Perhaps unexpectedly common are challenges faced during lactation. For something that is “natural” and for which there are so many available alternatives, tempers often run high when discussing the best way to approach issues that arise. How do we hold space through the complicated pieces of breastfeeding & chestfeeding so that parents feel supported and honored in charting their best path even as their circumstances and goals change?
In this episode we are joined by guest Naya Weber, IBCLC who brings her nearly a decade of supporting folks on their infant feeding journey to this conversation.
Naya Weber, IBCLC 
Maggie Runyon, MSN, RNC-OB
Naya Weber (she/her) is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Her own tough start with breastfeeding her older son led her to learn as much about lactation as she could: she found her calling. She has led weekly in-person lactation groups, where she helped new moms navigate their joys and hurdles in breastfeeding and motherhood. She works to help all families meet their lactation goals through individual consultations, and private and small group classes. Naya won the honor of being voted Austin’s Best Lactation Consultant in the 2019 Austin Birth Awards. She lives with her husband and their two sons in southwest Austin. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, taking as many naps as possible, and dining at as many of Austin’s restaurants as possible. You can follow her work on Instagram or Facebook.
How you choose to feed your baby often ends up being an unnecessarily involved process, and one in which *everyone* seems to have an opinion about what you should do, including us birthcare workers.
Join us as we discuss:
~importance of listening and validating concerns
~understanding birth story & birth trauma and impact on lactation
~nuance of feeding beyond breast is best or fed is best
~lactation is not “all or nothing” & supporting when goals change
~pressure of metrics around Baby Friendly
~scripts for parsing out breastfeeding challenges
~creating sustainable feeding plans
~navigating family’s feelings about feeding challenges
~duality of bodyfeeding being beautiful and hard
~preparing for postpartum
Visit her website to connect more with Naya’s work.
Further resources for learning more about supporting the infant feeding journey:
~La Leche League International
~Dr Hale’s Infant Risk Center for considering implication of medications on human milk
~Loyal Lactation’s Straight from the Tap course for birthworkers
~Breastfeeding after Sexual Trauma
Support created for the unique needs of Black lactating parents:
~Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE), Inc. seeks to enhance, encourage, support, promote, and protect breastfeeding throughout the USA, by working to reduce the breastfeeding disparities among African American women, and to strengthen the health of their babies and families through, mentoring, training, breastfeeding support groups, social support, outreach, education, legislation, health policies, and social marketing.
~Breastfeeding Resources for Black Moms from the Lactation Network: Here are online and IRL culturally competent support groups, doulas, birth centers, midwives and IBCLCs to support you on your breastfeeding journey
Learning more to best support trans and non-binary people:
~Breastfeeding FAQ for Trans and Non-Binary Parents from the Lactation Network: We’re answering your most commonly asked questions about breastfeeding for trans and non-binary parents
~Facebook group: Birthing and Breast or Chestfeeding Trans People and Allies
~Lactation Care for Transgender and Non-Binary Patients: Empowering Clients and Avoiding Aversives
Check out this episode’s full transcript or tune in wherever you enjoy podcasts.
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Music from https://filmmusic.io
“Gonna Start” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)