Blog - Rachel O'Brien, IBCLC

blog header stating why sleep training and breastfeeding don't mix

Breastfeeding Facts

I know many of you are bombarded by Facebook ads for different baby sleep “programs”, or your friends gave you sleep books before your baby was born, or your boss or co-worker swears by a certain method. Sleep is a big deal. I get it, I really do. Before I was a lactation consultant I worked full-time while all 3 of my kids were breastfeeding. My commute was 1 hour each way, I was exhausted, I know how much your baby’s sleep can make or break your day. I have been there. I do not blame ANY parent for needing or wanting more sleep, ever.

February 2, 2021 1 Comment

Breastfeeding Tips

Every single day (not an exaggeration) parents ask me about pumping. They want to know how to start pumping, how to schedule

August 16, 2020 32 Comments

Breastfeeding Tips

Originally posted 2/1/2016; updated 7/12/2020 I have a theory about nipple shield distribution, and it’s based on the large number of

July 12, 2020 31 Comments

Breastfeeding Tips

When I work with families, I spend a lot of time customizing a care plan that will best help them meet their

October 14, 2019 1 Comment

Chestfeeding

2021 note to readers This blog post has been getting quite a bit of traffic lately due to a clickbait fake news

October 14, 2019 4 Comments

Bottlefeeding

Bottle refusal is incredibly hard for breastfeeding parents. Learn how to help your baby take a bottle, and what to do if they won’t.

January 13, 2019 11 Comments

Bottlefeeding

Introducing bottles to breastfed babies doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. Here are the simple steps, with examples of good and bad bottle latches.

January 11, 2019 1 Comment

Bottlefeeding

Let’s say you’re breastfeeding and you really want to use bottles sometimes, too. How on earth are you supposed to pick a bottle to even start with if every company has similar claims and the boogeyman of “nipple confusion” is lurking around every corner?

January 6, 2019 52 Comments