Helpful info regarding feeding your baby beyond the first six months or more, and topics that apply to both breast & bottle feeding.
Exclusive Pumping Tips & Sample Pumping Schedules
Are you in your pumping era? Looking for more information about exclusive pumping and what that means for you as you return to work? There are many reasons that parents feed their babies by exclusively pumping breast milk. Maybe you chose it, or maybe it chose you. Either way… If you’re returning to work soon… you…
Why Is My Newborn So Gassy? 10 Expert Doula Tips
You might be wondering why your baby is struggling with gas. Digesting food is a new skill for your baby’s body to learn. Being immature and new, your baby’s digestive system needs time to adjust Whether they are eating from the breast or bottle, their little tummies are still sorting out this new “eating arrangement.”…
Feeling Emotional About Weaning? 3 Tips to Start Your Breastfeeding Weaning Plan
You’ve worked long and hard to breastfeed your baby. For some, breastfeeding comes easy, while for others, not so much. After you manage to connect all the dots, breastfeeding still takes a large portion of your day. It takes time and energy to connect and learn your baby’s rhythm. As your baby grows and no…
Hunger Cues | How To Tell Your Baby is Hungry
Why is it important to know your baby’s hunger cues? Understanding your baby’s signals helps you know when and how often to feed her. Newborn babies have tiny tummies and need to eat often. An average of 8 – 12 feedings in a 24 hour period is expected and necessary. A couple of those feedings…
Do You Have a Postpartum Plan?
You’ve got your birth class done, your hospital bag packed and your car-seat safely installed! Have you considered what happens once you are home with your baby in your arms? Do you have a postpartum plan in place? You may have heard a lot of talk about birth plans and much less discussion about a…
Why Take a Newborn Care Class?
Welcoming a newborn into your life is a special adventure that can bring a mix of emotions – joy, love and yes, a little uncertainty. As a parent myself, I know firsthand that no amount of preparation can fully ready you for the arrival of your little one. Parenting is a complex blend of following…
Should I Take a Breastfeeding Class?
I talk to a lot of expecting mothers and hear many of them say they hope to be successful at breastfeeding, but they aren’t sure it will work out. These hopes are mixed in with stories they’ve heard from friends and families. At least 80% of women initiate breastfeeding. That is a high percentage who…
Black Breastfeeding Week, An Interview with Deidra Washington, IBCLC
For Black Breastfeeding Week, we are highlighting one of our favorite lactation counselors. In addition to having her own private practice, Deidra is a member of the Buddha Belly team supporting clients with breastfeeding counseling. We are so grateful to have her on our team sharing her wisdom and experience. 1. Tell us about your…
Food Allergies and Your Child
Did you know that about 6 million children have food allergies? That is a staggering number in my opinion. I never experienced a food allergy, so I was not very concerned about introducing my son to new foods when he was a baby. I followed our pediatrician’s recommendations until he was a certain age, but…
Breastfeeding Support Options
Just like there is no such thing as “one size fits all” bras, breastfeeding help is no different. The best person that you can reach out to for breastfeeding support is a breastfeeding professional. Makes sense, right? In this article we will discuss the different types of breastfeeding support options that are available. As a…
When Should Baby Start Solid Food?
I was so excited to start solid foods with my first baby. With ingredients from our community-supported agriculture delivery, I made her baby food with love. I ordered special spoons (to help with her ergonomics) and bowls, plates, cups and storage containers. And then guess what? She hated pureed food. Finally I tried giving her…
What’s the Best Formula for My Baby?
We are often asked, as lactation counselors, what formula is best for my baby? (Yes lactation counselors are experts in ALL modes of infant feeding, not just breastfeeding.) This also comes up when we are supporting families as postpartum doulas. For us, the best baby formula should follow three simple rules. As a reminder, we…