Pregnancy is both exciting and confusing, especially if you’re a first-time mom-to-be. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the labor and delivery part of the action and many moms spend so much time focusing on bringing baby into the world that they forget about the rest. But once the delivery is done and you have a new little love in your hands, absolutely everything changes. 

For many moms, one of the most time-consuming and all-encompassing postpartum tasks is breastfeeding. A newborn baby feeds every two to three hours, eight to 12 times a day, around the clock. For the ill-prepared, this new schedule can come as a bit of a shock to the system. So what can moms do to get ready for the demands of breastfeeding? That’s what we are going to talk about today. 

Our guest for this episode is Albany, New York-based IBCLC Patty Lane. Patty has been an IBCLC for over 25 years and has a special place in her heart helping parents on their breastfeeding journey. 

We all know that breastmilk is produced naturally by mommas, starting as early as pregnancy. But most of us don’t know that it actually has superpowers. From being able to help baby fight off viruses and bacteria to actually raising their IQ, giving your little one their daily doses of magic milk is a lot more beneficial than you might think. 

The advantages don’t stop at baby either. Studies have shown that breastfeeding mommas lose weight faster, have less bleeding and an easier recovery postpartum, and some research even links breastfeeding to lower rates of breast and ovarian cancer later in life. So does breastfeeding really live up to the hype? Let’s find out. 

With us today is Madison, Wisconsin-based IBCLC, Lori Theisen who is part of the team at Nest Collaborative. Get ready to be surprised and inspired by all the amazing things your milk can do for you and your little one!

On today’s show, we are talking about an issue that’s been in the spotlight quite a bit lately. You might have heard about the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021, a collection of 12 bills introduced by several members of Congress and the Black Maternal Health Caucus to comprehensively address every dimension of the black maternal health crisis in America. 

Here’s a scary fact. We live in the richest country on the globe, yet the U.S. has the highest rate of maternal deaths in the world. Black moms are three to four times more likely to die in childbirth than their white counterparts. And for black women, access to resources, education, and maternal healthcare isn’t even close to where it should be. Now, of course, this is a breastfeeding podcast, which occupies just one tiny aspect of maternal healthcare. But we wanted to make sure we addressed the issues from our perspective, because even from our little corner of the world, we know that black women are not represented or supported the way that they should be. So let’s find out why.

Our guest today is Harlem-based IBCLC LaShanda Dandrich who knows a thing or two about supporting black families on their breastfeeding journeys.  In addition to her work with Nest Collaborative, LaShanda also owns the Uptown Village Cooperative, a maternal health group that provides education and support around gentle birthing practices in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx, the Chocolate Milk Cafe, a lactation support group for African American families, and Lactation Learning Collective, a collective of lactation professionals mentoring aspiring IBCLC’s.