The breastfeeding details no one ever told you
Partnering with Wendy McHale was a natural fit for us because of our shared commitment to providing families with trusted, evidence-based breastfeeding support and education. As an IBCLC, Wendy brings both clinical experience and compassionate guidance to these blogs. Together, our goal is to provide simple, approachable resources that empower families with the knowledge, encouragement, and confidence they deserve while answering the questions so many parents wish someone had explained sooner.
Read the guides
Why Babies Don't Swallow the Entire Time They're Breastfeeding
If your baby suckles but does not swallow the whole time, you are not doing anything wrong. Here is how the let-down reflex really works, and how to know baby is getting milk.
Read article →
Why Scheduling with Your Baby Isn’t the Solution
A tidy schedule sounds wonderful when you are exhausted. Here is why scheduling a newborn can backfire and lower your milk supply, and what works better instead.
Read article →
Breastfeeding is SO Much More than Food
If your baby wants to nurse for comfort, not just hunger, that is completely normal. Here is why breastfeeding is about so much more than milk.
Read article →A note from Wendy
A few months ago, when Baby Pavilion approached me about any interest in putting together a few blogs for them, I immediately had a couple of topics in mind that would be worthwhile to address, so I said yes! And here is why:
Many times, when working with breastfeeding families and sharing basic breastfeeding information that's new to them, I'm often met with the question...
"How come no one ever told me this?"
While I can't answer for the providers that came before me, I can think of some reasons why these parents weren't informed of all the breastfeeding details that can be important for identifying if things are going well or not.
Is it because the person giving the information has little breastfeeding/lactation education? Possibly.
Is it because the person giving the information is limited in time but there's a lot of general information to cover? Also possible.
So, although I can't answer the "why", I can ensure I'm providing families the most up-to-date, research-based information, knowledge I continuously build through the required continuing education for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC). This is a huge part of being an IBCLC (and for recertification every five years) and the reason my clinical practice is always evolving.
Breastfeeding as a science is still in its infancy (pun intended), so there's a significant amount of ongoing research being done. Because of that, I'm regularly learning new information that expands what I thought I knew and adjusting my approach to help families as effectively as possible.
Research shows that families are more likely to meet their breastfeeding goals when they have access to the right information and support at key times in their journey. With these blogs, we're hoping to give you the information you need in comfortable, bite-sized quantities that can be read at your leisure, without feeling overwhelmed.
We hope you enjoy and share with other parents who could benefit from it! 😊
Wendy McHale, IBCLC