Lo’s Lactation Lab

Did you have a tongue tie procedure and expect for your breastfeeding experience to feel different? Were you disappointed to discover that it didn’t get better, and in fact, in some ways it felt worse? Why is this the case? IBCLC (and tongue tie parent) Lo Nigrosh talks about why tongue tie recovery is not as cut and dry as snipping a frenulum. On this episode you will hear: The various scenarios...

Did your expectations of baby feeding and parenting match your reality? Do you feel the same about nursing babies now as you did when you were pregnant? If you have more than one baby, do you feel the same as you did after your first? Lex Beach shares with us how she evolved as both a breastfeeding mom and a parent as she had the opportunity to nurse 5 out of 7 of her children! On this episode you...

Have you been told how frequently to nurse your baby? Did someone tell you to nurse every 2-3 hours for 15-20 minutes on each side? Is this what your baby actually does? On today’s episode of The Milk Making Minutes IBCLC Lo NIgrosh talks about the difference between prescriptive breastfeeding plans and descriptive advice based on the averages of what babies tend to do, and how knowing the differe...

Did the reality of breastfeeding and the postpartum period match your expectations? I don’t know very many people who can say that this was true for them. Lex Beach shares her entry into motherhood by becoming pregnant with twins, and learning to breastfeed them despite facing a lot of difficulty and not feeling very sure of herself for many months. Lex is a mom of 7 children, so next week we will...

Do you get asked about when you will stop nursing your baby? Are you tired of responding to comments about this? Whether you are being bombarded with questions or feeling fully supported in your baby feeding decisions, have you ever wondered how humans compare to other mammalian species when it comes to nursing? Have you been told by a pediatrician or other medical provider that nursing beyond one...

Did you come to parenthood and baby feeding wanting to either do things exactly like your parents or completely differently? My guest Alida felt the weight of her mom’s difficult birth and breastfeeding experience and carried that weight her entire life. She was determined to do things differently. As she entered motherhood, birth and breastfeeding did work out differently, but she also learned to...

Do you worry about your nutrition while lactating? Are you worried that your breastfeeding baby isn’t getting enough nutrients through your milk based on what you are eating? As a lactation professional or perinatal health professional do you field lots of questions about what your clients should and should not be eating? IBCLC Lo Nigrosh demystifies nutrition in today’s quick hit episode: On this...

What do you think makes the biggest difference in whether or not someone has the baby feeding experience they hoped for? Is it research? Is it having a certain kind of birth? Mel briefly mentions what made the difference for her as she described her blissful breastfeeding experience, and she hit the nail on the head. This is what the data tells us to. Listen to discover what it could be. On this e...

Do you ever wonder why feeding babies from our own bodies is so hard? We are mammals, so when and how did it become challenging? Today, I take a dip into some evolutionary and anthropological research that helps answer these questions that are always top of mind for me as a breastfeeding mother and an IBCLC. On this episode you will hear: Evolutionary factors that influence breastfeeding Societal...

Do you ever just want to hear a story of success? A story where nursing turns out as hoped and planned for, and support happens as it should? Kanika Chadda Gupta is a mom of boy/girl twins and a singleton, just 18 months apart and she was able to meet her breastfeeding goals by setting up the support she knew would be critical to their success. On this episode you will hear: the cultural perspecti...

In this episode, host Lo Nigrosh, an internationally board-certified lactation consultant, childbirth educator, and doula, shares valuable insights to support successful breastfeeding by taking proactive steps during pregnancy and childbirth. In this episode you will hear: Plan for Success: Develop a baby feeding preference list and discuss it with your partner and healthcare providers before chil...

Were you in a different headspace for one baby than you were for another? Were you able to breastfeed one baby and not another? This week’s guest, Lindsay Valenty discusses her decision to formula feed her first child in order to fully focus on becoming a mom without adding more stress to her life, and then making a decision to breastfeed with her second. She also shares what pumping was like in a...

Do you wonder about how pacifier use impacts breastfeeding or chestfeeding? Have you heard conflicting advice about pacifier use as it relates to bodyfeeding? Today, The Milk Making Minutes host IBCLC Lo Nigrosh discusses the nuances of pacifier use so that you can feel confident about making the decision that is right for your family. On this episode you will hear: Why pacifiers are controversial...

Did you struggle to breastfeed or chestfeed your baby and never figured out why it was so difficult? Did you feel lost and alone trying to learn to latch, pump, increase your supply and settle into a peaceful parenthood where you felt confident about the decisions you made? Kayla Chatteron is a full spectrum doula and sexual reproductive health educator as well as a placenta encapsulator. But when...

Do you have strong memories from feeding your babies? Are you currently pregnant and dreaming about or planning for the postpartum period when your baby will finally be in your arms? This week I have a very special episode. I attended the Pioneer Valley Community Baby Shower and I was able to interview pregnant people, perinatal supporters, and people who are newly postpartum about their baby feed...

Are you navigating both motherhood and working and all that comes with that? Breastfeeding while working comes with a unique set of challenges that are exacerbated by the systemic failures that require us to return to work often before our milk supply is fully established. Deanna shares her experiences of working and breastfeeding. On this episode IBCLC you will hear themes related to: Bottle refu...

Have you ever felt as if your worth was determined by how many ounces you produced or by how you fed your babies? Did it feel like you were just a milk making machine and that every single feeding or pumping session determined your worth for that moment? As someone who supports families in the perinatal period, do you want to better support your clients’ whole health? On this episode IBCLC Lo Nigr...

Have you ever continued to breastfeed/chestfeed or pump to the detriment of your own health? My guest Maggie discusses how focusing solely on breastfeeding, and not on her physical and emotional health in the postpartum exacerbated her postpartum mood disorders after giving birth to her first baby. After much struggle, and finding the right intensive support, she made sure to create a plan that he...

As a parent do you feel like you are building the plane as you fly it? My guest Katie, a Child Life Specialist, the host of the Child Life on Call Podcast, and creator of the Child Life on Call App for other professionals helps clarify one important element of new parenting: helping an older sibling welcome a new baby. Topics covered in this episode: Preparing the older sibling for what’s to come...

Do you need a dose of confidence in your life? Are you in need of someone to inspire you to feel like you can accomplish any goal you’ve set before you? I needed some of Gretchen’s confidence in my own life this week, and so I’m re-sharing Episode 11 with my dear friend this week. On this episode you will hear: Gretchen’s plan to breastfeed because she wanted to be unhindered Gretchen’s preparatio...

On today's Bonus episode of the podcast, Katie of Child Life on Call interviews Lo, certified IBCLC Lactation Consultant and Host of The Milk Making Minutes Podcast. Whether your journey consisted of breastfeeding or not she shares how lactation consultants can assist with feeding the NICU and beyond. Lo shares her heart and mission behind supporting families. Whether you are a parent of a baby in...

Have you been given a nipple shield by someone in the hospital and now you are left feeding your baby with a tool you don’t know how to wean from? While nipple shields can be a useful tool that allow people to begin nursing, they can also have negative long-term impacts on milk supply and duration of human milk feeding. On this episode IBCLC Lo Nigrosh discusses: Why nipple shields are handed out...

Are you forging a new path for generations to come by being amongst the first in your family to breastfeed or chestfeed? Is it hard to know what to expect or to even know what questions to ask as you choose this path for you and your baby? My guest Tashery shares her experiences of learning as she went, advocating for herself, and getting the right help and the right times to help her to reach her...

On this special 100th Episode we have a special Guest Host! Chelsea of Beyond the Picket Fence turns the Mic on Lo and asks her about the struggles and triumphs of her baby feeding experiences. On this episode you will hear themes related to: Severe pain while breastfeeding Tethered Oral Ties Galactosemia Gestational Diabetes Homebirth Becoming a lactation professional Nursing toddlers You can hea...

Elena Kersey gave birth to identical twins in a private hospital in Malaysia where she felt very cared for in the early postpartum period. Her babies had very different abilities to breastfeed, and this meant that she needed to pump, breastfeed and use formula, which was not what she planned on doing prenatally. Elena discusses how her expectations differed from reality and the toll this took on h...