Full Hearts Lactation (2026)

15/11/2022

… 📣 follow-up with an IBCLC!
So often a shield is given to the mother in the hospital without a clear reason why it is needed and without a long term plan.
Ni**le shields may be recommended to women with flat or inverted ni***es, to women dealing with milk oversupply, or to women with cracked ni***es. And research has shown that the use of ni**le shields can help premature babies take more milk! 𝗕𝗨𝗧- they can carry the risk of interfering with necessary ni**le stimulation and the baby’s ability to get milk out. So it’s important to evaluate risk v. benefit for YOU and make an individualized plan!
Think of a ni**le shield as an interventional tool used to help a breastfeeding issue. And anytime a medical intervention is used, we must constantly re-evaluate the following three things:.
① Is it the right intervention for the problem?
② Is it helping?
③ Is it still necessary?
𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 is where the importance of early and ongoing lactation support comes in! Working with an IBCLC will help to figure out the root of the problem and the best path forward! If that includes a ni**le shield, you’ll have an individualized plan for how to use it and when & how to wean from it.
***eshield ***es

28/09/2022

📣 PSA ғᴏʀ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴇxᴘʀᴇssɪɴɢ ᴏʀ ᴘᴜᴍᴘɪɴɢ ᴍɪʟᴋ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴀʀʟɪᴇsᴛ ʜᴏᴜʀs/ᴅᴀʏs! This includes moms of babies who aren't latching, NICU parents, or those who choose to exclusively express milk for their babies from the start.

➡️The volume of colostrum you are expressing can actually 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 in the 12-15ish hours after birth, and then 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 until 30ish hours after birth! So if you're exclusively hand expressing milk in the first few hours/days, know that it can be 𝐍 𝐎 𝐑 𝐌 𝐀 𝐋 to see a dip in your output for several hours 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 your production/supply starts to rev up! And this normal supply dip in *no way* means that you won’t produce enough for your baby 🤍

07/09/2022

❔If your baby comes off of the first side with limp arms, open relaxed hands, milk in her mouth, and is 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 in nursing on the second side... does that mean you need to pump the second side?

▶️In most cases, NOPE! As long as your baby is nursing on demand, alternating starting sides, not requiring supplementation after nursing, and there are no supply issues, then it is 𝐍𝐎𝐓 necessary to pump the second side for those feedings that baby only takes one!

🔺*BUT*, if you are experiencing plugged ducts, mastitis, supply issues (𝗼𝐯𝐞𝐫 or 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫), or are supplementing, then work closely with your IBCLC to create a customized pumping plan for you!

01/09/2022

Rᴇᴘᴏsᴛɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ 𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 & 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 ʙᴄ ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴡɪᴄᴇ ʏᴇsᴛᴇʀᴅᴀʏ 😊
Ni**le stimulation from breastfeeding causes the release of a hormone called 𝒐𝒙𝒚𝒕𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒏, which stimulates the uterus to contract. These contractions are actually *ʙᴇɴᴇғɪᴄɪᴀʟ* to the nursing mother because they help the uterus return to its normal size, help the body to expel any blood clots, AND reduce the risk for postpartum hemorrhage!
Bᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ᴘᴀɪɴғᴜʟ! 🥴
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏:
① Emptying your bladder before nursing.
② Sitting upright with your legs crossed in front of you.
③ Applying a heating pad to the pelvic area.
④ The use of a TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) machine.
⑤ Taking ibuprofen as prescribed.
Gᴏᴏᴅ ɴᴇᴡs- They typically resolve within several days postpartum!
Research has shown that the 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 of the cramping actually 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 with subsequent deliveries! So the cramps that occur after your 2nd or 3rd deliveries may be more painful than with your first!

13/07/2022

Pᴀᴄɪғɪᴇʀs can help soothe a fussy baby, help with reflux, and *in some cases* be used for tongue strengthening exercises. 𝑩𝑼𝑻, it is possible to overuse or inappropriately use them, which can impact feeding.

👶🏽 Pacifiers are generally advised against for the 4-6 weeks of a newborn's life, or until breastfeeding has been well-established. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏 for this is that if a newborn baby is trying to suck or lick something, fussy, rooting, or even just waking up, 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒚. Using a pacifier may settle baby temporarily, but really all that it is doing is delaying the feeding.

𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 in the newborn can lead to weight gain issues in baby, and milk production/supply issues in mom (because less milk removed = less milk produced). Also, the way that the baby latches and suckles on the pacifier is v e r y different from how they do so at the breast. So introducing the pacifier very early on 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕 their latch.

If/when you do introduce a pacifier, it is generally best to:
❌Never use in an effort to delay or schedule feedings
✅Limit use to just when falling asleep, or soothing discomfort from reflux or hiccups
✅Try to wean between 6-10 months of age in order to lower the risk of recurrent ear infections

Did your baby take a pacifier👇?

11/07/2022

(Rᴇᴘᴏsᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴍʏ Cᴏᴍʙᴏ-Fᴇᴇᴅᴇʀs 🤍 )
Breastfeeding for 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 2 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒔 is shown to reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) by half! ... And that means 𝐀𝐍𝐘 breastfeeding, not just exclusive!
Research tells us that partially breastfed babies have the 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 from SIDS as exclusively breastfed babies! So if you are supplementing with formula, whether by personal choice or medical necessity, know that your baby is s t i l l receiving incredible health benefits from you breastfeeding 🤍
In order to see protection from SIDS, breastfeeding must continue for at least the first 2 months. And longer durations are associated with even more protection. Didn't quite make it to 2 months? There are still 𝐚 𝐥𝗼𝐭 of benefits that your baby did receive! ((I’ll post on those in the future 😉 💕 ))

M.D. Thompson, John, et al. “Duration of Breastfeeding and Risk of SIDS: An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis.” American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 Nov. 2017, pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/140/5/e20171324.

08/07/2022

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued an updated policy statement on breastfeeding last week for the first time in several years. This policy was issued a few days after the Senate failed to pass the PUMP act (policy that would have provided more protections for parents pumping at work), a few days after federal protections for reproductive rights were stripped away, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 in the midst of a national formula shortage. Sooo, some definitely felt this was was just piling even more on women.

𝐁𝐔𝐓, after *finally* having the chance to review this policy, in my opinion, the main objective is really to ask more of pediatric healthcare providers! The key recommendations in this policy are calling for unbiased & inclusive 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓, 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, & 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐂𝐘 from pediatricians.

🔑 The 𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐚𝐫𝐞:
▶️Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continued breastfeeding until age 2+ (as opposed to the previous recommendation of 1yr). This reflects the recommendation of the WHO and the studied health benefits in both mother and baby of breastfeeding for 2yrs.

▶️Hospitals/birth centers to support early skin-to-skin, delay medical interventions until baby has latched, and offer lactation evaluations at least every 8hrs during the hospital stay. If supplementation is needed, do so in the form of expressed breast milk.

▶️Pediatricians to provide information and support for parental feeding choices, and to better utilize and have access to lactation support resources.

▶️Pediatricians to ADVOCATE for things like universal paid parental leave, universal paid pumping breaks, more support for breastfeeding in public, breastfeeding at childcare facilities, and better insurance coverage for lactation needs.

How do you feel about the new AAP policy?

24/05/2022

Breastfeeding practices in the first few days postpartum are one of the most important factors in achieving the recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. BUT in these earliest days of breastfeeding, many women fear they are not producing enough milk for their babies due to *𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝗼𝐫𝗺𝐚𝐥* newborn feeding patterns and behaviors.

While most babies are very sleepy for the first 24 hours. Days (read: nights) 2 and 3 are filled with cluster feeding!

Cluster feeding is defined as frequently grouped feedings, sometimes several within the same hour! Most often, it occurs in the evening or night 🌙 hours. In the earliest days of breastfeeding, your newborn baby should feed 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 10 - 12 times in a 24-hour period. While cluster feeding will continue in spurts for several weeks, the 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 of these first few nights will significantly improve!

Frequent feeding and cluster feeding occurs for many reasons:
✅ The newborn stomach size is SMALL. It fills and empties quickly.
✅ Your brand new baby is c r a v i n g closeness to mom!
✅ Frequent suckling and milk removal from the breasts are ᴄʀɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ for stimulating milk production and revving up your supply!

Cluster feeding in these earliest days does NOT mean:
❌You're not making enough milk
❌You're starving your baby
❌Your baby needs formula

Unless medically advised to do so (in cases of hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycemia, or excessive weight loss for example), these first few nights are ɴᴏᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ to introduce a bottle or a pacifier. Feeding supplemental formula at this stage will only remove the exact stimulation that your body needs to establish your milk supply! And a pacifier may create confusion as your brand new baby is just learning how to suck.

Understanding the importance and normalcy of frequent feedings in these early days is so important for breastfeeding success! Know that this too shall pass, and that frequent feeding and skin-to-skin contact will be incredibly helpful 🤍

Always seek assistance from a board-certified lactation consultant if you have 𝐀𝐍𝐘 concerns that baby is not getting enough.

13/05/2022

The last few months have been 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 for families trying to feed their babies. First, a large recall from a major infant formula company, and now alarming shortages of formulas across the board. While I've been advising my combo-feeding and formula-feeding clients on alternatives similar to their current formulas, I've also been receiving a 𝐋𝐎𝐓 of questions about informal milk sharing.

Iɴғᴏʀᴍᴀʟ Mɪʟᴋ Sʜᴀʀɪɴɢ is the process of receiving breast milk from a friend or family member, someone in the community, or over the internet, 𝑎𝑠 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 receiving pasteurized breast milk from a milk bank.

Obviously there is risk, and for this reason the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages any type of informal milk sharing. *𝐁𝐔𝐓* this practice is also becoming increasingly common, and might be an option for some families affected by current formula shortages.

Here are some ways to be as safe as possible:
❌ 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐔𝐘 breast milk from the internet

🤱🏾 If you are in contact with someone in your family/friend group/community who is able and willing to share breast milk, you can ask the following (super personal 😂) questions:
❔When were you last tested for HIV, Hepatitis B, and HTLV-1 (if in a high prevalence area) and what were the results?
❔Any risk of contracting these viruses since you were last tested?
❔What medications are you currently taking?
❔Any use of to***co products, drugs, or ma*****na?
❔Any alcohol intake/how much?

👩🏼‍⚕️Discuss 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 with your pediatric healthcare provider and your lactation consultant to you make the best decision for you!

Additionally, it is possible to pasteurize the milk at home using a flash heating method if you wanted to do so. But know that this *will* affect some properties of the milk.

SOURCE: Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine’s 2017
Position Statement on Informal Breast Milk Sharing
for the Term Healthy Infant

24/03/2022

🌱Gʀɪᴘᴇ Wᴀᴛᴇʀ is an herbal supplement that contains sodium bicarbonate and a blend of herbs (usually fennel, chamomile, ginger, and others). It is intended to help relieve gas-related discomfort in babies.

𝑼𝒏𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 there is not any research that supports that this *actually helps* with gas, fussiness, colic, or cry time in babies, and some studies have found it to be correlated with reflux and constipation.

𝑺𝑶- 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚’𝒔 𝒈𝒂𝒔?
Probably not 😔
But if you still r e a l l y wanted to try Gripe Water, be sure to keep the following in mind:
🔺Herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA
🔺Some formulations, though rare, contain alcohol and these should absolutely be avoided
✖️Most providers advise against using GW in baby’s under 1 month of age
👩🏼‍⚕️ Always speak with your pediatric healthcare provider before giving your baby *ANY* supplement
🤱🏽🍼Gripe Water should 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 be given in place of breast milk or formula

𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅:
✔️Baby-wearing has been shown to reduce crying time
✔️ Bicycling your baby's legs and massaging your baby’s belly can relieve gas
✔️Consider an IBCLC evaluation to determine if there are any feeding issues to work through
✔️ Speak with your pediatric healthcare provider

03/03/2022

The Haakaa silicone suction pump is one my *𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆* tools to use in breastfeeding!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡:
💦 Collecting leaky milk from the opposite breast while nursing.
🥛 Creating a small freezer stash by offering an easy way to collect a little extra milk.
🔌 Treating plugged ducts.

*𝐁𝐔𝐓* just like with any breastfeeding tool, it is important to use the Haakaa suction pump 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚. In general, if there are no supply concerns, I recommend the following guidelines for use:

① 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝗼𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐬
If trying to collect a little extra milk for a stash, be sure to fully nurse your baby on the breast 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡. Then you can put the Haakaa on that same side when you begin nursing on the second side. Feeding the baby is *𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒* the priority!

② 𝐃𝗼𝐧’𝐭 𝗼𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝗼𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝗼𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝗼𝐧
I typically advise against using the Haakaa more than about twice per day. Removing 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ milk will increase your milk production and supply. And while this may sound like a great problem to have, overproduction can lead to issues in both mom and baby.

③ 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝗼𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝗼 𝐜𝗼𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝗺𝐢𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝗼𝗺 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒆𝒕,
then go ahead and put it on, but with as minimal suction as possible! This will allow the pump to more passively collect leaking milk, while not removing too much before your baby places his order!

④ 𝐈𝐟 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭(𝐬) 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝗼𝗺𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧 𝐈𝐁𝐂𝐋𝐂
Filling the Haakaa suction pump with a warm Epsom salt solution, or putting it on in the shower can help with the treatment of plugged ducts! But if plugged ducts are occurring regularly, it is 𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 to identify the cause through a comprehensive lactation consultation.

What do you think of the Haakaa?! 👇

11/02/2022

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine estimates that 9% of breastfeeding moms/lactating parents experience 𝐃𝐲𝐬𝐩𝐡𝗼𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤 𝐄𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝗼𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱, 𝗼𝐫 𝐃-𝐌𝐄𝐑.

𝐃-𝐌𝐄𝐑 is a physiological response to chemical changes in the body that occurs *𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚* during a breast milk "letdown", and fully resolves within a few minutes.

While the symptoms and intensity vary among individuals, some common symptoms include:
▫️Anxiety
▫️ Depression
▫️ Agitation
▫️ Nausea
▫️ Loss of appetite

The symptoms come on quickly and strongly during the milk letdown, but 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆 within just a few minutes, only to return for the start of the next pumping or nursing session.

🩺 If you are experiencing symptoms of D-MER, I always recommend following up with your healthcare provider to rule out other conditions, as well as a Board-Certified Lactation Consultant to develop an individualized management plan.

🧐 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒐? Check out the blog I wrote about D-MER for !

Full Hearts Lactation

15/11/2022

28/09/2022

07/09/2022

01/09/2022

13/07/2022

11/07/2022

08/07/2022

24/05/2022

13/05/2022

24/03/2022

03/03/2022

11/02/2022

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