Born To Be Breastfed

Use of telehealth services skyrocketed during the pandemic, but it won’t be decreasing any time soon. To the contrary, it’s likely that telehealth services will increase. We’ve seen that telehealth can be a more convenient alternative to on-site care. Yet, there are some special factors to be considered before offering or accepting telehealth. What about issues of privacy and security—and how can those be overcome? Can competent clinicians simply begin offering telehealth services, or do they require special training and if so—what would that be? How comfortable must each party be with this type of communication? Are there situations that still require an in-person on-site visit now that telehealth options are available? Join Marie and her guest, Melanie Silverman, RD IBCLC, owner and Chief Clinical Officer of Pacify, for a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the answers to these and other questions that arise as we forge new pathways to telehealth services for ourselves or our clients.

Exclusive breastfeeding has been the “gold standard” for many years now. But for some families, combination feeding, either by choice or necessity, occurs. Parents aren’t always informed that some breastfeeding is better than no breastfeeding or that there are some interim solutions that might work to bring you back to exclusive breastfeeding. If you’re feeling confused, conflicted, guilty, grieving, or shamed for the way you feed your baby, this show is for you. Join Marie and her guest, Lucy Ruddle, IBCLC, as they look at the issues and provide some answers.

Imagine having twins and wanting to breastfeed. Now, imagine having those twins born at 29 weeks gestation. You know your tiny, fragile little girls need you and your milk. Thankfully, you have an abundant supply of milk within two days. You’re thinking you’ve already cleared the big hurdle. But oh, there are other hurdles to jump, too. Well, yes, you can hold the babies skin-to-skin, but …Yes, you can do other things, but …Then, there are certain rules about what and when the babies will be “allowed” to go to breast. And just the minute you think the babies are meeting the criteria for those “rules,” well, no, um, maybe later. All of the questions about cow’s milk-based formula, bottles, frequency, how to hold them, and much more start surfacing. Join Marie and guest Brie Merhar as Brie tells her story and explains how she advocated for her now 3-month old babies so that they’ve yet to have a drop of formula since they were born.

May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month. Only a small percentage of women develop preeclampsia during pregnancy, but it can and does happen. According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, preeclampsia remains a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the leading indicator of preeclampsia. What is this condition, and can it be avoided, minimized, or cured? Join Marie and her guest, Carla Sandy, M.D., as they talk about this potentially life-threatening disorder to both mom and her baby. You’ll want to know the risk factors for hypertension. Is it possible to have this condition without knowing it? Who is at highest risk, and how can they and other women take steps to avoid developing it or at least reduce their risk? What questions should you ask if you have preeclampsia and want to breastfeed – and what about medications? Get answers to these and other questions!

What’s it like to be the breastfeeding mother of three small children when you’re also a criminal defense attorney? How do you pump at a 200-year-old courthouse that doesn’t have an electrical outlet in a private place? And since by definition an attorney represents someone else, how does that affect your ability to take a break, the time you need to show up for work, and even the clothes you wear? Can you take several months of maternity leave if you are self-employed? Is it okay to put your children in daycare, or does that make you a second-class parent? How does the COVID pandemic play into all of that? Join Marie and her guest, Caitlin Aarab, JD, as they talk about these and other issues that any young professional woman faces. Be sure to listen to Caitlin’s final insight on how breastfeeding families can get through it all and make it all work.

Aimee Sing started out like so many others. She was hoping to complete a 90-hour lactation education course and learned about the annual Felix Biancuzzo Scholarship. Aimee envisioned hundreds of people applying, and having her application get lost in the shuffle. Yet, she realized that she stood no chance unless she applied. Join Marie and her guest, Aimee Sing, PhD, as they talk about her journey to becoming an IBCLC. In this episode, Aimee shares her realization that she wanted to move down a new career path, and how she needed her IBCLC certification in order to carry out her mission to improve breastfeeding and birthing support for women. Amy talks about the depth and breadth of what she now knows is not just meeting the requirements for the IBLCE exam, but also, building a strong foundation for her future practice in direct care and global advocacy.

The mere thought of taking a comprehensive, career-critical exam like the IBLCE™ exam makes most people feel stressed, whether they’ve taken the exam before, or if they are a first-time test-taker. You might be wondering: What are the three main causes of test anxiety? What do the studies say about the relationship of the test-taker’s stress and their score? What do studies say about the relationship between decision-making and exam performance? Join Marie for this special episode where she describes seven strategies that are aligned with the science, her personal experience, and the experience of other test-takers over the past several years. And, if you haven’t already discovered this, Marie reveals how — for a very limited time — you can get access to her expertise for free! Don’t miss the unusual episode!

Uh-oh. You see that lactation exam lurking around the corner. You’re huffing and puffing, wondering how you’re going to slog through the 105 subtopics that are fair game on that exam. It’s your first time. Or it’s your third time. Or you’ve failed before and you know that failing is a real possibility. Will Marie’s course work for you? Maybe! Marie has helped more than 5,000 IBCLCs from 6 different continents, and she can help you, too! Join Marie for answers to the most frequently-asked questions about her highly-acclaimed Online Lactation Exam Review course. Marie describes the course in terms of its content, methods (audio, video etc.), what is or isn’t required to complete it, access and availability, and how long it might take some people to complete it. Plus, Marie invites you to get your questions answered for FREE about anything related to the exam – and beyond – by signing up at MarieBiancuzzo.com.

We talk about empowerment. We talk about becoming empowered, or empowering others. And for sure, everyone has a different idea of what “empowerment” is all about. But sometimes, we need to take a step back and look at some of the underpinnings of “empowerment.” What does empowerment really mean? What does it mean to be “intentional”? How does emotional intelligence help us to get the results we want? What the heck is the “motivational triad” in our brain, and why does it matter? Is it possible that limiting beliefs are holding us back from crushing our goals of reaching our dreams? Is seeking validation a good thing, or not? Join Marie and her guest, Becca Brown, a Certified Life Coach and host of The Military Wife Podcast. Whether you’re seeking better relationships or seeking a new career, Becca helps us to gain clarity about what empowerment really means, and how to make it work for us.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected everything we do. That is especially true for healthcare professionals, those who work in hospitals, and IBCLC candidates who are sitting for the IBLCE exam. Join Marie and her guest, Melissa Bedward, MS, RNC-OB, C-EFM, to gain some insights into her journey to becoming an IBCLC; the ups and downs, the expenses and the rewards, and the subsequent real-life role of the hospital-based IBCLC as a helper, advocate, and teacher. Here’s your chance to get a complete behind-the-scenes glimpse of the IBLCE test-taking experience with home proctoring during COVID. What kind of preparation did she need for home-proctoring, and what was the 4-hour experience really like? What were some of her lessons-learned from the home proctoring experience? And, if she had it to do over again, would Melissa choose home-proctoring if on-site testing was a choice? Be sure to join Marie and Melissa for some insights that you won’t find anywhere else!

We all know: Food is good. Eating is good. Breastfeeding is good. But as you take your postnatal journey, how do you navigate the intersection of breastfeeding, cooking, diet, dieting, nutrition and intuitive eating? Is weight-loss, “dieting” good, bad, or irrelevant during breastfeeding—and what about hormones? How does western culture affect not only maternal nutrition, but, also, the breastfeeding relationship? In the US, where eating during labor is frequently forbidden, how is the need and craving for food later affected? How does postpartum nutrition affect the healing process after specific birth practices and interventions? What about foods that are reported to improve milk supply? Are there some “big picture” strategies that can be used to promote evidence-based, simple-to-prepare, delicious meals during the postnatal period? Join Marie and her guest, Jaren Soloff, RD IBCLC, author of The Postnatal Cookbook, to learn the answers to these and other perplexing questions!

So, you’ve been thinking about getting your IBCLC certification, and you’re completely confused about how or if you can qualify through Pathway 2. Wouldn’t it be great to just get past the mystique of what’s involved so that you can decide if you’d be better off if Pathway 2 is the right option for you? Listen to the voice of experience! Join Marie and her guest, Natisha Simms, IBCLC, as they discuss Natisha’s journey through the Pathway 2 program at Johnson C. Smith University, a historically Black university. You’ll get a glimpse of the learning experience when the student is not a healthcare professional. And you’ll hear Natisha share her motivation, her decision-making process, and a description of her journey through the groundbreaking program. She’ll also talk about her passion for and commitment to improving health disparities among Black populations by promoting, protecting, and supporting breastfeeding in her community.

Unquestionably, there are health disparities among Black families. And, breastfeeding, although a proven way to improve a baby’s short-term and long-term nutritional and immune health, has historically not been supported in Black communities. The question is, how can we help to reduce the barriers to breastfeeding and the health disparities among Black families? Join Marie and her guest, Jennifer Miller, co-founder of Chocolate Milk Mommies. Hear how some simple grass-roots strategies have been used in Alabama, a state that has had the lowest breastfeeding rates in the country for decades. Jennifer describes her struggles to initiate and continue breastfeeding without support, her passion to help other women, and how she and a very small band of like-minded mothers have used their skills, passion and ambition to reverse an inter-generational trend of formula-feeding among Black families. Learn how all of us can help in great or small ways.

We all recognize that breastfeeding a baby doesn’t cost money. What we may be less aware of is that socioeconomically-deprived mothers are often likely to initiate breastfeeding and, if they do, they are less likely to continue. What is being done to help families in this situation? Join Marie and her guest, Tori Gwilliam, RD, as they bust the myths and clarify the facts related to the federally-funded, state-administered Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Who is eligible for WIC? Why might families who are eligible for WIC not participate in the WIC program? How are the food packages different for breastfeeding mothers versus non-breastfeeding women and children—and does that matter to the recipients? Which types of breast pumps does WIC offer? Has WIC had a positive impact on breastfeeding over the last few decades? Here’s your chance to get an inside look into these and other questions about the WIC program.

You name it, we’ve had it. The COVID-19 pandemic, racial injustices, a disputed election, schools moving to an online format, healthcare professionals losing their jobs, and more. Sometimes, it feels like we’re sinking into quicksand. Wow! Is now the time to earn a certification you’ve never had before? Or is it worth the bother to renew your current certification? Or can you use your certification in a new way? Maybe, more to the point, what happens if you don’t hold a certification, or if you have certification but you’re not using it to your own advantage during these uncertain times? Or, what about if you’ve already failed the IBLCE exam and you’re wondering if now is the time to re-test? Regardless of what license or other certification you might hold, here’s some practical advice on how having certification can help you. Get out of the quicksand and join Marie as she gives some rock-solid advice that will help you get, renew, or use your IBCLC certification to your advantage.

Maybe you had an exhilarating experience when birthing your baby and you feel like you can now take on the world. Or maybe having a baby made you feel like you’ll never get your life back now that you have that tiny baby who is 100% dependent on you. Sure, parenting is touted to be the biggest and most rewarding job you’ll ever have. But do you think you can do it and still design the life you want? Join Marie as she talks with Felicia Broccolo from The Life Coach School. How is a life coach different from a BFF, or a counselor, or a therapist? Why do women seek help from a life coach? What kinds of services can a life coach offer—and how do you find and use those services? What’s the relationship between a thought, an emotion, and a result? How can we gain more confidence in ourselves, or help others to develop more confidence? Be sure to join Marie and Felicia as they talk about how to truly achieve that new you.

You’re looking at the amount of milk you’ve pumped. It should have been more. It could have been more. Probably every mom on the planet got more than that, but you’ve tried everything, and you just can’t get one more ounce. You want to give up because you know you just can’t pump even one minute or one drop more. You’ve tried oatmeal and fennel and fenugreek and everything that everyone has suggested and no, zip, zero, nada niente, it isn’t working so it’s obvious that you’re a failure at breastfeeding and a terrible mother. Right? Wrong. Very wrong. Listen to Marie’s interview with Sarah Farrell Johnson who claimed she just “couldn’t ducking pump anymore” but finally realized her self-worth is not measured in the number of ounces she pumps. Sarah shares her story about her first baby, and then her second baby. Then, she talks about the tools that helped her to have a better breastfeeding and better mothering experience and she explains why for why those tools can work for you, too.

Just the minute you thought you knew something about human milk banking, you might find it’s time to step back and listen to Marie’s special guest, Kim Updegrove, CNM. Kim is the Director of the Mother’s Milk Bank at Austin TX and the Chair of the Standards Committee for the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). How has the COVID crisis impacted donations, either from the perspective of the donor or the staff? And is the COVID-19 virus released into the milk, and if so, can it be destroyed through Holder pasteurization? Is donor milk a “breastmilk substitute”, or not? Has HIV ever been found in milk dispensed from a HMBANA-accredited milk bank? Is the fee covered by insurance? Is milk dispensed only for critically ill premature infants? Does donor milk protect against premature infants developing necrotizing enterocolitis, or must it be mother’s own milk in order to offer such protection. Find out the answers to these and other questions on this episode!

Traumatic birth occurs in 1 out of 3 births in the U.S. and Australia. It can negatively impact bonding and breastfeeding, and is often associated with postpartum depression. Why does it occur? Are hospitals failing mothers and babies? Many hospitals have a rigid power structure that restricts the delivery of evidence-based care. What are we doing to change that? Join Marie and her guest, Rebecca Dekker, RN PhD, author of Babies Are Not Pizzas: They’re Born, Not Delivered. Rebecca describes her own birth experience and discusses her feelings, thoughts, and coping mechanisms after a traumatic birth. Meanwhile, we breastfeeding advocates often feel they are on the bottom of the power hierarchy; what can we do to ensure adequate care during birth and the postpartum period? How can we help to empower mothers? Where does the role of the doula fit in? Listen for answers to these and other questions on this insightful interview!

Let’s see. You’re trying get your IBCLC certification, and you feel sure your dream job is to be in private lactation practice. Right? But do you know what that entails? Join Marie and her guest, retired IBCLC Judy Eastburn who worked as a lactation consultant in private practice in the greater Dallas area for more than three decades. What will it be: Booking office visits, or doing home visits? Pursuing clients who can get their insurance to pay for the visit…or accept only clients who pay cash? Selling or renting breastfeeding equipment…does it make sense? Is it realistic to have only a part-time private lactation practice? Are there some hidden time-consuming activities that you can’t bill for? What about liability insurance for your practice…or any other types of insurance? Do you really need an EIN? Get a glimpse of how a lactation expert and a businesswoman learns how to establish, maintain and grow a private lactation practice.