Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding a toddler

When I was pregnant with my first child, my friend asked me if I thought I would breastfeed. I responded, “I’ll try it and see how it goes.” So my daughter was born, and I was fortunate enough that breastfeeding came really easily to both of us.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. This means, at no additional cost to you, I will make a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

At that time, I hadn’t thought about how long I would breastfeed, but I knew I wouldn’t be one of those “weird” people who breastfed a kid past babyhood. I had read that some people did that in this fantastic book (seriously, if you read only one book during pregnancy, make it this one) my friend gave me, but I was sure extended breastfeeding wasn’t for me.

Little did I know that I would end up so passionate about nursing and its benefits! Five and a half years later, I have tandem nursed twice, meaning my oldest and middle nursed simultaneously and later my middle nursed at the same time as my youngest. Now, I’m breastfeeding a toddler for the third time. This means I have nursed non-stop for over five years.

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Is it safe to take antidepressants while breastfeeding?

There are several posts on this site about mental health and anxiety for new moms because this is a subject that impacts so many of us.

But we haven’t discussed a part of mental health that is unfortunately more taboo in our society: Antidepressant use. Since I want to focus on one of the more common antidepressants, I’ll focus mostly on Zoloft and breastfeeding.

I’ll be honest, I’m a little nervous to be talking about my own journey with antidepressant use for all the internet to see. But I know that when I was grappling with starting to use one, I would have liked to find an article like this. Plus, the stigma won’t go away if we don’t start to open up. So I’ll start with me.

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How to take care of yourself postpartum – 6 tips

Congratulations on your new baby! If you’re checking this post out, you’ve likely had a lot going on the past few weeks (or you will soon).

The adjustment to having a new baby is huge. And while there’s lots of information on how to take care of that precious bundle of joy (in fact, we have a great post on what to expect for the first few weeks of your baby’s life), there’s a lot less out there about how self-care for new moms.

RELATED: What to expect with a new baby – 8 tips

And frankly, that sucks. Your body and mind deserve better. If nothing else, your baby deserves for his mother to be treated better. (more…)

What to expect with a new baby – 8 tips

new baby

When you have a new baby, everything is so new, and it’s a steep learning curve. And the stakes feel insanely high.

Plus, you’re exhausted. The first month or two with a baby is hard. But with a few newborn tips and some support, you can do it!

So what’s normal for your little one, and what is actually something to be concerned about? Continue reading to learn more about what to expect with your newborn baby. (more…)

How to know if my breastfed baby is eating enough

Are you worried about your newborn’s breastmilk intake? After all, the hormones surging up and down (and up and down) make you much more prone to stressing about everything. And let’s be real, your baby’s food intake is your biggest job when he or she is brand new.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. You can read my full policy here.

Are you still pregnant, wanting to prepare for breastfeeding? This 90-minute online class will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know to be successful! Check it out!

At first, this job can be pretty intimidating for some moms! After all, you can look at the side of a bottle and read measurements of how many ounces (or ccs, if you’re outside of the United States) your child is drinking, but breasts don’t come with those markings.

Assuming your baby is healthy, it’s actually not that hard to know whether or not you have fed her enough. Despite this fact, I’ve noticed that there’s a lot of over-complication, fearmongering and misinformation out there. Breastfeeding support is a huge passion of mine, so I want to help. (more…)

Tandem nursing: breastfeeding while pregnant or breastfeeding two kids at once

Did you know it’s completely possible to breastfeed while pregnant, and  even to nurse two children at once? You may not hear about it often, but tandem nursing can actually be a beautiful, rewarding experience.

I got pregnant with my second when my oldest little girl was only about 14 months old.  General Leia was only 23 months old when her sister was born, but I knew that the World Health Organization recommends nursing for two years or beyond.  Besides, both of us were still enjoying nursing. So we kept it up. (more…)