Mary O'Donnell, IBCLC

03/08/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/186DGugT9X/?mibextid=wwXIfr

It's widely known that breastfeeding impacts the health of both mother and child, but the underlying biology that leads to these effects has been understudied. In a review article published in Trends in Immunology, researchers highlight recent studies showing T cells—white blood cells that play a ...

03/07/2026

If you’re breastfeeding your baby, you’re living a fundamentally different kind of life than someone who has never fed a baby from their own body.

The bond is different.
The closeness is different.
The responsibility is different.

Because when your baby is hungry, it’s you they need. Only you can give them that milk, that comfort, that closeness.

It’s a quiet kind of mental load, knowing that day or night, you are the one they depend on. The one who wakes. The one who feeds. The one who soothes.

It can be exhausting. The broken sleep, the constant feeding, the feeling of always being needed.

But it’s also something deeply powerful.

To nourish a baby from your own body.
To be their comfort, their food, their safe place.

It’s not always easy, but it’s something to be proud of. These late night feeds, the sleepy cuddles, the little b**b barnacle days they won’t last forever.

One day your baby won’t need you like this anymore. And when that day comes, I think many of us will look back and realise what an incredible honour it was to be the one they needed most.

Share this if you’re a proud breastfeeding mama. 🩷 I see you

03/03/2026

To reduce spitting up, keep baby upright for 20-30 min. after feeds Spitting up can trigger a host of worries in new parents, some related to their role in this behavior and others to do with baby’s growth and health. Was it something I did? Was it something I ate? Will my baby’s weight gain suf...

03/03/2026

Funny because it’s true 🤭🤭 Does your baby play favourite? …..

03/01/2026

Breastfeeding beyond infancy is a beautiful and natural journey. Learn about the emotional and nutritional benefits for both you and your child.

03/01/2026

03/01/2026

Where’s the lie 🤷🏼‍♀️😜🤱🏼

03/01/2026

Men, this is important.
If your partner is still breastfeeding,
she’s still in her postpartum period.

Breastfeeding isn’t just about milk.
It changes her hormones.
It reshapes her brain.
Literally.

Prolactin rises, making her more alert, more tuned in to the baby’s needs.
Estrogen and progesterone stay low,
which can mean:
less energy
mood swings
trouble sleeping
a lower desire for intimacy

So if she seems emotional, sensitive, or completely wrapped up in the baby
it’s not that she’s “moody.”
It’s not that she’s “changed.”
It’s physiology.

Every single day,
she’s nourishing a baby with her body,
responding to their cues,
and quietly trying to rebuild herself.

Dads, this is your moment.
Show up.

Hold her.
Hold the baby.
Make the meal.

Be a safe place.
Be an equal parent.
Because your baby doesn’t just need a strong mama they need both of you. 🖤

02/27/2026

This is what devotion looks like 🤍🌙

Not the highlight reels.
Not the perfect latch photos.
But the middle of the night, half asleep, back aching, still showing up anyway….

Breastfeeding can be beautiful and it can be exhausting at the same time.
Both things can be true.

If you are feeding a baby right now and wondering how you are still doing this, this is your reminder that you are strong, you are patient, and you are doing something deeply meaningful even when it feels invisible 💕

You are not alone in these moments.
So many of us have been right here too!

02/26/2026

Breast milk is a living fluid. Its composition changes day to day and even feed to feed based on maternal hormones, stage of lactation, and illness exposure. We have SOLID evidence that breast milk adjusts immune factors, antibodies, and bioactive components in response to a baby’s needs.

For example….
💗 Colostrum is concentrated with immunoglobulins and growth factors
💗 Mature milk shifts fat content during a single feeding
💗 When a baby is sick, levels of immune components like leukocytes and antibodies increase
💗 Preterm milk differs from term milk in protein and immune makeup

Formula, by design, is static.

It is engineered to be consistent, shelf stable, and predictable. Any changes happen at the manufacturing level after new formulations are developed and released. That is not a flaw. It is simply how formula works.

These are two very different systems solving the same problem in different ways. Understanding this helps mothers make informed choices.

02/26/2026

Nope…

Talking about how incredible breastmilk is isn’t shame.
Sharing science isn’t judgement.
Being proud of breastfeeding isn’t an attack.

Breastmilk is biologically extraordinary. living. adaptive. protective.
That’s not opinion, that’s physiology.

Mamas should be allowed to speak about breastfeeding with pride without being told to shrink themselves to make others comfortable.

Breastfeeding deserves support.
Breastfeeding deserves protection.
And breastfeeding mamas deserve to talk about it without apology.

Share if you’re a proud breastfeeding mama 🖤

02/22/2026

A new study published in January suggests that longer breastfeeding during infancy may delay the onset and progression of Multiple Sclerosis.

Researchers found that adults with MS who were breastfed for more than six months experienced milder disease than those breastfed for shorter periods, with every additional two months of breastfeeding associated with significantly lower disability.

Although the findings are promising, researchers emphasize that more studies are needed to confirm these results.

A link to the study will be in the comments.

[Image: An infant nursing. Text reads, “Longer breastfeeding in infancy is linked to lower autoimmune risk and may delay and slow Multiple Sclerosis (MS)” The LLL USA logo in yellow is at lower right.]