For all of the planning and dreaming we might do, birth is never quite what we think it will be. When the unexpected brings baby out sooner, plans can change in dramatic ways. The good news is, the milk you make for a pre-term baby is just as good as for one born closer to term. Actually, it’s even better.

Breastfeeding a pre-term baby has its challenges, and it might not even look like normal breastfeeding for awhile. But the antibodies and nutrients that your milk provides are life-saving and worth every drop of effort.

The severity of complications from a lip- or tongue-tied latch can range from clear and frustrating to hardly noticeable. In generations past, wise women, midwives, and mothers knew to check the lips and tongues of babies at birth when they first learned to breastfeed. We lost some of that wisdom in the middle of the past century, so the most recent generation of care providers have fallen out of the habit of checking and correcting ties when helping a mama breastfeed. If you are struggling with your baby’s latch, your milk supply, or their weight gain, a lip tie or tongue tie could be at the root of the problem.

The postpartum phase is such a time of mixed emotions, from the bliss of getting to know your new little one to the struggles of learning to care for them. When you add the impending return to work, all of those emotions and stresses seem to be amplified. Don’t let a fear of pumping keep you from continuing your nursing relationship. It can feel like a lot of work, but you can do it. Yes, you really can do it!