Lindsey Shipley

After healing and resting from pregnancy and childbirth, many moms feel the need to bring some more movement into their routine. Often moms are concerned about how this will affect breastfeeding. Luckily, studies have shown that moderate exercise will not affect your milk supply. Bringing more movement into your life can bring not only physical strength, but the mental clarity mothers need! Be sure to check with your midwife or doctor before returning to physical activity. New moms might find it helpful to think outside the exercise box. There are other options outside of going to the gym or starting a complicated routine. Physical movement that nourishes your whole body can be added throughout your day. Here are a few ways that have helped other moms bring movement into their lives with a new baby:

1. Start small and work up. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the work ahead that we don’t even want to start.

Modern motherhood comes with an abundance of joy...and information! For one thing, we have access to seemingly unlimited resources and knowledge on how to mother “best." It seems that everyone has an opinion on how best to raise children. We are overwhelmed with choices on which bed to choose, which high chair, which feeding method, which birth method. With answers close at hand online, it doesn’t take much time to question your intuition. Don’t forget that your mommy intuition is almost a sixth sense! Mothers have relied on their intuition for millennia to protect and nourish their babies. We can still tap into that resource. Many times, having good information and tools can help us tap into that mother’s intuition more readily. I’m here to remind you not to discount your own motherly wisdom. I know personally how easy it is to second-guess my own decisions when it comes to parenting and motherhood, so today I’m sharing three tips that have helped me trust my mommy intuition: Treat

Whether you are a brand new mom or have been a mom for years and have a brand new baby, breastfeeding can seem overwhelming at times! I’m going to give my top five breastfeeding tips for new moms today– they’ll help you get off on the right start and know what to do if things get tricky.

1. Make sure you have a support system.

Research shows that Moms without support often wean in the first week postpartum. Create a small support circle you can call on in those early days, weeks, and months with a new baby. A supportive partner, family member, neighbor, or online forum can really be a game changer!

2. Don’t suffer in pain!

Some nipple soreness is normal, due to postpartum hormone changes and your breast tissue stretching. This is common the first few weeks. The pain should not last more than 60 seconds or be a toe-curling pain. This is called the “60 second rule”. If you have “ouch-ouch-ouch!” pain that lasts longer than 60 seconds, seek some professional help to make

I get asked many questions about increasing milk supply.  When I meet with moms who ask how to increase their supply, I first like to ask WHY they are worried about their supply. Many times it’s because baby is signaling to increase feeds, which actually indicates a growth spurt rather than a problem with your supply. I like to help moms create confidence in themselves and their ability to feed their baby. So before you doubt yourself, trust the process!  Remember that as you listen to baby’s cues and feed on-demand, it’s likely that your supply is just fine. Below are some of my top tips for increasing milk supply. Remember that any one of these might make a difference with you, but usually a combination will be the most effective. Keep in mind that increasing breast stimulation is the best way to increase your milk production. Here are my tips for increasing milk supply:

What happens when we find out we are going to be a mother? Is that the moment we receive the implanted “mommy chip” and become equipped with mother’s intuition? Are we born with it? I remember being pregnant with my first and asking my sisters “What if…?” too many times to count. After working with thousands of Moms and being a mother of 2 myself, I’m a firm believer in “Mama knows best”. Still, so many women ask me, “How can I feel more confident in my choices as a Mom?” Today I’m sharing three ways to tap into your mother’s intuition.

Get educated on all things mom/baby wellness

It’s a great idea to take prenatal classes, read books, and start making some parenting choices before baby even gets here. This gives you a chance to “practice” being a Mom and envision yourself in that role. That doesn’t mean that your views won’t change later! Motherhood takes a lot of adapting to the different stages and what’s working in the moment.

There’s so much advice out there on breastfeeding, it can be tough to recognize the myths from truth. You can overhear women giving advice in support circles, in waiting rooms, and in line at the grocery store. What advice is worth listening to? In order to get the answer, I went straight to my online breastfeeding support forum to ask what snippets other expectant and breastfeeding moms have found helpful.

Some myths

“Colostrum isn’t enough to meet babies needs”

For the first few days of your baby’s life, newborns will be accessing a form of breastmilk called colostrum. It’s nutrient-dense and contains so many disease-fighting properties that can’t be found anywhere else! No wonder it’s referred to as “liquid gold." Even though it’s not large in volume, colostrum can still meet the needs of a newborn (1).

“It’s normal for your nipples to hurt”

There’s a difference between postpartum

One of the most frequently asked questions from my clients and members of our instagram support forum is “How can I increase my milk supply?” It’s a valid concern considering one of the top three reasons mothers wean is they are concerned about milk supply (1). Today I’m here to give you three easy ways to ensure your milk production will meet baby’s needs!  

Ensure efficient breast emptying

Breastmilk is made on a supply-demand chain. Think about a store inventory. If an item is popular, and being regularly removed from the shelves each day, the item will continually be in stock. If the item sits and sits and no one buys it, pretty soon it will be discontinued. The same is true for milk production! The more is removed, the more is made. Sometimes women put their baby to breast frequently, but they are not attached well enough or alert enough to remove milk efficiently. Some great things to look for during latch include

As a Registered Nurse and Certified Lactation Specialist, I frequently get called for consultations.  I hear lots of worries from Moms trying to soothe their infants! Why won’t my baby feed?  Is my baby in pain?  What am I doing wrong? Sometimes mothers may find their baby’s behavior puzzling or worrisome. However, I’ve found that the majority of issues resolve when we use research-based practices and keep things consistent.  Everybody knows when Mom isn’t happy, nobody’s happy!  Ergobaby knows that a Mom isn’t happy if her baby isn’t!  Today I want to share with you my Top 2 ‘Must-Dos’ with Ergobaby products: frequent skin-to-skin contact and proper positioning.

Frequent skin-to-skin