LALactation

LALactation When nature needs nurtured. Just as every birth story is unique, so is every breastfeeding journey. Select insurance accepted
(2)

This is the gift of Christmas we all actually need...
12/06/2025

This is the gift of Christmas we all actually need...

12/05/2025

We now know from the research that the correct size fl**ge is essential for maintaining a comfortable pump and efficiently empty milk. But anatomy is as varied as humans are varied. For the majority, we can find a product on the market that works well. But every once in a while someone will have unique anatomy where we have a hard time finding the right fl**ge. This is not a problem because of the anatomy, but a failure of the market to support every body. I am sooooo thankful that the market now actually has an awareness of this and is making new fl**ges every day. Maybe some day there will be a better fl**ge on the market t support every pumping journey. Into that day, I’m here to cheerlead you into finding what works best for you in your unique journey.

Wha fl**ges have you found work best for you?

**ge

This is one of my favorite questions to ask the families I work with. I love hearing your baby’s name, what it means to ...
12/05/2025

This is one of my favorite questions to ask the families I work with. I love hearing your baby’s name, what it means to you, and the little (or big!) story behind how it came to be. Names are powerful in how they hold history, hopes, or dreams for each tiny, new human.

And when you share that story with me, it does something really beautiful. It gives me a little window into who you are as parents. The way you talk about choosing a name often reflects your communication style, what matters most to you, and even how you learn and make decisions together. It helps me understand your family on a deeper level so I can support you in the way that feels most natural and empowering.

Every name has a story… and I’d love to hear yours.
✨ Tell me the story behind your baby’s name.

12/03/2025

Babies are naturally curious and use all their senses to explore and understand their environment. One common behavior you might notice is your baby putting their hands, toys, and other objects into their mouth. While this might seem concerning at first, it is actually a vital part of their development.

Babies learn about their world through sensory experiences. The mouth is one of the most sensitive parts of a baby’s body, filled with nerve endings that provide a lot of information about an object’s texture, temperature, and shape. By mouthing objects, babies can better understand their surroundings.

When babies put objects in their mouth, they are practicing movements that are essential for feeding and speech development. This activity helps them to:
- Coordinate sucking, swallowing, and breathing: These skills are crucial for feeding
- Strengthen their jaw, lips, and tongue muscles: This is important for later speech development
Exploring with their mouth allows babies to learn the size and shape of their mouth. This knowledge is important for:
- Self-feeding: Understanding what can fit comfortably in their mouth helps them manage different types of food
- Gag Reflex Training: Gagging might occur when a baby places an object too far back in their mouth. This reflex is a natural defense mechanism to prevent choking. Through repeated experiences, babies learn the limits of their mouth, reducing the risk of choking as they grow

Gagging can be alarming for parents, but it is usually a normal part of baby’s exploration. Here’s why gagging is beneficial:
- Protective Reflex: Gagging helps prevent choking by pushing objects out of the throat before they get too far back.
- Learning Experience: Each gagging incident teaches the baby about the boundaries of their mouth, helping them learn how to manage different sizes and textures of objects and food

Common Causes of Plugged Ducts and Mastitis During the Holidays⏰ Missed or Delayed Feedings:•Traveling, busy schedules, ...
12/03/2025

Common Causes of Plugged Ducts and Mastitis During the Holidays
⏰ Missed or Delayed Feedings:
•Traveling, busy schedules, or holiday events can disrupt feeding or pumping routines. People who are on a pumping schedule at work may find a shift up or down in supply as they just breastfeed baby while they’re home for longer periods of time
😵‍💫Stress and Fatigue:
•Holiday planning and activities can increase stress, which may impact milk flow and letdown. Let’s be honest. Family is also one of the most stressful parts of the holidays
💃🏻Tight Clothing:
•Wearing festive outfits, bras, or shapewear that compress the breasts can restrict milk flow. Pressure on the breast can also increase inflammation and reduce output
💦 Dehydration and changes in diet:
•With changes in routine can come changes in diet. Calorie and hydration deficits during travel can definitely impact milk supply and flow
😵Nipple Damage:
•A poor latch or rushed feeds during a busy holiday season can increase the risk of cracks and infection.
🛀 Skipping Self-Care:
•Lack of time for regular breast care (e.g., massaging to relieve fullness) can lead to plugged ducts.

Planning ahead and keeping a consistent feeding or pumping schedule can help minimize these risks! If antibiotics are a necessity, make sure your provider prescribes the correct one!

12/03/2025

Don’t be fooled. They are not the same and the portable is a horrible pump. It doesn’t pump fast enough to empty most people efficiently. Buyer beware…. I don’t recommend the portable at all and if some one has it as their only pump, I recommend replacing it with a better pump.

Fun songs to do with your baby between feedings
12/01/2025

Fun songs to do with your baby between feedings

12/01/2025

Anti-colic is a marketing term. Finding the best bottle to promote digestion is about learning your baby and wha shape ni**le and flow rate they can comfortably feed with to reduce air swallowing. Every bottle is technically “anti colic” meaning it has a vent built in to prevent air swallowing. Don’t fall for the marketing.

“Anti-colic.” It’s one of the most common claims plastered across bottle packaging (and one of the most misleading). The...
12/01/2025

“Anti-colic.” It’s one of the most common claims plastered across bottle packaging (and one of the most misleading). There’s no standardized definition for anti-colic, so any brand can use the term without proving it actually reduces colic. Colic is complex and can stem from many factors: normal newborn fussiness, undiagnosed tension or tongue tie, birth trauma, immature digestion, feeding mechanics, or even overstimulation. A bottle alone can’t solve all of that. What the term does do very well is sell products. So instead of chasing buzzwords, let’s look at what truly matters for your baby’s comfort.

A better approach is to choose a bottle that supports your baby’s natural latch and lets them feed rhythmically without being overwhelmed. Look for a ni**le shape that helps baby open wide, maintain a deep latch, and keep their tongue and jaw moving in a coordinated way, just like at the breast. For most, a tapered ni**le that passes the triangle test is usually optimal (think Pigeon, Lansinoh, Gulicola, Evenflo Balance and Classic, Dr Brown’s narrow). Flow rate plays a huge role too. Many babies labeled as “gassy,” “colicky,” or “fussy” are simply struggling with a ni**le that flows too quickly, causing them to gulp air or swallow more milk than they can comfortably handle. If your baby is clicking while drinking or leaking milk, they’re swallowing air which increases digestive discomfort. A slower, more manageable flow gives babies more control and can drastically reduce symptoms that mimic colic.

So when you’re standing in that bottle aisle feeling overwhelmed, skip the marketing language and focus instead on how your baby actually feeds. Watch for: a wide, relaxed latch; smooth suck-swallow-breath patterns; soft cheeks (no dimpling); minimal leaking or clicking; and a pace your baby can maintain without coughing or pulling away. Every baby is different, and the “best” bottle is the one that fits your baby, not the one with the flashiest promises. Trust your instincts, follow your baby’s cues, and remember: you’re doing an amazing job learning together.

11/30/2025

I occasionally hear mothers use the term “my baby doesn’t like me“ and it’s triggered by behaviors baby is having at the breast. Baby may be arching away from the breast, fussing, or crying, or doing what I like to call the chicken peck where they are bobbing around, trying to find your ni**le. These behaviors are not from an emotional connection to you where the terms like and dislike could apply. This is your baby trying to communicate to you in the only way they know how. Cries and different behaviors can mean different things. Your baby may be uncomfortable in the position you have them in, they may have pain or tension in certain parts of their body, they may just be trying to feel for your breast and are too far away, or there may actually be an from tongue, tie, food, allergy, or sensitivity, or digestive discomfort. Working with a knowledgeable IBCLC lactation consultant can help you pinpoint why they have these behaviors. Your baby loves you and is dependent on you for survival.

There are many reasons why your baby would wake more often to feed at night. Regardless of what you find online or from ...
11/30/2025

There are many reasons why your baby would wake more often to feed at night. Regardless of what you find online or from well meaning family and friends, there is no specific, developmental weight or age when a child no longer needs to feed overnight. There is no scientific or medical standard or recommendations for when a baby no longer needs nutrition at night. Society also says babies shouldn’t need tended to at night time and that we should teach them, often from a ridiculously early age, not to need us at night. In reality, we are not in control and neither are our babies. We’re in a mutual relationship where we are learning what our babies need and when they need it. Reasons why babies wake to feed over night:
💡Growth spurts
💡Developmental leap
💡You were gone at work and they missed you or want breast milk straight from the breast
💡Teething
💡They were distracted during the day because the world is an amazing place to learn in and they’re making up for calories over night
💡Sickness
💡They had a bad dream or are scared without you
💡Because they’re human

Per current research, 78% of babies wake up at least once a night and 60% of waking to feed until 1 year (Brown, 2015). That’s NORMAL. Between 12-18 months your toddler may still occasionally wake to feed. Or they may just need an adult to help them transition back to sleep. It’s not until 24 months that the human baby has matured enough to not consistently need an adult to help them transition back to sleep over night and should be getting all of their calories during day time hours.

Address

Los Angeles, CA
90254

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+14243862539

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when LALactation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to LALactation:

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category