While many people think engorgement, or swelling of the breasts/chest, is bound to happen when they first start bodyfeeding/breastfeeding, it is not guaranteed and can be avoided with frequent, effective nursing. Engorgement is defined as swelling of the breasts or chest when the milk comes in, usually on day 2-5 for most people. The breasts/chest can feel heavy, warm to hot, very full and quite painful for some people.

If you’re like many first-time parents, you probably spent some time learning or reading about breastfeeding before your baby arrived. Maybe you went to a hospital breastfeeding class, took a lactation workshop, or read a lot about latching. You might have even gotten some help from the nurses or the lactation consultant at the hospital.

(Photo: Tom Poole)
Jada Shapiro has been helping women transition to motherhood for the past 17 years. We spoke with her about her two companies, Birth Day Presence and boober, and also found out that pain while breastfeeding is NOT normal, that too many women are pumping too early and what moms can do to normalize breastfeeding. Read on for more!

Many hospitals “require” sending your baby to the nursery for assessment soon after birth. However, it is up to you! Let staff know that you plan to room-in, including right after delivery, and direct staff to do any newborn procedures and tests at your bedside. Staying near your baby helps with early breastfeeding because you’ll be able to see and hear the earliest cues that your little one is ready to nurse.

Being a new parent is a huge amount of work—not to mention the fact that your body is making milk to nourish a little being. It’s a miracle that we have the energy to keep going! One common problem that can arise is a fluctuating milk supply. So what are the best things to do when you notice that your supply is starting to dip? Here are a few tips that can help you get back on track!

Is my baby getting enough milk? Is breastfeeding supposed to hurt this much? Am I doing it right? As a Certified Lactation Counselor and founder of the only on-demand breastfeeding consulting service in the country, Boober (formerly Breast Start), I hear a lot of women worrying about nursing, and it’s normal. Breastfeeding is natural, but it’s also very difficult… So difficult, that many moms give up.

As a breastfeeding expert, doula and advocate for women’s health, I’m dismayed about Trump’s treatment of women. He boasts about sexual assault, signs away reproductive freedoms, and tells female staffers how to dress. So it’s no surprise he is likely to undermine women’s health rights and protections — and that includes breastfeeding. Working moms and all who care about breastfeeding: here’s what you need to know about Trump’s threat to breastfeeding rights. Trump has promised to repeal Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act) without promising anything in its place.

NICU — four letters no one wants to think about when they’re pregnant or about to give birth. But as much as ignorance is bliss, what actually helps us when things veer off course is being prepared and informed about our options. And that’s especially true if you want to breastfeed your NICU baby. Breastfeeding and keeping your milk supply up when your little one is in the neonatal intensive care unit can be stressful. You are dealing with your baby’s special needs right now; and though studies show that premature babies need breast milk even more than full-term babies.

As a breastfeeding expert, doula and advocate for women’s health, I’m dismayed about Trump’s treatment of women. He boasts about sexual assault, signs away reproductive freedoms, and tells female staffers how to dress. So it’s no surprise he is likely to undermine women’s health rights and protections — and that includes breastfeeding. Working moms and all who care about breastfeeding: here’s what you need to know about Trump’s threat to breastfeeding rights. Trump has promised to repeal Obamacare (aka the Affordable Care Act) without promising anything in its place.

For something that’s supposed to be “the most natural thing in the world,” breastfeeding sure as hell isn’t easy. There’s pain, latch issues, supply worries, allergies, nursing strikes, mastitis. The list goes on. To establish a successful breastfeeding relationship, the first 24 hours after birth are crucial, and a good support system thereafter can do wonders. Unfortunately, the average hospital visit from a lactation consultant only lasts five to 10 minutes, and once they get home, too many new moms don’t know how to find a lactation consultant and, as a result, give up on breastfeeding. But what if on-demand economy could change that.

*We’ve partnered with Lansinoh to help you work it as a working, pumping mom. You’ve made it! You’re breastfeeding. It’s all going smoothly-ish. And boom, you have to go back to work. Now you have to figure out pumping, bottle-feeding, and keeping up a milk supply, all while juggling the demands of your job and mothering! Whew. If you want to keep breastfeeding after returning to work, it’s important to ensure you don’t accidentally wean before you are ready. Weaning is the process of transitioning from breastfeeding to not breastfeeding at all.

*We’ve partnered with bamboobies to share strategies to help you as a working, pumping mom. You’re getting ready to go back to work, and you want to keep breastfeeding. So you’ll just throw a double-electric in your purse and get to work, right? Not so fast, mama. If you want to have a successful pumping experience at the office, you’re going to need the right tools in your pumping bag. To help you streamline the process as a pumping, working mom, we asked lactation counselor and founder of the on-demand breastfeeding help service Boober Jada Shapiro for some packing recommendations.