Laid Back Lactation

12/30/2023

Here are 2 of the people in my mom tribe from when our babies were little. They were key players in my motherhood journey and career path!
I love how we can see each other and have not a beat skipped. Ironically, our infants all became hockey players….forever thankful for them ❤️

11/15/2023

For the next chapter of infant feeding!! The best must take class!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzkqZrFs0HZ/?igshid=Y2NkYjk0MDhjYg==

03/29/2023

I remember pumping at my first Bruce concert. ❤️

"I pumped four or five times through that 17-hour trip ... all dedicated to Taylor Swift!" says one new mom.

03/09/2023

More research showing Reflux improves after frenotomy

Treatment of tongue-tie in infants suggests improvements for breastfeeding mothers, including reduced ni**le pain and improved latching onto the breast. The effects of frenotomy on infant feeding and gastrointestinal dysfunction remain controversial, with insufficient evidence on the relationship be...

11/02/2022

The best class for the next step of your feeding journey!

Hey everyone, we're back!

📣 FINAL CALL to join me Thurs Nov 3rd @ 12:30 pm EST in person to learn about the next major phase for your ever-growing baby.... Food Introduction!

This class is great for anyone caring for a 4-8-month-old baby who wants to learn about beginning solid foods in a way that creates lifelong health habits.

What you'll learn:
🥣WHEN and HOW to start solid foods
🥣Feeding Techniques: Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) vs Purees
🥣How to reduce the risk of food allergy & What to do if your baby has a reaction
🥣Knowledge of which foods to give and which to avoid
🥣Shopping Tips
🥣Additional resources

Can't make it? No worries - we've got you covered. A recording will be made available to those who can't make it.

But we've missed you! So check out the link in the bio to sign up!
Hope to see you there!

10/08/2022

Medical problems actually have a cause

Why do I say this rather obvious statement? I say it because I still see/hear so much gestalt nonsense about what is causing a mother’s or baby’s symptoms. Is the cause always obvious? Absolutely not. But it’s imperative that we as medical professionals don’t make up random excuses to explain away symptoms.

Examples?
1) A pediatrician telling a parent that a tongue tie isn’t that bad so the host of symptoms the dyad is experiencing can’t possibly be caused by a tie. Oh, and that the “tie will stretch out”. I would ask them for a study that shows that.
2) An ENT saying that they “don’t see much to clip” so the tongue isn’t the reason for symptoms. This indicates that the ENT is using an old definition of tongue tie (based only on visibility) and is giving you an incomplete answer.
3) Someone other than an IBCLC giving you explanation for breastfeeding problems. Remember, if a doctor is telling you that poor infant weight gain is because “you have a low milk supply” and doesn’t take the steps needed to confirm that the problem IS your milk supply, then they’re just giving you wordorrhea and that’s stinks.

There are dozens of examples. I’d love to read the nonsense you all have been told.

Everything in medicine comes down to anatomy and physiology. If a doctor doesn’t understand the anatomy and physiology of tongue movements during breastfeeding, their opinion is largely irrelevant. Because we have studies that show that ignoring a tongue tie early on can dramatically increase the chances of terminating the breastfeeding relationship, it’s not ok to just mansplain things away because you’re afraid to admit that you don’t know know what’s causing the problems. It’s actually ok for a doctor to listen to an IBCLC or another doctor who might know more about it than they do. It’s time to either learn more or swallow your pride and let other professionals deal with the problem.

09/25/2022

Such a great post!

I keep hearing people say "I heard I should get a smaller fl**ge, so I'm using a 21mm /19mm)" or "smaller fl**ges cause ni**le damage". No, no, no...it's not about "just going smaller", it's about finding the best fit for THAT ni**le and figuring out what is the most comfortable (during pumping and after), what gets the best milk sprays and what makes pumping most efficient (pumping 15-20 minutes seems optimal for most people once they have the best fl**ge fit, unless they truly make so much milk they need longer to feel sufficiently emptied). It's a simple fix for some and more complex for others...some people need to try several fl**ges (and even different pumps) to find the best fit for each side of their chest. Having a fl**ge fitting with someone who is trained and experienced in using fl**ges from sizes 10mm and larger (and has all the sizes and types of fl**ges to try with you) will likely be a game-changer for some people. Doing a fl**ge fitting virtually CAN be effective, too, if you connect with your fl**ge fitting professional ahead of time to find out which fl**ges you should have handy before your virtual consultation. If you are a perinatal professional or IBCLC, there is a workshop for you! If you are a parent or parent-to-be, there is a workshop for you! See babiesincommon (dot) com for more information!
~ Jeanette Mesite Frem, IBCLC

09/08/2022

Look at this great opportunity for our community!!! Check out Mindful Moms Circle!

03/13/2022

How much does your pediatrician know about breastfeeding?

I'm going to review an important paper published in 2011 by Osband and colleagues: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21272827/

The purpose of this post is NOT to bash primary care doctors. Instead, I want to explain to everyone why I require an evaluation by an IBCLC to be able to schedule an appointment with me for consideration of a tongue/lip tie release. I put a tremendous amount of value on their assessment.

This paper surveyed 132 pediatric residency programs across the US to determine the amount of breastfeeding education provided. On average, a pediatric resident gets 9 *hours* of total education on breastfeeding during their entire training (3 hours per year). The attached graph shows the breakdown of those hours and demonstrate how little time they spend with the actual breastfeeding experts (lactation consultants). In contrast, an IBCLC can spend more than 2000 hours during their clinical training.

What about ENTs and dentists? How many hours do they get during training? ZERO.

So what's the take home message? If you have a baby with breastfeeding issues or compensations that are causing maternal symptoms, your first stop needs to be an IBCLC. Should you ever do a procedure because an ENT or dentist says you should? No, not without IBCLC involvement first. And if you're a medical professional taking care of these dyads, you need to change your mindset. All too often, IBCLCs aren't respected, their notes aren't read, their voices are silenced by people who don't listen to people without a medical or dental degree behind their names.

02/28/2022

My favorite class for the next step in feeding!!!

Join me virtually tomorrow night for Baby’s First Foods to learn the “what, when, where, and how” of feeding your little one so they develop healthy habits for a lifetime!

Link to sign up:
https://montclairbaby.com/food-and-nutrition/

02/23/2022

I am honored to have the opportunity to connect with an incredibly talented group of professionals in the world of all things baby!

On Friday, April 22, 2022, I will lead a Q & A that focuses on Tongue Ties and other Breastfeeding Issues at the conference. This weekend-long conference is chockfull of important, interesting information for those in the midwifery community and anyone who works with newborns and their families.

Join me at the Midwifery Today conference April 20-23, 2022 in Montclair, New Jersey. Plan now to attend the “Sharing Midwifery Skills and Practices.” See the full program and register .