The Earthly Birth Doula & Holistic Care

03/10/2026

03/07/2026

❤️🫑

03/03/2026

Important info! 🍼

🚨 Recent research is challenging the CDC's strict guidelines on breast milk storage—especially for partially used bottles after feeding.

The CDC currently recommends using or discarding leftover breast milk within 1–2 hours after a baby finishes feeding from the bottle, to limit bacterial risks.

A 2026 German study (preprint on medRxiv, with 44 healthy full-term infants) tested this directly by measuring bacterial growth in leftover human milk after actual bottle feeds.

Main findings:

• Bacterial levels rose after feeding due to contact with the baby's mouth, but showed no meaningful further increase at 4 hours or 8 hours—whether kept at room temperature (~20°C) or refrigerated (4°C).

• Significant growth appeared only after 24 hours at room temperature.

• Refrigerated leftover milk stayed low-risk and stable for up to 24 hours.

For healthy, full-term babies, this suggests it's generally safe to:

• Refrigerate a partially used bottle and reuse it within 24 hours, or

• Leave it at room temperature for up to 8 hours when needed.

Unused pumped milk also proved more stable than the CDC's 4-hour room-temperature rule, with very little bacterial growth even up to 24 hours in many cases, consistent with other recent studies.

The current guidelines are understandably cautious, especially for preterm infants, NICU babies, or those with health issues, who should stick to stricter rules and check with a doctor.

For most parents with healthy babies, though, this new evidence provides real relief: less wasted breast milk, fewer stressful discards, and guidelines that better match actual safety data and everyday feeding life.

🔗 Full preprint: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.13.26346179v1.full-text

03/02/2026

Love this ❤️

For families with a baby currently in the NICU or home from the NICU.

02/27/2026

The Earth’s wellbeing and our health are interdependent - this repeal is threatening all living beings.

02/26/2026

02/25/2026

Okay, now for that second favor! ...But first, some unfortunate news.

We've been told that the Senators will not be going forward with any birth-related legislation this year. No one has chosen to prioritize LB374, LB676, or LB1234, and as of right now, all three bills are going to die at the end of the current session.

But we're not quite ready to give up yet! If you watched the hearing, you might have noticed that the majority of the current HHS Committee is favorable toward us. Senator Hansen, Senator Meyer, Senator Hardin, and Senator Ballard have been openly supportive of CPM licensure. We also believe that Senator Fredrickson, Senator Quick, and Senator Riepe do genuinely want safe options for Nebraskans; they're just misguided about what that means.

So here goes... We are asking you to email the HHS Committee this week! (And maybe again next week, and the week after, and the week after that.... you get the drift.) We are focusing ONLY on CPM licensure, for a myriad of reasons, so these emails will only be about LB374. The Committee still has the ability to vote LB374 through and onto the floor for a general vote during this session. We want to strongly encourage them to do so!!

Please take a few minutes to email the HHS committee! We will put their email addresses in the comments (it makes it easier for you to copy them). Your email does NOT need to be long, just a paragraph or two - "we know you care about the women and babies of Nebraska, please pass LB374 through Committee so the floor can vote and give CPMs a chance". Or, if you watched the Committee hearing and have more to say, please feel free. ;)

02/20/2026

02/14/2026

Postpartum thoughts 🤍

01/06/2026

❤️🙏👶

🧻 JANUARY BABY WIPE DRIVE 🍼💜

Help us support families by joining our Baby Wipe Drive this January!

A Mother’s Love Inc. is collecting donations of baby wipes to assist new moms and families in our community. Baby wipes are a crucial everyday necessity helping parents care for their little ones with dignity, cleanliness, and love.

✨ Donations accepted now through Saturday, January 31 ✨

📍 Drop-off location

5480 N 90th St. Omaha,Ne 68134

📧 More information: info@amothersloveinc.org

📞 Call us: 531-215-6288

Together, we can make sure no family goes without the basics they need.

Love. Support. Empower. 🤍

11/25/2025

Women with common pregnancy complications are at increased risk for cardiovascular and metabolic health problems later in life. But many patients remain unaware of the connection. https://nyti.ms/4puzH4a

11/21/2025

Please keep up to date with the latest information releases, and if your formula supply is affected, know that local women’s shelters and mother’s groups often have connections to resources that can supply you with some new, safe tins.

CDC: 31 infants now sickened with botulism in formula-related outbreak

All 31 patients have required hospitalization.

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/botulism/cdc-31-infants-now-sickened-botulism-formula-related-outbreak

Photo: Bart Heird/Flickr cc