals routinely gave women Diethylstilbestrol (DES - a synthetic estrogen) to suppress lactation.

It was marketed as a "wonder drug" and often administered without informed consent. Many women were given high doses in tablets or injections, sometimes without even being told what it was.

But DES wasn't safe.

By the 1950s, studies already suggested risks. Later research directly linked it to serious health consequences. including a rare cancer (clear cell adenocarcinoma) in daughters of women who took it, as well as fertility issues and increased breast cancer risk in those who used it.

The use of DES for pregnancy complications was halted around 1971, though its use for lactation suppression continued in some areas into the late 1970s.

For those of us who work in lactation, this history is a reminder of how far we've come in respecting bodily autonomy and informed choice.

So here's my question for you:

What shocked you most about DES? Does any other outdated medical practice shock you?

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. 💙

01/28/2026

You should have lactation support... no matter where you live 📍💙

And depending on your location, you might feel isolated or unable to access a lactation visit.

But, if you schedule with me, you don't have to worry about that.

In fact, just this morning, I added two more pins to my map of families helped:

📍Poland
📍Iceland

Don't let geography be the reason you don't schedule a lactation visit. There are options!

You can always message me for details. 💙

A lot of pumping moms don't realize...You don't have to sterilize/steam your bottles after every use. Try this instead: ...
01/27/2026

A lot of pumping moms don't realize...

You don't have to sterilize/steam your bottles after every use.

Try this instead:

Put your bottles and pump parts in a separate wash bin. Wash and rinse with warm water and soap.

It'll save you so much time!

Also, bonus: Your bottles and pump parts won't be exposed to extra germs in the sink. (📘fun fact: Kitchen sinks harbor more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch, which is significantly more than a toilet seat 🦠)

Make sure to save this for later!

01/23/2026

If you've watched Outlander, you might remember this scene.

It's set in the 18th century, and one of the characters who just gave birth has to travel away from her baby. She gets off her horse to hand express milk because she's engorged and uncomfortable.

While Outlander is fantasy, there's realness to this situation.

Women in the 18th century didn't have breast pumps. They didn't have bottles readily available. If they needed to relieve engorgement or express milk, hand expression was really the only option.

And, honestly, I still find it to be one of the most valuable skills a breastfeeding mom can have. For centuries, this was how it was done. And it still works. 💙

What piqued your interest most about this?

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

This testimonial from Amy always makes me smile. 💙What I love most about working with families is helping them move from...
01/21/2026

This testimonial from Amy always makes me smile. 💙

What I love most about working with families is helping them move from feeling stuck to finding a path forward.

Breastfeeding doesn't have to be perfect. But, I've found it's always meaningful.

So, if you're navigating a breastfeeding challenge and need support, I'm here. You can always send me a message.

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Falls Church, VA
22042

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