Breastfeeding Outside the Box

042 Getting Started with Inducing Lactation/ Relactation

  Cathy, like so many other non-birthing parents wanting to induce lactation or relactate, is trying to unravel all of the varying information she has received.  So she emailed us for help.  When I suggested we might share her email on the podcast so that we could help others in her shoes, Cathy agreed.  This podcast episode is devoted to addressing Cathy's questions, concerns, and confusion around the basics of how to induce lactation/relactate -- and you might find it addresses some of yo...

052: At-Breast/Chest Supplementation Tips and More

For as long as I've known my podcast co-host Hope Lien, she has been my go-to person for questions about at-breast/chest supplementation.  When nursing her daughter by adoption (pictured here), at-breast supplementation was a key to her success - as it is for most parents who need to provide long-term supplementation.  She understands first-hand how frustrating at-breast/chest supplementation can be at the beginning and how invaluable it can be in the long run.  Getting from frustration to l...

#51: Ask Dr. Nice: A Case Study on the Impact of Parent's Medications on Milk Production when Inducing Lactation

It's a case study!  Something a little bit different in our discussion with Dr. Nice, our pharmacist expert.  Alyssa had connected with a mom-to-be Courtni who was inducing lactation with very quick and abundant milk production.  She wanted to figure out what Courtni was doing so that she could learn from Courtni's experience to help other parents.  (We at Sweet Pea are always trying to learn more about how to support the nursing success of non-birthing parents!)  ... but Alyssa could not fi...

050 Stephanie Wagner, IBCLC, on chestfeeding and supporting the LGBTQIA community

As it turns out, breastfeeding is not just "A Womanly Art."  Steph shares an incredible story about a same-sex male couple she worked with who both nursed their baby, exclusively providing human milk for baby's first 6 months.  How does this work?  Creativity, support, milk expressed by baby's gestational carrier, and a tiny feeding tube at the father's nipple.  Steph gives us the details of this amazing nursing relationship and how to support any LGBTQIA family interested in breastfeeding/...

#49: Ditching the Dom - Inducing Lactation or Relactating without Domperidone

With the FDA warning against domperidone, we have noticed an increasing number of U.S. parents who choose to induce lactation or relactate without using the pharmaceutical medication domperidone.  While we have spent many episodes discussing the safety and effectiveness of domperidone, our ultimate goal is to  meet each parent with a plan for inducing lactation or relactation that is consistent with their preferences.  In this episode Alyssa and Hope discuss alternatives to domperidone and h...

048: Ask Dr. Nice: Safety of Medications While Breastfeeding

For breastfeeding parents, safely taking medications - whether they are for the parent's health or for increasing milk production - can be complex.  It is a delicate balance between the parent's health, the safety of the milk for the baby, and the importance of breastfeeding.  It involves communication between the parent's health care providers, the baby's health care providers, and the pharmacist who can help to put it all together.  Here our friend and pharmacist with a ton of experience ...

047: Ask Dr. Nice: Safety and Side Effects of Domperidone

In the US, it is natural that we have a lot of concerns about the safety and side effects of domperidone.  Our Food & Drug Administration has not yet approved this medication (see episode #4 for more on that) so parents are generally obtaining it without a doctor's or certified nurse midwife's prescription*.  That also means that the pharmacist is not able to oversee use of domperidone and how it plays out with other medications that the nursing parent is taking.  That is our unfortunate re...

046: Katie and NC share their adventures in inducing lactation and co-nursing

about their co-nursing experience, and with Katie about inducing lactation!  It has been a joy-filled road for them with a few bumps along the way ... including concerns with safety of medications, not always supportive healthcare providers, ​sore nipples, middle of the night challenges, and a bout of baby preferring one mom for bedtime nursing.  With creativity, communication and resourcefulness these two moms have navigated these challenges and now that baby is 10 months old they look back...

045 Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex with Alia Macrina Heise, IBCLC

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex, more commonly known as D-MER, is one of the most severe breastfeeding challenges yet also one of the least known or understood.  D-MER is a feeling of dysphoria caused by the hormonal shift that occurs when the milk releases during nursing, pumping, or any other time a let-down is triggered.  So if you or anyone you know experiences significant negative feelings when milk lets-down, you may want to hear what Alia Macrina Heise has to share.  Propelled by her p...

044 Self-Care for New Parents during the Holidays and Beyond

Alyssa and Hope get real!  Being a new parent isn't always the blissful joy we might see on holiday cards.  It can be really tough times, as well as wonderful times.  We suggest that the balance lies in self-care.  It can be so difficult to care for ourselves as new parents, and we haven't always done the best job of it ourselves. We hope our stories and discussion will support you and propel you into a holiday season and new year of simple joys and caring for yourself just as well as you al...

043 Ask Dr. Nice: More on Herbs for Increasing Milk Production

While using medications is a science, using herbs for increasing milk production doesn't seem quite as straightforward.  There are so many nuances to consider:  ​How do I know if a particular herb is helpful for me? What form of the herb should I take? ​What about using herbs in combination with domperidone? ​Can taking herbs alone boost my milk production?  Should I even try this? Alyssa discusses these tricky herb questions and more in this Ask Dr. Nice episode.

042 Getting Started with Inducing Lactation/ Relactation

    Cathy, like so many other non-birthing parents wanting to induce lactation or relactate, is trying to unravel all of the varying information she has received.  So she emailed us for help.  When I suggested we might share her email on the podcast so that we could help others in her shoes, Cathy agreed.  This podcast episode is devoted to addressing Cathy's questions, concerns, and confusion around the basics of how to induce lactation/relactate -- and you might find it addresses some o...

041 Inducing Lactation using Depo-Provera with Chrissy Fleishman, intended mother

We are thrilled to re-visit an early podcast interview with Chrissy Fleishman who induced lactation for her baby born via surrogacy.  There are a couple of reasons why we are re-releasing it now.  One, we thought Chrissy gave a great interview.  She is well-informed and enthusiastic, and her experience has followed a fairly typical pattern - if there is such a thing in inducing lactation!  Second, we want to address a particular experience Chrissy shares.  Chrissy had Depo-Provera injections...

ADN: More On Medications for Increasing Milk Production

We can't get enough of talking with Dr. Nice about medications for increasing milk production.  Domperidone is at the forefront of our discussion, as usual.  We delve a bit deeper into dosages and side effects of dom with Dr. Nice.   But we don't leave you there:  we know that domperidone is tricky business in the United States right now (since it is not yet FDA approved) and wondered if there may be other medications for increasing milk production that are both safe and more available in th...

039 Malunggay for Milk Production with Angela Veloso from Go-Lacta

I first learned about Malunggay (a.k.a. Moringa) as an herb to help with milk production when I was writing Breastfeeding Without Birthing.  When Diana West, IBCLC, author of Making More Milk and internationally known expert on milk production, was reviewing a draft of my book she suggested adding this really helpful herb.  I'm so glad she did!  Since then, I've worked with countless nursing parents who have successfully used this herb  -  whether they are inducing lactation, relactating, or...

038 I AM: Breastfeeding. Supporting Breastfeeding in Urban Communities

I had a blast talking with SonJoria Sydnor and Denecia Harrell about support for breastfeeding families of color in the St. Louis area and beyond. They talked about the needs around breastfeeding for families of color and how they provide the specific support that is needed. Whether it is through group meetings, home visits, texts, or social media I AM: Breastfeeding is there for breastfeeding families of color in St. Louis. You can read the rest of our show notes here. 

037 ADN Safety of Alcohol, Marijuana, and other Medications while Breastfeeding

A little something new with Dr. Nice!  We've talked with in the past with Dr. Nice mostly about galactogogues:  medications, herbs, and foods for promoting milk production.  This time we pick his brain about medications the nursing parent may take for herself rather than her milk production.  This includes medications for the nursing parent's health and for her recreation ... such as alcohol and marijuana. See more information on our show notes at: www.SweetPeaBreastfeeding.com/podcast.

036 Co-Nursing, Tandem Nursing, and Nursing Triplets with Cliona and Sue

Introducing the winners of the 2017 World Breastfeeding Triathlon!  Okay, I just made that up.  But if there was one, this couple would certainly have been a top contender.  Together they have successfully relactated, co-nursed, and nursed triplets.  Add tongue-ties for all of their children and you start to get the picture!  We think you will find this lovely couple as delightful and their story as heart-warming as we did! See more information on our show notes at: www.SweetPeaBreastfeeding...

035: ADN: Using herbs and foods for increasing milk production

Dr. Nice is back, and he answers questions about the other half of the galactogogue equation:  herbs and foods that may be used to support milk production.  (Last time we interviewed Dr. Nice, we discussed pharmaceutical medications for increasing milk production.  Check out episode #32.)  We discuss whether to take herbs individually or in combination, whether to consume them in food or separately, and more.  We even get into the relationship between digestion and milk production, and how ...

034 A Mother and Daughter's Adoptive Breastfeeding Story with Jennifer Cooper, IBCLC

We've talked with other adoptive mothers before, but this one is different!  Jennifer brought her daughter home as an older baby and when she finally began nursing, her daughter was 2 years old.  Bringing a toddler to the breast required determination but it was well worth it, according to both Jennifer and her daughter Helina.  (Yes, you'll hear what 8-year-old Helina has to say about her nursing experience in this extraordinary episode!) See more information on our show notes at: www.Sweet...

033 Queer Birth Project

Because it is our mission at Breastfeeding Outside the Box to support non-traditional families - growing families who have historically not received the information and support they need and deserve - we are so pleased to introduce you to Queer Birth Project.  This is an amazing organization that provides local and online education and resources to both LGBTQ parents and the family building and early parenting professionals working with them. (That includes Lactation Professionals!)  And for...

032 Ask Dr. Nice: Medications for Increasing Milk Production

In this episode, Dr. Frank Nice debuts his first special episode on our podcast! He gives some updates about Domperidone as well as talks about the use of Reglan for parents who want to use these medications to increase their milk production, as well as some of the risks and possible side effects. See more information on our show notes at: www.SweetPeaBreastfeeding.com/podcast.

031 Tongue- and Lip-Tie with Dr. Catherine Sledge

Ah tongue- and lip-ties!  We've heard A LOT about them from our podcast interviewees.  Hope and I both have children who've had them.  So, while not outside-the-box per se, tongue- and lip-ties affect many babies regardless of any other circumstances and so we wanted to be sure to address them.  Dr. Catherine Sledge is a family dentist who deals a lot with tongue- and lip-tie, and we are so thrilled that she was willing to take the time to talk with us and share her expertise on this very...

030 Supplementing Breastfeeding for Lower Producing Parents

What do adoption, surrogacy, partnering with a birthing parent, breast/chest surgery, and insufficient glandular tissue (IGT) have in common?  Parents who CAN and DO breastfeed.  In most of these situations, parents will need to supplement their milk production with extra milk or formula in order to meet their babies needs.  How that supplementation goes greatly impacts the long term success of breastfeeding.  So, while we can address how to make the most milk possible, it is also at least a...

029 Our Biggest Breastfeeding Mistakes

I (Alyssa) have had a guilty conscience for a long time.  On this podcast, in my private practice, in my book, and when I speak at conferences, I share breastfeeding guidance that I myself did not take when nursing my babies.  It's not that I am a hypocrite - it is that I just don't want other parents to go through the same struggles that I did.   So why am I sharing this with you?  I want you to know that, just like you, I did not do everything perfectly.  I also want you to know that despi...

028 Adoptive Breastfeeding and Relactation with Deziray Click, PA

What an opportunity to hear from a medical professional who has brought in milk for her adopted baby.  Deziray's expertise as a physician's assistant gave her added confidence in using a medical approach to inducing lactation.  For her, that worked really, really wonderfully.   She actually had a surplus of milk for her baby that she was able to donate her extra ounces to a friend unable to nurse due to cancer and to several other adoptive families. This degree of milk production is not typi...

027 Trans Masculine Nursing, Co-Nursing and Inducing Lactation

This is a heartwarming interview not only about nursing and parenting under uncommon and in some ways unexpected circumstances, it is also about how parenting can challenge and grow the relationship between parents. Between Amy and Chris, they experienced infertility, inducing lactation, trans masculine nursing, pumping, bottle-feeding and co-nursing.

026 Top Factors That Determine How Much Milk You'll Make

What do parents most want to know about inducing lactation?  One of the things they most want to know is whether they will be able produce enough milk to meet all their baby's nutritional needs - what we often refer to as "a full milk supply." Most parents who induce lactation produce anywhere from a few drops to a full milk supply.  This is a huge range of results!  So, can we predict how much milk a parent inducing lactation may make?  What factors influence eventual milk production? In t...

025 Modifications to the SNS with Mari Wantanabe

Mari is a scientist and an innovator ... and an intended mother through surrogacy who nursed her babies.  So when the Medela Supplemental Nursing System - more commonly known as the SNS - wasn't meeting her needs, Mari tweaked it.  She didn't like the way it worked using gravity, got caught on her long hair and glasses when she hung it around her neck, leaked, and was difficult to know whether baby was getting supplement through the feeding tube.  Mari modified how she used her SNS to fix t...

024 Adoptive Breastfeeding Choices with Courtney Eckelberry

We have interviewed several adoptive mothers on the podcast, but Courtney is the first to have actually produced a surplus of milk.  Whereas most mothers who induce lactation need to supplement their milk production, Courtney was able to donate 3000 ounces of the milk she produced by inducing lactation to anther adoptive mom!  Breastfeeding has been such a positive and healing experience for Courtney that she is spreading information and support for adoptive breastfeeding through her new web...

023 Adoptive Breastfeeding with Sally Parrott, IBCLC

Sally is an adoptive mom gone lactation consultant, and she uses her personal experiences to guide her professional role with abundant wisdom and compassion.  In this interview, Sally does a beautiful job helping adoptive parents and the professionals who support them to navigate through the particular emotional and logistical challenges adoptive parents may face with breastfeeding. 

022: #22: Alyssa talks with Kristin Cavuto, IBCLC, about Low Milk Production and Insulin Resistance

Last time we talked with Kristin on the podcast, she briefly mentioned a condition called "insulin resistance" that could cause low milk production.  This was new to us!  We wanted to learn more, and thought you would, too.  On this week's podcast episode we ask Kristin a ton of tough questions about IR. It is a pretty complex topic, with still so many unknowns, but Kristin does an amazing job breaking it down for us.  Once again, we are so thankful for Kristin's lactation expertise, as well...

021 Low Milk Production and Milk Sharing with Amber Duncan

"Calm Down. It's about relationship" That is what Amber Duncan ultimately learned about breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding isn't only about feeding a baby - it is also about the connection nursing facilitates between parent and baby.  This glass-half-full (or breast/bottle-half-full in this case!) attitude allowed Amber to look beyond her own ability to produce milk and find that using a combination of her own milk and donor milk could lead her and her baby to a successful long-term breastfeedi...

Co-Nursing and Trans Feminine Nursing with Bethy and Sparrow

"They say to marry your best friend, but what about your breast friend? Our story of laughter, tears, and endless pumping proves that that a couple who breeds together can feed together!" - Bethy Annsa Interested in learning more about trans feminine nursing or co-nursing? We are delighted to share Sparrow and Bethy's beautiful story with you.  

017 Rosalie Kmiec, IBCLC on IGT

​It was a shock for Rosalie when it was determined postpartum that she had a condition called Insufficient Glandular Tissue, more commonly referred to as IGT.  IGT is a breast condition that makes it difficult - and in most cases impossible - for a nursing parent to produce enough milk to meet all her baby's feeding requirements. Rosalie understands firsthand how difficult this diagnosis can be.  She also understands that it doesn't mean the end of breastfeeding.  Today, as a lactation consu...

019 Nursing in Public with Robin Kaplan, IBCLC

When I (Alyssa) began my nursing journey almost 20 years ago, nursing in public was a BIG DEAL.  There would be criticism by others.  There was the dilemma about how and whether to cover up.  It made it pretty challenging to leave the house and still feel like you could meet the needs of your baby.  What really surprises me is that this situation hasn't changed much since then - even though many more parents are breastfeeding now!  But I hope that change is on the horizon. Robin gives us lot...

018 Low Milk Production and More with Kristin Cavuto IBCLC

This podcast episode is so absolutely rich with information and ideas, no matter what your breastfeeding outside the box situation, you won't want to pass this one up.  Starting with her own "lactastrophe", Kristen shares with us how to find help, causes of low milk production such as insufficient glandular tissue (IGT) and insulin resistance, herbs and medications that can help increase milk production, sources of milk donations, LGBTQ breastfeeding, and more.

017 Rosalie Kmiec IBCLC on Breastfeeding With IGT

​It was a shock for Rosalie when it was determined postpartum that she had a condition called Insufficient Glandular Tissue, more commonly referred to as IGT.  IGT is a breast condition that makes it difficult - and in most cases impossible - for a nursing parent to produce enough milk to meet all her baby's feeding requirements. Rosalie understands firsthand how difficult this diagnosis can be.  She also understands that it doesn't mean the end of breastfeeding.  Today, as a lactation consu...

016 Andrea and Rachael's Donor Milk Story

015 Rachel and Talana

You are in for a treat with this lovely same-sex female couple who shared the role of breastfeeding their daughter. Rachel and Talana explain that co-nursing has been a delicate balance but with many advantages.  It enhanced the closeness each parent experienced with their daughter.  It made meeting their child's needs easier.  And it strengthened their bond as a couple.  The fact that Rachel is a lactation consultant helped get them though some tough spots - and lucky for many of you, Rache...

010 Bottle Feeding Techniques with Dee Kassing, IBCLC

What?! How can you have a "breastfeeding" podcast episode on bottle-feeding?  Well pretty easily as it turns out.  We at Breastfeeding Outside the Box understand that breastfeeding cannot always look like exclusive breastfeeding, and there are many situations in which nursing parents may need to use a bottle to feed their baby.  Through her groundbreaking (and frankly, courageous) efforts, Dee Kassing has developed a method of bottle-feeding that not only doesn't cause the dreaded nipple con...

Rachel Gazda, IBCLC, on Co-Nursing for Same-Sex Female Couples

How wonderful when a family includes a breastfeeding mother! Well how about if a family includes two of them?  For same-sex female couples, both mothers can share in the nursing of their baby.  This is called co-nursing.  Co-nursing can be such a gift for families, but it also has its challenges.  Rachel is a lactation consultant with personal experience with co-nursing.  She shares her amazing wisdom and insights with us on this podcast episode!

013 Breastfeeding via Surrogacy- Our Chat With Intended Mother Chrissy

Chrissy is an intended mother, in other words she became a mother via surrogacy.  She tells us of her inspirational journey to nursing her son, from the surprising way she discovered induced lactation to her current breastfeeding relationship with her now 9-week old son.  

012 Breastfeeding in Adoption and Surrogacy with Alyssa Schnell, IBCLC

In this podcast, we catch up with Alyssa Schnell, co-host of the Breastfeeding Outside the Box podcast and author of Breastfeeding Without Birthing.  We heard a bit about Alyssa's personal story in episode #2.  Now we connect with Alyssa professionally as she shares some of her expertise on breastfeeding-without-birthing ... or breastfeeding in situations of adoption, surrogacy, foster care, co-nursing, relactation, and more.

011 Becca Part 2- Transitioning Her Older Baby Back to Breast

Some babies seem to be born knowing exactly what to do at the breast.  And for some others...well, latching comfortably and getting milk from the breast isn't so easy.  Lots of times, mothers feel that they have done something wrong when this happens, when in fact their babies are born with some extra challenges.  That was certainly the case with Becca's baby.  But Becca was resourceful and determined, and with the help of some amazing local professionals she gradually and lovingly transitio...

009 Becca Shares Her Relactation Story

Becca didn't give up.  When breastfeeding got off to a tough start and her milk production dwindled, she knew in her heart it wasn't too late.  With time, hard work, and determination Becca brought her milk back after she had lost it -a process called relactation.  She used a breast pump, medications, herbs, and the help of a myriad of local professionals.  And one pump at a time, one ounce at a time, she eventually built her milk production up to a full supply.

008 Dee Kassing IBCLC on Flange Fitting

If there was a queen of breast pump flanges it would be Dee Kassing.  I'm serious.  Dee knows A LOT about breast pumps and their flanges. What is a breast pump flange?  The flange is the clear plastic funnel-like piece that a mother places on her breasts to draw in the nipple and some of the areola in order to extract and collect milk.  But why does using the right flange matter very much?  Dee explains that using the right flange for you results in the most comfort and milk output.  If you ...

007 Finger-Feeding As Another Way to Nurse Your Baby

Hearing from Bridget and her husband Shawn will blow you away.  This incredible couple shares their touching journey through a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy, cancer treatments that did not allow mom to breastfeed, and a baby who would not accept his wet nurses or a bottle, Together this mother, father and baby discovered a solution that helped heal them all. Finger-feeding ended up not only being a way for this couple to nourish their baby, but a way to nurse their baby when traditional ...

006: Diana West on Making More Milk, Safe Sleep and Nursing for the Trans Community

We are so thrilled to have the wonderful Diana West on Breastfeeding Outside the Box.  Through her writing, speaking, and individual work with breastfeeding families, Diana has opened the doors to breastfeeding for so many parents, starting with mothers breastfeeding after breast reduction surgery.  Her influence then grew to supporting mothers with low milk production for various reasons.  And she is now expanding the understanding and support for breastfeeding/chestfeeding for the transgen...

005: Supply Line Breastfeeding with Jo Lockhart

We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to interview Jo Lockhart, nursing mother, doula, and creator/moderator of the Supply Line Breastfeeding Awareness Project Facebook page.  In this interview, Jo shares her early struggles with breastfeeding and how using a supply line (a.k.a. at-breast supplementer) has been a key element in her successful nursing relationships with her two youngest children.  Jo is now a pioneer for supply line feeding for mothers with low milk production all over ...