The Birth Song Botanicals Blog

Treating Nipple Thrush Naturally

Treating Nipple Thrush Naturally
Have you struggled with repeated bouts of thrush on your nipples and in your babies mouth? Is yeast causing your nipples to crack and bleed? Do you find it keeps coming back after conventional treatment? A whole body approach may seem overwhelming at first, but food and herbs are good medicine for yeast and thrush.  The candida diet for breastfeeding moms is a must.  Read on to learn more! Continue reading

Best Baby Carriers for Breastfeeding

Best Baby Carriers for Breastfeeding
When you have the basics of breastfeeding down, you will be able to start exploring the option of nursing your baby in a baby carrier hands-free! Learning how to do this may take some time and patience. It is important to find the right kind of carrier for you and your baby, one that fits you both well. But once you have, it can be really wonderful. Continue reading

How to Wake a Newborn to Breastfeed

How to Wake a Newborn to Breastfeed
Babies need to be fed on demand, but what if a baby is not demanding as often as she should or hardly at all? "Sleepy Newborn" is a common issue in the breastfeeding world and one I encounter often as a La Leche League leader (and with my own second baby!). Every light, sound, and smell is new and overstimulating to baby--they tire quickly! And this can lead to long periods of sleep, engorgement for mother and a drop in supply if baby is allowed to sleep for many hours at a time regularly.  In this post you will learn how and when to wake a newborn to breastfeed.

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Holiday Gift Guide for New Moms

Holiday Gift Guide for New Moms

The holiday season is upon us, and big annual sales are posted everywhere you look.  And the truth be told we all know the season is not about presents, rather it's about presence.

Here is our list of favorite products from lovely women owned small business, that mothers will love receiving this holiday season.

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After Birth Recovery Products New Moms Need

After Birth Recovery Products New Moms Need

The Sudden Shift from Pregnancy to Postpartum

After you’ve done the work and have pushed a new little human out of your body and into the world, your body knows it’s done something incredible. Every muscle screams it. Your organs seem to fall back into place with every step, every inch of your bottom aches, feeling bruised, swollen, heavy, and in shock.

 

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Prepare Yourself for your Postpartum Recovery and Life with a Newborn

Prepare Yourself for your Postpartum Recovery and Life with a Newborn

As a first time mama, I was so focused on preparing for birth. This life changing event was one I would approach with total preparation. I read all that I could, and did all that I could to prepare.

While preparing extensively for birth is a wonderful idea, I made the mistake of overlooking the crucial postpartum recovery period and what the first days and weeks with a newborn is really like.

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How Often Should I Breastfeed?

How Often Should I Breastfeed?
Knowing when to nurse your baby seems like it should be the easiest thing in the world. However, there are so many different recommendations out there about what to do - If you should schedule, if you should not, how long to nurse on each breast, how long to wait in between nursing sessions. It can all become very confusing. However, you and your baby are designed to work together in harmony. Trust that if you respond to your baby and trust your babies nursing cues, you and your baby will find your rhythm together. Continue reading

Drinking Alcohol and Breastfeeding

Drinking Alcohol and Breastfeeding
Many people believe that if you are a breastfeeding mother, drinking alcohol is off the table. This is not true, though. Light drinking a few times a week is usually fine. Know the facts about breast milk and alcohol, and you will be able to enjoy a beer or glass of wine without worry. Continue reading

Self Care Must Haves for New Moms

Self Care Must Haves for New Moms
Your postpartum time with your new baby can be a magical time of bonding, snuggles, sweet baby sounds, breastfeeding, healing, and rest. It can also be exhausting, frustrating, physically uncomfortable, and challenging. Focusing on your own care means you will more easily be able to care for your newborn. For many of us, it is hard to put our own needs first - as women we often focus on what is best for the whole group, and put our individual needs behind others. However, when you have just given birth and are caring for a newborn, your needs and the baby’s needs work together in a special way. When you are taken care of, it is easier for you to take care of your baby. Now is the time to focus on what is best for you and your newborn. Continue reading

Five Benefits to Extended Breastfeeding

Five Benefits to Extended Breastfeeding
Extended breastfeeding, or breastfeeding beyond the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended 1 year of age is still far from the norm in the United States, although there are many reasons why a mother and child may choose to continue their nursing relationship. Here are some common reasons why mothers may choose to continue to nurse beyond a year. Continue reading