LALactation

LALactation When nature needs nurtured. Just as every birth story is unique, so is every breastfeeding journey. Select insurance accepted
(8)

09/10/2026

I’ll go first. I used a Medela Freestyle with my first until I got this Hygeia Enjoye. It was the most amazing pump! The dials allowed you to customize the speech and vacuum to find the perfect flow. But we were limited in fl**ge sizing as my older daughter is now 10 years old. I got a Spectra with my second since that pump was more readily available. While I liked it and used it a lot, I still relied heavily on my Enjoye. My little is 7 years old. We still didn’t have many fl**ge sizes available. I used 21’s and would have to hand express after every pump session to fully empty. If I were pumping today I’d probably use a 12 or 13!!

There are SO many breastfeeding positions, and somehow we have turned them into a list of rules that moms feel like they...
09/10/2026

There are SO many breastfeeding positions, and somehow we have turned them into a list of rules that moms feel like they have to memorize.

Cross-cradle. Football hold. Cradle hold. Side-lying. Laid-back. Koala. Upright. Reclined. Biological nurturing. And then there are all the variations you create at 2 a.m. when your baby is hungry and you are trying to figure out how to feed them without fully waking up. And don’t forget once baby gets to the gymnurstics stage.

Here is what I want you to know: Your position matters a lot less than your baby’s position, especially in the beginning.

There is no one single magical breastfeeding position that works for every mom, every baby, every breast, or every feeding situation.

Your job is not to sit perfectly still in a textbook position while your baby nurses. Find a position that allows your baby to latch deeply, transfer milk effectively, breathe comfortably, and stay organized at the breast while keeping YOU comfortable.

The most common breastfeeding positions

Cross-cradle hold

Baby is supported by the arm opposite the breast you are feeding from. If you are feeding from the left breast, your right arm supports the baby.

This is one of my favorite positions for learning because you have a lot of control over the baby’s head, neck, and body. You can help guide the baby toward the breast instead of trying to bring your breast to the baby.

Cradle hold

Baby is supported by the arm on the same side as the breast being used.

This is often one of the positions moms naturally gravitate toward once breastfeeding is established. It can be very comfortable, but it can be harder for a brand-new baby who still needs a little more help getting organized at the breast.

Football, Rugby or clutch hold

Baby is tucked alongside your body with their legs pointing behind you and their head near your breast.

This can be particularly helpful when you want more visibility of the baby’s face and mouth, or when you need to keep the baby’s body from resting across your abdomen. Especially post c-section to take pressure off the belly.

It can also be useful for certain postpartum situations, larger breasts, twins, or babies who benefit from a little more positional support.

Laid-back or reclined breastfeeding

Mom reclines comfortably and baby lies on top of or against her body.

This is sometimes called biological nurturing because it allows the baby to use their innate feeding behaviors while gravity and your body provide support.

And no, you do not have to be completely horizontal. Reclined can mean many different angles.

Side-lying

Mom and baby lie on their sides facing each other.

This can be wonderful for rest and nighttime feeding once you and your baby are comfortable with it and understand safe sleep practices.

It is also a great reminder that breastfeeding does not have to look like sitting in a chair with a nursing pillow every three hours.

Upright or koala hold

Baby is sitting more upright against your body with their legs straddling you.

This can be particularly useful for older babies, babies who prefer a more upright position, or situations where a baby seems more comfortable with less pressure on their abdomen.

And as babies get bigger, you may discover that they develop their own creative interpretations of “breastfeeding position.”

So what actually matters?

In the beginning, baby positioning matters tremendously. A newborn does not necessarily have the motor control, body awareness, head control, or oral coordination to simply figure everything out while you hold them in whatever position happens to be convenient. I want to see baby supported. Think about the baby’s ear, shoulder, and hip being generally aligned, rather than the baby having to turn their head to reach the breast. The baby should be close enough that they do not have to reach or stretch themselves toward the breast.

Their chest and abdomen should be facing your body rather than having their head turned one direction and their body another.

Their neck should have enough freedom for them to open their mouth and extend toward the breast.

And most importantly, bring baby to the breast rather than trying to put the breast into baby’s mouth.

That distinction can make a huge difference.

A baby who is supported well can open widely, approach the breast, take in a good amount of breast tissue, and use their tongue and jaw more effectively.

A baby who is poorly positioned may end up hanging onto the ni**le, slipping shallowly onto the breast, repeatedly losing the latch, clicking, pulling, compressing the ni**le, or working much harder than they need to.

Newborns need to practice feeding. BUT!!! Once your baby has mastered the latch and developed better motor control, you can become MUCH more flexible.

Your 6-month-old does not need to be positioned like a newborn.

Your 9-month-old probably isn’t going to politely sit still in cross-cradle while you carefully arrange every body part.

And your toddler?

Well… good luck.

Older babies become incredibly creative.

They nurse while sitting up.

They nurse while crawling.

They nurse upside down.

They twist.

They kneel.

They stretch one leg across your lap.

They grab your shirt.

They decide they need to look around the room while still attached to your breast.

And that’s okay.

Breastfeeding does not have to look perfect to work.

As your baby’s skills develop, the amount of positional support they need changes.

The goal becomes less about maintaining a perfect textbook position and more about asking:

Is this working?

Is your baby comfortable?

Are they able to maintain the latch?

Are they transferring milk?

Are you comfortable?

Is the ni**le coming out looking relatively normal after the feed?

Are you experiencing pain?

Are you developing areas of breast inflammation or recurrent plugged areas?

If a position consistently causes ni**le pain, damage, blanching, compression, or trauma, something needs to change.

If you repeatedly develop a tender area in the same part of your breast after feeding in a particular position, I would pay attention to that pattern.

If a position seems to contribute to breast inflammation or recurrent plugged areas, it is worth experimenting with positioning and milk removal rather than assuming you just need to tolerate it.

And if your baby consistently struggles to latch, cannot maintain the latch, coughs or chokes frequently, has difficulty coordinating sucking, swallowing and breathing, or is not transferring milk effectively, changing positions may help, but it is also important to figure out why.

Position can compensate for certain challenges, but it does not necessarily fix the underlying problem.

Breasts are not all shaped the same. Ni***es are not all positioned the same. Babies do not all have the same oral anatomy, muscle tone, coordination, temperament, or developmental skills. Moms do not all have the same bodies, flexibility, postpartum recovery, or comfort needs. You need to breastfeed in a position that works for your anatomy, your baby’s anatomy, your baby’s developmental abilities, and the two of you together.

Find what works.

Then change it when it stops working.

Your baby will grow, your bodies will change, and your breastfeeding positions will change right along with them.

Hypermobility doesn’t stop at your joints. It can affect your breastfeeding experience, too.When people think about hype...
09/10/2026

Hypermobility doesn’t stop at your joints. It can affect your breastfeeding experience, too.

When people think about hypermobility, they often picture knees that bend backward, flexible fingers, or joints that seem to move beyond a typical range.

But connective tissue is found throughout the entire body!!! Including the breasts, ni**les, skin, ligaments, fascia, and blood vessels that connect them to the body!!!!!!

That means the same collagen differences that contribute to generalized joint hypermobility can also influence how breastfeeding and pumping feel.

As an IBCLC and speech-language pathologist, I think this is one of the most under-recognized reasons some parents struggle with nursing or pumping. Too often they’re told, “Your latch looks fine,” or “You’ll just get used to it,” when the reality is that their connective tissue may be responding differently.

Here’s what I commonly see.

Elastic ni**les can change the pumping experience. Not every person with hypermobility has elastic ni**les, and not every elastic ni**le is caused by hypermobility. But there is significant overlap. An elastic ni**le stretches much more readily when suction is applied. During pumping, the ni**le may be pulled much farther into the fl**ge tunnel than expected. Sometimes the ar**la is drawn deeply into the fl**ge as well.

For some mothers, this causes:
• Pain or burning
• Friction against the sides of the tunnel
• Swelling during the pumping session
• Reduced comfort despite trying multiple fl**ge sizes
• Milk removal that feels less efficient than expected

Many moms assume they need a larger fl**ge because more tissue is entering the tunnel. Often, that’s exactly the opposite of what is needed.

We need to support the ni**le while minimizing unnecessary pulling and avoid pulling stretchy ar**la tissue into the fl**ge tunnel. The correct fl**ge size and shape can make a tremendous difference in both comfort and milk removal.

Sometimes fl**ge inserts, softer silicone fl**ges, or fl**ges with a different tunnel design are more comfortable than simply sizing up. I tend to find smaller, hard plastic fl**ges in a shape better fit for each breast shape work better than silicone for hypermobility. We need stability before mobility.

Breastfeeding can present its own challenges. A baby removes milk very differently than a pump. They use suction, but they also rhythmically compress the breast with their tongue and jaw.

For someone with more elastic connective tissue, however, the ni**le may stretch farther into the baby’s mouth during a feeding. While ni**le stretching is a normal part of breastfeeding, excessive stretching can contribute to discomfort for some.

Sometimes mothers describe the sensation as:
• Pulling
• Burning
• Deep aching
• Tissue fatigue after feeds

The latch may actually be excellent (or baby may also have hypermobility or other issues like tongue tie!!!! I see that more and more in families!!!)

The discomfort may be because highly elastic tissue is responding differently to the normal forces of breastfeeding.

Positioning matters more than many people realize. Hypermobility often means the muscles have to work harder to stabilize joints because the ligaments provide less passive support. Now imagine holding a growing baby for 20–40 minutes, eight or more times each day.

Shoulders elevate.
Wrists bend.
Thumbs support breast tissue.
The neck flexes.
The lower back rounds.
Hips rotate.

Even a position that looks comfortable can become exhausting. Many hypermobile mothers tell me they feel completely drained after feeds because their muscles have been doing so much work just to maintain the position.

This is where support becomes essential. Don’t think of pillows and furniture as a convenience. Think of them as part of your treatment plan. Supporting your elbows, forearms, wrists, lower back, and the baby’s weight can significantly reduce muscle fatigue over the course of a day.

Sometimes one extra pillow makes all the difference. Sometimes feeding in bed or in side lying promote longevity.

Sensory experiences matter, too. Many people with hypermobility also experience sensory processing differences, dysautonomia, or conditions such as POTS or hEDS. While these don’t occur together in everyone, they are common enough that they deserve consideration.

The sound of a pump.
The vibration.
The repetitive suction.
The feeling of tissue stretching.

These sensations can become overwhelming, even if the pump is technically “working.” This is why choosing a breast pump shouldn’t be based on suction strength alone, or what’s popular on social media or with other moms

Questions I often ask include:
• Does the vibration feel soothing or irritating?
• Does the suction feel smooth or sharp?
• Can you comfortably trigger multiple letdowns?
• Does the pump leave your ni**les feeling bruised or swollen afterward?

The “best” pump is the one that removes milk effectively while respecting your body’s unique sensory and connective tissue needs.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

One of my biggest hopes for lactation care is that we stop assuming every body responds the same way.

Connective tissue differences matter. Joint stability matters. Sensory experiences matter. Comfort matters.

And when we recognize those differences instead of dismissing them, we can help parents find solutions that actually fit their bodies and not just the average body described in a textbook.

💙 If you’ve ever been told, “Your latch looks perfect, so I don’t know why it hurts,” or “Everyone finds pumping uncomfortable,” know that your experience is valid. Sometimes the missing piece isn’t your effort, it’s understanding how your connective tissue and nervous system influence the way breastfeeding and pumping feel.

Have you experienced breastfeeding or pumping differently because of hypermobility or elastic ni**les? I’d love to hear what helped you.

09/10/2026

Shaking your breast milk won’t hurt it. You can’t break with a shake. If you’re concerned about air bubbles being swallowed, gently swirling is totally fine. Warming the milk will also help the separated fat mix back in smoothly. Does your baby like your milk shake?

09/10/2026

If breastfeeding isn’t going as expected after birth, sometimes we need to protect mom’s milk supply by hand expressing or pumping and feed that back to the baby. This helps clear jaundice, regulate baby’s blood sugar, and feed the baby. Syringe feeding is a great way to give small amounts of colostrum to a fresh newborn. This baby was less than 48 hours old and not feeding well because she was too sleepy. The colostrum wasn’t being swallowed and we were concerned about losing that liquid gold. So we got her to latch to the bottle ni**le and syringe with no more loss. This needed supplemented like this for a few days, was able to transition back to breast and breastfed until she turned 2 years old! Temporary supplementation in the beginning can support breastfeeding goals.

09/09/2026

This is not a sponsored video or paid promotion. The Evenflo balance bottle has a wide, taper ni**le that helps promote a deep latch. This is the kind of latch we want when a baby is breast-feeding. Every once in a while, I’ll have a family that complains that the ni**le collapses or the baby takes a really long time to feed from the system. Often times the key lies in the vent. Every baby bottle has vent to prevent a vacuum from being formed inside the bottle. If the vent is being obstructed, a vacuum builds up in the bottle, which makes the ni**le collapse in the flow very slow. This one trick will help eliminate that in these bottles.

09/09/2026

This sounds like a reasonable goal. But for breastfeeding, this expectation can often set parents up for frustration

Milk supply is largely driven by milk removal. When milk is removed frequently and effectively, breasts receive the signal to keep making milk. In the early months, overnight feeds are important because prolactin levels are higher at night. As breastfeeding becomes established, some moms can gradually stretch overnight intervals without seeing a meaningful change in supply. SOME but not everyone’s breasts respond the same way

Some moms have abundant storage capacity and can comfortably go longer between milk removals while maintaining production. Others have a smaller storage capacity and need more frequent milk removal to produce the same total amount over 24 hours. Two mothers can make the exact same amount of milk in a day but have very different “storage tanks.” One baby may be able to sleep a longer stretch without affecting supply; another may need to feed more frequently to keep production where it needs to be

Breastfed babies are not biologically programmed to consolidate all of their feeding into daytime hours simply because we would like them to sleep at night. Their sleep patterns change dramatically throughout the first year, and nighttime waking is normal

For some, the long-term goal really does become a baby who sleeps a long stretch at night and gets most or all of their milk during the day. But that is an outcome, not a breastfeeding milestone every dyad can or should be expected to achieve

If YOUR baby is waking to nurse at night, that’s expected and typical. If YOUR baby naturally starts sleeping longer stretches while your supply remains robust, that doesn’t mean everyone else’s body should be able to do the same.

Instead of asking, “How do I get my breastfed baby to sleep all night?” it may be more helpful to ask:

Is my baby growing well?
Are they transferring milk effectively?
Is my milk production meeting their needs?
And is our current feeding pattern working for our family?

Breastfeeding isn’t a 24-hour schedule that your baby has to eventually “graduate” from

09/09/2026

How often are you just using hot, soapy water to wash your bottles and pump parts? Or are you sanitizing multiple times a day?

Bottle washer/sanitizers are a great modern convenience. They take the load off of busy working parents who don’t want to stand at the sink for long periods of time each day. But remember: hot, soapy water washes are actually what is recommended for washing bottles and pump parts. Sanitizing (we can’t actually sterilize outside of a hospital setting) is recommended before first use and at least once daily for vulnerable infants, such as those under 2 to 3 months old, born prematurely, or with weakened immune systems. For older, healthy, full-term babies, daily sanitizing may not be strictly necessary after the initial sanitization, provided the items are thoroughly washed with hot, soapy water (or run through a dishwasher) after every single use. Make sure to wash parts in a separate bin in the sink to prevent them from contacting the sink surface which may have other bacteria in it. If you’re using the fridge hack to extend pump sessions, I usually do recommend sanitizing once a day since those parts are more prone to milk build up and the potential to contact bacteria and germs.

☕️ Can you have caffeine while breastfeeding? YES.For most breastfeeding moms, up to about 300 mg of caffeine per day is...
09/09/2026

☕️ Can you have caffeine while breastfeeding? YES.

For most breastfeeding moms, up to about 300 mg of caffeine per day is considered a low-to-moderate amount ( that’s roughly 2–3 cups of coffee, depending on how strong your coffee is). Caffeine passes into breast milk in small amounts, with milk levels generally peaking about 1–2 hours after you consume it. (CDC)

Your body gradually clears caffeine from your bloodstream, and the amount in your milk falls along with it. Newborns, especially premature babies, clear caffeine slower than adults, so they may be more sensitive to higher maternal intake. (NCBI)

One thing I recommend: if you avoided caffeine during pregnancy, start low and slow postpartum. Try a small amount and see how you and your baby respond rather than jumping straight back into your pre-pregnancy coffee routine. If your baby becomes unusually jittery, fussy, or has difficulty sleeping, consider reducing your intake. Some babies are sensitive to it and some are not! Drink your coffee while you’re breastfeeding. They’ll be done with that feeding before it enters your milk and that will give it time to peak and start decreasing before the next feeding.

Caffeine isn’t just coffee! Tea, soda, energy drinks, and some medications can all contribute to your daily total.

Breastfeeding doesn’t mean giving up your coffee. ☕️❤️

09/08/2026

There are bottle washers that also sterilize. And if you get used to one of those, remember that using a microwave steam bag will not wash the parts, it just sanitizes them. Remember: washing parts in hot soapy water is usually all that is needed for cleaning pump parts and bottles. Sanitizing is only necessary for premature or immune compromised babies or those in NICU. Full term, healthy babies only need you to regularly clean and wash parts. I do also recommend sanitizing in the steam bags in the microwave or a bottle washer with sterilizer/sanitizer if you have any concerns with the cleanliness of your work environment (I worked in a hospital and I sanitized after every pump in the microwave bags because ew).

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