September 16, 2025 • 16 mins
New mothers and their families can face various challenges when breastfeeding, including difficulties with milk production, latching and pain. Breast milk is one of the only products that can provide all the nutrients infants need throughout their first year of life. Despite this, only 24% of infants are exclusively breastfed at six months and only 55% of infants receive any amount of breast milk at six months. In today’s episode, Abby Myers, Certified Nurse Midwife and Family Nurse Practitioner at MetroHealth, shares her breastfeeding journey and provides insight on common breastfeeding challenges.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, everybody, it's Row and we are here for Mommy Virtue,
brought to you by Metro Health. And today we are
talking about breastfeeding challenges and solutions, and I have Abby
with me, who's going to share her story. But before
we get into that couple of facts. First of all,
new mothers and families can deal with a various array
of challenges when it comes to breastfeeding, including difficulties with
(00:20):
milk production, lacking, and pain. Breast Milk is one of
the only products that can provide all of the nutrients
infants need throughout their first year of life. Despite this,
only twenty four percent of infants are exclusively breastfed six months,
and only fifty five percent of infants receive any amount
of breast milk at just six months. In today's episode,
(00:41):
Abby Myers is going to talk about your experience with
breastfeeding and yeah providing basically solutions for that. Now, can
you share with us your role at Metro Health.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
My name's Abby Myers. I'm a certified nurse midwife and
a family Nurse practitioner. And we are a new group
here as a group of midwives coming in. So I've
been a midwife for almost ten years this fall. I'm
also a mom of three, so I have some personal
experience and my own breastfeeding journey, but it is something
that I just love so much, and I love being
(01:14):
able to help patients with this.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Absolutely, So we talked off camera for a second. You
did mention you have three, I have one. We both
share a seven year old. Well, no, we don't share.
She has a seven year old as well as I do,
and I breastfed as well. But can you share your
breastfeeding experience with us?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So I was very fortunate I was able to breastfeed
all three of my children.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
My first baby, he came early.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
He was a little bit of an emergency at thirty
five weeks, and so that was not the birth I
was expecting to have, And breastfeeding to me was very
healing experience and it went really.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well with him getting over.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Some obstacles and problems along the way. Yeah, and then
I went on to breastfeed my other two children as well,
with a experience.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Now would you say, just kind of scale one attend
this is a personal question. Yeah, what would you say
was your love level of breastfeeding?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
You know, in those early days it's a survival mode
for sure. But overall, I mean ten out of ten,
I loved my breastfeeding experience. Not to say that there
weren't challenges along the way, you know, going back to
work and pumping and just establishing the latch in the beginning,
and feeling good about your milk supply, and luckily I
(02:30):
was very fortunate to have good support. But yeah, I
just feel like, you know, the more I can encourage
and support women and help them along their journey, I
feel like that's better for moms and babies and families.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Absolutely. So let's talk about the challenges. What are some
of the challenges that mom's face when it comes to breastfeeding.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah, there are so many challenges initially, just kind of
getting the hang of it.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I like to tell my moms, both you and the baby,
you're both learning, so be patient with me. You know,
it takes a while. Your milk is not does not
come in for the first couple of days. Typically, you know,
moms stay in the hospital for two nights after they
have a baby. Usually their milk doesn't come in until
about seventy two hours postpartum, so it's not until they're
really home that they really get their full milk supply in.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah, a lot.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Of times babies struggle figuring out how to latch, you know.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
They're learning the positioning.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Some babies have tongue ties or things kind of getting
in the way of that. And then another thing is,
you know, moms who have prolonged labors, if they had
any complications during pregnancy, labor, or birth, some of those
things can inhabit or kind of delay lack of genesis
or the process of the milk coming in.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Okay, gotcha, Yeah, all right.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
So I know a lot of women will probably say,
oh my gosh, I've heard horror stories about breastfeeding, and
maybe that's why they've never attempted, or they did, or
they can experience some of those horror stories, including pain.
Is it ever normal to experience pain when you're breastfeeding.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yes, I would say pain is not normal, very normal
and common to have discomfort initially or like soreness.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
And so what I like to tell my patients is that,
you know, think about this. If you weren't used to
exercising and you start training for a marathon or start
trying a new workout class, you're going to be sore. Right,
your muscles are getting conditioned, they're getting accustomed to that
same thing with breastfeeding.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
If you've never done it, or even if it's been.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
A while since you've done it, it's gonna take some
time to kind of you know, for those things to
get conditioned and feel normal, you know. So I would
say it's okay for there to be a little discomfort
with the initial latch, but the pain should not last
the duration of the feeding. If the pain's lasting the
whole time the baby's breastfeeding are on the breast, that's
abnormal and definitely should be looked at by a lactation
(04:44):
consultant or specialists where they can assess the latch of
the baby and the positioning, because we definitely want to
prevent that that's going to cause more problems down the road.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
If the pain is lasting a long time like that, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
The soreness, you know, can last for the first couple
of weeks, and then typically after that there shouldn't be
any pain or soreness at all.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
And that's wild breastfeeding, wow, Because of course you know
that there's the if you were engorged, yes, yes, yeah,
which is a separate thing.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, but for sure, So a couple days after, once
the milk comes in, there's you know, the breasts are
in gorge, they're swollen, it's very uncomfortable. Things are very
tight and swollen. And that usually takes kind of the
normal physiologic engorgement that just happens as a process that
can take twenty four to forty eight hours to resolve. Now,
if that's happening later because maybe there's clogged ducks, that
(05:32):
status is brewing, you know, that is abnormal and women
should seek care at that point as well.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Okay, okay, So I experienced this because when I gave
birth at the hospital you said that you usually see
I think you said it, or I just know that
you get elactation consultant that comes in. So what is
that experience like for a mother? And then at what
point should a mom even reach out for alactation consultant
maybe they left the hospital. Is there ever a situation
(06:01):
where you don't get one?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
No, definitely, every woman, every mother should have one before
they leave.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Generally in the.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Hospital, you know, there are certified lactation consultants that go
around and essentially round on all moms breastfeeding. Sometimes it
can be tricky to be there right when they're feeding
maybe mom or babys napping or in the shower things,
but definitely they should be seen in the hospital at
least once. And I always tell my mom's you know,
(06:30):
whenever you go to breastfeed the baby, pressure call, like,
you know, let them know, because even if things are
going well, it's very very helpful for a lactation consultant
to come by assess the latch, even if it looks good.
She can always give you pointers and tips that you
can use once you get home. So every mom should
feel good about that and have at least met with
a lactation consultant at least once or twice while in
(06:52):
the hospital, and then they should be set up with
good resources going home. So what's the number to call?
What is outpatient office? Who can I contact? Five issues?
And then here at Metro, we do have a lactation
support group every Monday that's kind of just open. You
don't have to have an appointment, you can show up
from twelve to one. It's great because moms come if
(07:13):
they're having trouble or maybe things are going well.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
It's a great community support that can meet other.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Moms in the same season of lights and share those experiences.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Absolutely, Okay, So as a mom who was breastfeeding, there
were times where, you know, it's kind of challenging. Sometimes
you have great days. Sometimes you're like, what just happened
because there's nothing But you know, you go to the stores,
so you see these lactating products that are supposed to
help you get more milk and stuff like that. Do
you like, I don't know, do you think those work?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
So I would say I'm a big believer in just
healthy nutrition in general. Some of those sometimes maybe help
a little bit, but I think it's a lot of marketing.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Right. A lot of moms swear by the tea. There's
like a tea, they like the tea.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I will say I have I have tried the tea.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
I did like the tea, but I really like I
think oatmeal works.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Wonders. And then what's in a lot.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Of the lactation cookies is Brewers yeast. You can buy
that on Amazon. You can make your own cookies for
a fraction of the costs. So I encourage lots of hydration,
lots of water and kind of just back to basics.
Make sure you're eating lots of fruits and vegetables, eating
the rainbow. You know, it takes a lot of energy
to produce milk. You actually need more calories when you're
(08:30):
breastfeeding than you do when you're pregnant. So I think
kind of just going back to the basics of nutrition,
that's very helpful. But my kind of top two, if
I had to pick, I would say oatmeal, brewerisy yeast,
and a lot of moms like coconut water and like
body armor just to help with the electrolytes hydration as well.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
So if a mom was shopping though, and she did
have any questions, is that something she could ask her lactation.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yea, oh for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
So a lot of times when you think about a
mom breastfeeding, you're religious thinking about the mom, right because
she's the one that's breastfeeding. But you have the father,
you have the grandparents, or just the support system. How
can these other individuals help support a mom who's breastfeeding.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Yeah, that's a great question, and a lot of times
I think dads can sometimes feel isolated because in those
first few days and weeks, the mom is doing so much,
yes with the baby, NonStop, So lots of helpful things
that support people can do. They can help keep the
mom well fed right, keep her water bottle filled, bake meals,
help with other things with the baby, give the baby
(09:31):
a bath, change the baby's diaper, do.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
A load of laundry.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
I think also just supporting and encouraging the woman and
you know, letting her know you're doing a great job. Like,
I know this is a lot of work, this is
really hard, but what you're doing is awesome for your baby,
and it's also good for the mom too.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah, and mothers don't not use that dad Okay, yes,
I think my son's father he was like, oh, yeah,
you got it, Like he's gonna want you all the time.
It's like absolutely, but you know, we need a break.
So sometimes when you want to get some sleep, utilize
the father or the grandparent your support to if you know,
I would breastfeed and store the milk you know, freeze
(10:10):
and stuff like that, or I would store it in
the fridge for the same day feeding and I would
be like, yeah, I'm.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Going to take a nap, you can feed, you know.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
So utilize your support system for sure, because they can
definitely help, especially if you have other kids and you
want to get your rest.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Yeah, you need to take breaks, take care of yourself
so that you can keep taking care of your babies.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Okay, So breastfeeding is something I feel
like has really become like a hot topic. A lot
of moms are doing it in public now. You know,
we go back to work and we have our breastfeeding
pods at work, well most places do, I know mine did.
But it's definitely a hot topic where people are wanting
to warm up to it. We're encouraging more moms to
(10:50):
do it. What is something or some things that you
wish more mothers knew about breastfeeding.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah, gosh, there's so many things, you know. I think
that one of them things is that I see a
lot of moms also that hesitate, like, well, I'm gonna
try it or see if I can do it, And
I just wish more moms knew that their body was
made to do that and have the confidence to do it.
Most women actually, when they have a baby, have enough
(11:15):
milk for two babies. Just evolutionary, that's kind of how
it works, and it's a supply and demand. So the
more the baby breastfeeds, that tells your body kind of
how much milk to make, so the supply and demand
kind of like regulates how much milk you make. I
wish that moms knew that there's not only great benefit
for the baby, but also for herself. You know, there's
(11:36):
decreased risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, decrease risk of.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Heart issues, high.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, things like this, That all of
those things can benefit mom as well as babies benefiting
by having less ear infections, having less kind of allergies,
less egzma, less GI infections. There's just a plethora of
benefits to both and that any little bit counts, right.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
So you know, I think no matter what.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Your journey looks like and how long it is, and
whether you supplement with formula, I think we're all just
trying to do our best job, and you know, to
be proud of that and give yourself a little grace.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yes, grace is a great word to have because it
is such a challenging thing. And like you said, we're
all learning each other, the baby and mom. So with
something as new, especially new moms, you know, you're using
your body in a completely different way. So I think
definitely give yourself some grace because it's a lot of work,
but it is so so vital, and I think it's
just a great thing for the baby, especially all right,
(12:40):
So to a mother watching right now or a mom
to be and are like, wait a second, there's just
this is too much, Like I'm already discouraged. I'm already overwhelmed.
I haven't even latched the baby on there yet. What
would you say to a mom who is overwhelmed and
discouraged with her breastfeeding journey.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I would tell her you can do this. You your
body was made to do this.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
You can do this.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
If it is something that is important to you. Find
your support system. There are lots of resources in patient
and out patient. Talk to your provider, talk to your midwife,
talk to your obgyn, talk to your friends, find a community,
and you can do this and make this happen.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
And you know, give yourself props. It is a lot
of work.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
You know, breastfeeding is basically like an additional full time job,
and you know, just give yourself grace. And you're doing
such a great thing, so keep up the good work.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Yeah. I want to expand on what you said just
about like friends and stuff. I think a lot of
times we feel so alone in our journeys because it's
like it's you and the baby, or it's you and
your support system and the baby in this process. But
it's like, at the end of the day, there's so
many people sharing your story. There's so many women breastfeeding
and maybe discouraged and overwhelmed. And so that's why social
media and getting into those chats and those groups it's
(13:53):
so important too, because you have people out there. You're
not alone, you know, so you can share your experiences,
get that support, get those your hype man or women
to just cheer you wine and keep going because it
is something I know for myself, I said, I'm going
to breastfeed. My son's name is Kingston. I was like,
I'm going to breastfeed him till he's won. I challenged
myself to at least do that, and I made it
(14:13):
past that because I also, you know, froze milk, so
he had breastmoke until.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
He was two.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
But challenge yourself and get the support to meet that
challenge because it is important and it's so we literally
have like every new like what did I say, the
nutrients system everything?
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Yeah, yes, you make.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
That you get to save some money.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
You know what's money you saved.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Formula is expensive, not saying that formula can't be had
or given to your child, because we understand that sometimes
it goes that route too. But save some money.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Breastfeed that's right, you know, that's right. Yeah, find your village.
We weren't mental.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Absolutely, Yeah, that's what's the benefit of social media.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And the only other thing I.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Would say is, don't get don't fall into the comparison
thing with social media because you know, so many women
post all these freezings milk.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Yes, you do not need that.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
You don't need a freezer full of milk, And so
don't try to think about what everybody else is doing.
Build each other up, and focus on what's working for
you and your baby.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Yeah, because everybody's story is special to your own, you know.
But the support is there if you need it, if
you have a question you're like as any other mom
experiencing this, then of course utilize that group. But I
love that point because a lot of times we see
stuff and it's like, oh, they got the picture perfect situation.
You don't really ever know what's going on behind closed
doors with that family or that mom. One two it's
(15:34):
not yours, and I think that's what's so unique to us,
like embrace your experience, embrace your journey and just you know, yeah,
pick it every day at time and give yourself grace.
So every I want to thank you so much for
your knowledge and sharing, because that's what Mammi Virtue is about.
It's a village. It's our support group for you out
there if you are a mother or an a sparring mother,
(15:54):
to come together and get all these good resources and
all this good information to just help you stay you know,
committed to your mothering journey from here on out. So
if you are struggling with breastfeeding or you're just looking
for some more postpartum support, Metro Health is definitely here
to help, okay, So please schedule an appointment today. They're
calling two one six nine five seven fifteen hundred for
(16:16):
the Broadway Health Center or two one six seven seven
eight twenty two twenty two for the main campus Pediatric
Clinic and for more detailed information on all the pregnancy
resources right here at Metro Health. You can visit metrohealth
dot org slash obg I N So, thank you so
much again, Thank you so next time
Hey, everybody, it's Row and we are here for Mommy Virtue,
brought to you by Metro Health. And today we are
talking about breastfeeding challenges and solutions, and I have Abby
with me, who's going to share her story. But before
we get into that couple of facts. First of all,
new mothers and families can deal with a various array
of challenges when it comes to breastfeeding, including difficulties with
(00:20):
milk production, lacking, and pain. Breast Milk is one of
the only products that can provide all of the nutrients
infants need throughout their first year of life. Despite this,
only twenty four percent of infants are exclusively breastfed six months,
and only fifty five percent of infants receive any amount
of breast milk at just six months. In today's episode,
(00:41):
Abby Myers is going to talk about your experience with
breastfeeding and yeah providing basically solutions for that. Now, can
you share with us your role at Metro Health.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
My name's Abby Myers. I'm a certified nurse midwife and
a family Nurse practitioner. And we are a new group
here as a group of midwives coming in. So I've
been a midwife for almost ten years this fall. I'm
also a mom of three, so I have some personal
experience and my own breastfeeding journey, but it is something
that I just love so much, and I love being
(01:14):
able to help patients with this.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Absolutely, So we talked off camera for a second. You
did mention you have three, I have one. We both
share a seven year old. Well, no, we don't share.
She has a seven year old as well as I do,
and I breastfed as well. But can you share your
breastfeeding experience with us?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
So I was very fortunate I was able to breastfeed
all three of my children.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
My first baby, he came early.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
He was a little bit of an emergency at thirty
five weeks, and so that was not the birth I
was expecting to have, And breastfeeding to me was very
healing experience and it went really.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well with him getting over.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Some obstacles and problems along the way. Yeah, and then
I went on to breastfeed my other two children as well,
with a experience.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Now would you say, just kind of scale one attend
this is a personal question. Yeah, what would you say
was your love level of breastfeeding?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
You know, in those early days it's a survival mode
for sure. But overall, I mean ten out of ten,
I loved my breastfeeding experience. Not to say that there
weren't challenges along the way, you know, going back to
work and pumping and just establishing the latch in the beginning,
and feeling good about your milk supply, and luckily I
(02:30):
was very fortunate to have good support. But yeah, I
just feel like, you know, the more I can encourage
and support women and help them along their journey, I
feel like that's better for moms and babies and families.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Absolutely. So let's talk about the challenges. What are some
of the challenges that mom's face when it comes to breastfeeding.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Yeah, there are so many challenges initially, just kind of
getting the hang of it.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
You know.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
I like to tell my moms, both you and the baby,
you're both learning, so be patient with me. You know,
it takes a while. Your milk is not does not
come in for the first couple of days. Typically, you know,
moms stay in the hospital for two nights after they
have a baby. Usually their milk doesn't come in until
about seventy two hours postpartum, so it's not until they're
really home that they really get their full milk supply in.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah, a lot.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Of times babies struggle figuring out how to latch, you know.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
They're learning the positioning.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Some babies have tongue ties or things kind of getting
in the way of that. And then another thing is,
you know, moms who have prolonged labors, if they had
any complications during pregnancy, labor, or birth, some of those
things can inhabit or kind of delay lack of genesis
or the process of the milk coming in.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Okay, gotcha, Yeah, all right.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
So I know a lot of women will probably say,
oh my gosh, I've heard horror stories about breastfeeding, and
maybe that's why they've never attempted, or they did, or
they can experience some of those horror stories, including pain.
Is it ever normal to experience pain when you're breastfeeding.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yes, I would say pain is not normal, very normal
and common to have discomfort initially or like soreness.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
And so what I like to tell my patients is that,
you know, think about this. If you weren't used to
exercising and you start training for a marathon or start
trying a new workout class, you're going to be sore. Right,
your muscles are getting conditioned, they're getting accustomed to that
same thing with breastfeeding.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
If you've never done it, or even if it's been.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
A while since you've done it, it's gonna take some
time to kind of you know, for those things to
get conditioned and feel normal, you know. So I would
say it's okay for there to be a little discomfort
with the initial latch, but the pain should not last
the duration of the feeding. If the pain's lasting the
whole time the baby's breastfeeding are on the breast, that's
abnormal and definitely should be looked at by a lactation
(04:44):
consultant or specialists where they can assess the latch of
the baby and the positioning, because we definitely want to
prevent that that's going to cause more problems down the road.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
If the pain is lasting a long time like that, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
The soreness, you know, can last for the first couple
of weeks, and then typically after that there shouldn't be
any pain or soreness at all.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
And that's wild breastfeeding, wow, Because of course you know
that there's the if you were engorged, yes, yes, yeah,
which is a separate thing.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, but for sure, So a couple days after, once
the milk comes in, there's you know, the breasts are
in gorge, they're swollen, it's very uncomfortable. Things are very
tight and swollen. And that usually takes kind of the
normal physiologic engorgement that just happens as a process that
can take twenty four to forty eight hours to resolve. Now,
if that's happening later because maybe there's clogged ducks, that
(05:32):
status is brewing, you know, that is abnormal and women
should seek care at that point as well.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Okay, okay, So I experienced this because when I gave
birth at the hospital you said that you usually see
I think you said it, or I just know that
you get elactation consultant that comes in. So what is
that experience like for a mother? And then at what
point should a mom even reach out for alactation consultant
maybe they left the hospital. Is there ever a situation
(06:01):
where you don't get one?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
No, definitely, every woman, every mother should have one before
they leave.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Generally in the.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Hospital, you know, there are certified lactation consultants that go
around and essentially round on all moms breastfeeding. Sometimes it
can be tricky to be there right when they're feeding
maybe mom or babys napping or in the shower things,
but definitely they should be seen in the hospital at
least once. And I always tell my mom's you know,
(06:30):
whenever you go to breastfeed the baby, pressure call, like,
you know, let them know, because even if things are
going well, it's very very helpful for a lactation consultant
to come by assess the latch, even if it looks good.
She can always give you pointers and tips that you
can use once you get home. So every mom should
feel good about that and have at least met with
a lactation consultant at least once or twice while in
(06:52):
the hospital, and then they should be set up with
good resources going home. So what's the number to call?
What is outpatient office? Who can I contact? Five issues?
And then here at Metro, we do have a lactation
support group every Monday that's kind of just open. You
don't have to have an appointment, you can show up
from twelve to one. It's great because moms come if
(07:13):
they're having trouble or maybe things are going well.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
It's a great community support that can meet other.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Moms in the same season of lights and share those experiences.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Absolutely, Okay, So as a mom who was breastfeeding, there
were times where, you know, it's kind of challenging. Sometimes
you have great days. Sometimes you're like, what just happened
because there's nothing But you know, you go to the stores,
so you see these lactating products that are supposed to
help you get more milk and stuff like that. Do
you like, I don't know, do you think those work?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
So I would say I'm a big believer in just
healthy nutrition in general. Some of those sometimes maybe help
a little bit, but I think it's a lot of marketing.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Right. A lot of moms swear by the tea. There's
like a tea, they like the tea.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
I will say I have I have tried the tea.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
I did like the tea, but I really like I
think oatmeal works.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Wonders. And then what's in a lot.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Of the lactation cookies is Brewers yeast. You can buy
that on Amazon. You can make your own cookies for
a fraction of the costs. So I encourage lots of hydration,
lots of water and kind of just back to basics.
Make sure you're eating lots of fruits and vegetables, eating
the rainbow. You know, it takes a lot of energy
to produce milk. You actually need more calories when you're
(08:30):
breastfeeding than you do when you're pregnant. So I think
kind of just going back to the basics of nutrition,
that's very helpful. But my kind of top two, if
I had to pick, I would say oatmeal, brewerisy yeast,
and a lot of moms like coconut water and like
body armor just to help with the electrolytes hydration as well.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
So if a mom was shopping though, and she did
have any questions, is that something she could ask her lactation.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yea, oh for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
So a lot of times when you think about a
mom breastfeeding, you're religious thinking about the mom, right because
she's the one that's breastfeeding. But you have the father,
you have the grandparents, or just the support system. How
can these other individuals help support a mom who's breastfeeding.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Yeah, that's a great question, and a lot of times
I think dads can sometimes feel isolated because in those
first few days and weeks, the mom is doing so much,
yes with the baby, NonStop, So lots of helpful things
that support people can do. They can help keep the
mom well fed right, keep her water bottle filled, bake meals,
help with other things with the baby, give the baby
(09:31):
a bath, change the baby's diaper, do.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
A load of laundry.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
I think also just supporting and encouraging the woman and
you know, letting her know you're doing a great job. Like,
I know this is a lot of work, this is
really hard, but what you're doing is awesome for your baby,
and it's also good for the mom too.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Yeah, and mothers don't not use that dad Okay, yes,
I think my son's father he was like, oh, yeah,
you got it, Like he's gonna want you all the time.
It's like absolutely, but you know, we need a break.
So sometimes when you want to get some sleep, utilize
the father or the grandparent your support to if you know,
I would breastfeed and store the milk you know, freeze
(10:10):
and stuff like that, or I would store it in
the fridge for the same day feeding and I would
be like, yeah, I'm.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Going to take a nap, you can feed, you know.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
So utilize your support system for sure, because they can
definitely help, especially if you have other kids and you
want to get your rest.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Yeah, you need to take breaks, take care of yourself
so that you can keep taking care of your babies.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Okay, So breastfeeding is something I feel
like has really become like a hot topic. A lot
of moms are doing it in public now. You know,
we go back to work and we have our breastfeeding
pods at work, well most places do, I know mine did.
But it's definitely a hot topic where people are wanting
to warm up to it. We're encouraging more moms to
(10:50):
do it. What is something or some things that you
wish more mothers knew about breastfeeding.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah, gosh, there's so many things, you know. I think
that one of them things is that I see a
lot of moms also that hesitate, like, well, I'm gonna
try it or see if I can do it, And
I just wish more moms knew that their body was
made to do that and have the confidence to do it.
Most women actually, when they have a baby, have enough
(11:15):
milk for two babies. Just evolutionary, that's kind of how
it works, and it's a supply and demand. So the
more the baby breastfeeds, that tells your body kind of
how much milk to make, so the supply and demand
kind of like regulates how much milk you make. I
wish that moms knew that there's not only great benefit
for the baby, but also for herself. You know, there's
(11:36):
decreased risks of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, decrease risk of.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Heart issues, high.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, things like this, That all of
those things can benefit mom as well as babies benefiting
by having less ear infections, having less kind of allergies,
less egzma, less GI infections. There's just a plethora of
benefits to both and that any little bit counts, right.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
So you know, I think no matter what.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Your journey looks like and how long it is, and
whether you supplement with formula, I think we're all just
trying to do our best job, and you know, to
be proud of that and give yourself a little grace.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Yes, grace is a great word to have because it
is such a challenging thing. And like you said, we're
all learning each other, the baby and mom. So with
something as new, especially new moms, you know, you're using
your body in a completely different way. So I think
definitely give yourself some grace because it's a lot of work,
but it is so so vital, and I think it's
just a great thing for the baby, especially all right,
(12:40):
So to a mother watching right now or a mom
to be and are like, wait a second, there's just
this is too much, Like I'm already discouraged. I'm already overwhelmed.
I haven't even latched the baby on there yet. What
would you say to a mom who is overwhelmed and
discouraged with her breastfeeding journey.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I would tell her you can do this. You your
body was made to do this.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
You can do this.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
If it is something that is important to you. Find
your support system. There are lots of resources in patient
and out patient. Talk to your provider, talk to your midwife,
talk to your obgyn, talk to your friends, find a community,
and you can do this and make this happen.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
And you know, give yourself props. It is a lot
of work.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
You know, breastfeeding is basically like an additional full time job,
and you know, just give yourself grace. And you're doing
such a great thing, so keep up the good work.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Yeah. I want to expand on what you said just
about like friends and stuff. I think a lot of
times we feel so alone in our journeys because it's
like it's you and the baby, or it's you and
your support system and the baby in this process. But
it's like, at the end of the day, there's so
many people sharing your story. There's so many women breastfeeding
and maybe discouraged and overwhelmed. And so that's why social
media and getting into those chats and those groups it's
(13:53):
so important too, because you have people out there. You're
not alone, you know, so you can share your experiences,
get that support, get those your hype man or women
to just cheer you wine and keep going because it
is something I know for myself, I said, I'm going
to breastfeed. My son's name is Kingston. I was like,
I'm going to breastfeed him till he's won. I challenged
myself to at least do that, and I made it
(14:13):
past that because I also, you know, froze milk, so
he had breastmoke until.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
He was two.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
But challenge yourself and get the support to meet that
challenge because it is important and it's so we literally
have like every new like what did I say, the
nutrients system everything?
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Yeah, yes, you make.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
That you get to save some money.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
You know what's money you saved.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
Formula is expensive, not saying that formula can't be had
or given to your child, because we understand that sometimes
it goes that route too. But save some money.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Breastfeed that's right, you know, that's right. Yeah, find your village.
We weren't mental.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Absolutely, Yeah, that's what's the benefit of social media.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And the only other thing I.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Would say is, don't get don't fall into the comparison
thing with social media because you know, so many women
post all these freezings milk.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Yes, you do not need that.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
You don't need a freezer full of milk, And so
don't try to think about what everybody else is doing.
Build each other up, and focus on what's working for
you and your baby.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
Yeah, because everybody's story is special to your own, you know.
But the support is there if you need it, if
you have a question you're like as any other mom
experiencing this, then of course utilize that group. But I
love that point because a lot of times we see
stuff and it's like, oh, they got the picture perfect situation.
You don't really ever know what's going on behind closed
doors with that family or that mom. One two it's
(15:34):
not yours, and I think that's what's so unique to us,
like embrace your experience, embrace your journey and just you know, yeah,
pick it every day at time and give yourself grace.
So every I want to thank you so much for
your knowledge and sharing, because that's what Mammi Virtue is about.
It's a village. It's our support group for you out
there if you are a mother or an a sparring mother,
(15:54):
to come together and get all these good resources and
all this good information to just help you stay you know,
committed to your mothering journey from here on out. So
if you are struggling with breastfeeding or you're just looking
for some more postpartum support, Metro Health is definitely here
to help, okay, So please schedule an appointment today. They're
calling two one six nine five seven fifteen hundred for
(16:16):
the Broadway Health Center or two one six seven seven
eight twenty two twenty two for the main campus Pediatric
Clinic and for more detailed information on all the pregnancy
resources right here at Metro Health. You can visit metrohealth
dot org slash obg I N So, thank you so
much again, Thank you so next time
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.