Jen Berryman IBCLC

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Kailua, HI
Jen Berryman IBCLC

Jen is a lactation consultant (IBCLC) and RN providing holistic, in-home lactation services on Oahu.

02/05/2024

Oh, the joys of feeding a distractible baby! Distracted nursing and bottle feeding usually peaks between 3 and 5 months of age, but can happen any time after that too.

This phase is characterized by baby latching for a minute or two then popping on and off and twisting this way and that to check out every little sound or movement in the space around them. Why, you ask? Around this age, babies are becoming much more aware of the world around them. They are literally unable to eat and take in the world at the same time!

Yes, it’s a tad frustrating for parents – the constant head-turns and quick detachments might cause discomfort and leave you questioning if they’re getting enough nourishment or even whether they dislike breastfeeding.

Fear not! This phase shall pass, and they’ll soon find it easier to both eat and be in tune with what is going on around them.

Until this stage has passed, your baby may need a quiet, darkened place to nurse and/or more night nursing until they’ve figured out how to deal with distraction. Take advantage of night nursing during this time – it doesn’t matter when baby takes in their calories during a 24-hour period, and feeding at night will help them meet their intake needs.

Nursing while in motion (walking, rocking, patting, wearing in a carrier) can also help baby to focus better on eating. Try to feed your baby when they are just waking up, already a little sleepy, or actually asleep.

Whereas some babies will be less distracted if the parent talks quietly or not at all, some babies may stay more focused on the task when you talk animatedly or sing to them. Some babies enjoy holding their parent’s hands or playing with a nursing necklace that is kept hidden away until feeding time.

Remember, baby’s initial pulling off is probably not an indication that they are finished – just a sign that they saw or heard something interesting across the room. When they pull off, try to coax them back a few more times before ending the feeding session.

Parents with older babes, do you have any tips to share with parents navigating the distractible feeding stage?

01/08/2024

Aloha!

After a beautiful hiatus from this space, I'm thrilled to reconnect with you all. This space that used to feature my birth and newborn photography will now be primarily focused on feeding babies and a sprinkling of family adventures and island life.

Where have I been for the past 3 years? Well, we moved to Oahu in 2021 where I continued homeschooling my 3 kiddos while embarking on a home remodel project. I began supporting families as a lactation consultant working part time at a lactation clinic and doing home visits through my private practice. In 2022, I caught island baby fever (occupational hazard?) and we welcomed our 4th babe, a girl, July of 2023!

My previous experiences breastfeeding my tongue-tied kiddos with little guidance and support is what inspired me to become an IBCLC. Now I find myself navigating this challenge again with our current babe, but with a much deeper understanding of the importance of a team approach that addresses the whole body and a reignited passion to connect all families to the resources they need to reach their feeding goals - whatever they may be!

So, if you like making tasty, nutritious food (that you can share with the tiniest eaters in your family), island life, or babies, there will be something for you in this space! Let's reconnect and share the journey together!

05/19/2021

Between lactation consults and prenatal meetings with some stellar families I will be supporting through birth, I've been creating some imagery that makes my heart so very happy. I mean...how can you look at this and not smile? The simplicity, the warmth, and the embrace: connection illuminated ✨

04/19/2021

My absolute favorite things about babies in summer? Naked baby toes!

We had a great conversation this morning in Parent Group about how to protect little babes' skin and eyes from sun as we move on to brighter days.

☀️ a sunhat with flaps to cover the ears and neck
☀️ SPF clothing or long sleeved swimsuitts at the beach
☀️ Pop-up tents to provide shade for play and napping
☀️ sunglasses, even for young babies. The earlier they get used to them, the more likely they are to leave them on as they get a bit older.

Do you have any other summer baby wisdom to share?

04/06/2021

Joyful presence and the magic of water. ✨

There is a hopeful, yet slightly anxious feeling inside me that I've heard echoed by others as we ever so carefully start to return to more pre-Covid activities. While I'm taking some time to sit with and explore those feelings, I am also very much looking forward to more of these moments of pure laughter and joy in the coming months.

03/26/2021

This cutie patootie is just 2 weeks fresh and has already mastered the perplexed look my 13 year old gives me daily.

Thankfully, my 13 year old also still comes to me for goodnight (and mid-day) hugs, so it's all good.

What are you thankful for this week?

03/05/2021

This moment, frozen in time with the assistance of a sliver of light streaming through the curtains in an otherwise dark room, was captured on the cusp of quarantine nearly a year ago.

It was my immediate favorite image from this birth (and there are some pretty rad standing delivery, ‘baby summersaulting into waiting provider hands’ photos) because if the tenderness and strength it portrays, as outside these walls our world was full of unknowns and about to come to a halt.

To all those who have birthed this past year and all those who are birthing in the coming months, I see you, hear you, and validate all the complexities of your journey into parenthood with limited access to connection and support.

If you are a new parent in search of community, I invite you to join Brave Birth's virtual New Parent Group every Monday morning. I'll be there to answer any feeding questions along with another Brave doula. In this space, we build each other up, commiserate about the challenges of each stage of parenting, share bits of ourselves and grow in the process.

https://www.bravebirth.com/pregnancy-new-parent-support-groups

02/08/2021

Oh, the joys of nursing a 4 month old baby! Sometimes it is all about sweet, snuggly connection, but often the long, sleepy feeding sessions of the newborn stage can become distracted, minutes long snacks, with babe popping on and off and twisting this way and that to check out every little sound or movement in the space around them. Around this age, babies are becoming much more aware of the world around them. They are literally unable to eat and take in the world at the same time! Rest assured, once they get a little older, they’ll find it easier to both nurse and be in tune with the what is going on around them.

In the meantime, this behavior is understandably frustrating for the lactating parent. They may worry that their baby isn't getting enough to eat, in addition to having the discomfort of baby's quickly turning head and frequent detaching.

Until this stage has passed, your baby may need a quiet, darkened place to nurse and/or more night nursing until they've figured out how to deal with distraction. Take advantage of night nursing during this time – it doesn’t matter when baby takes in their calories during a 24-hour period.

Nursing while in motion (walking, rocking, in a carrier) can also help baby to focus better on nursing. Try to catch your baby when they are more willing, such as when they're just waking up, already a little sleepy, or actually asleep.

Whereas some babies will be less distracted if the parent talks quietly or not at all, some babies may stay more focused on the task when the lactating parent keeps them engaged by talking to them, playing little games with their hands (my daughter found great joy in hold my finger and flapping my entire arm up and down!), or wearing a nursing necklace that baby can hold and play with while feeding.

Remember, baby’s initial pulling off is probably not an indication that they are finished – just a sign that they saw or heard something interesting across the room. When they pull off, try to coax them back to the chest a few more times before giving up on the feeding session.

Parents with older babes, do you have any tips to share with parents going through this distractible feeding stage?

[Image description: Closeup photograph of a woman sitting on a bed, viewed from her left side. Her long blond hair is falling in front of her face as she looks down at her baby laying in her lap. She is wearing a white dress and holding the hand of her baby while he nurses.]

02/03/2021

Sneaking out from behind the camera to say "Hello!" after a break from this space in which I've been listening, learning, and growing in many ways.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I'm currently booking birth clients (both photography only and combined doula care/birth photography) with Spring and Summer due dates AND supporting families through their infant feeding journeys as a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)! All the details can be found on my website www.jenberryman.com.

[Image ID: Jen, a white-bodied person with long brown hair, is wearing a dark floral patterned cloth mask, black short-sleeved shirt, and a white burp cloth on her left shoulder. She is looking down at the swaddled newborn she is holding on her shoulder with her right hand on his back.]

03/29/2020

Now more than ever, we are in need of safe places to connect. Places to share struggles, celebrate the joys, and get the reassurance that comes from knowing we are NOT alone in our experiences.

Gather with other new parents [virtually] Monday morning and Thursday afternoon. This group, facilitated by a Brave Birth Doula Care doula and lactation consultant Ashley of Cascadia Lactation is open to ALL postpartum families with babes under 6 months. See comments below for the link to join.

Address

Kailua, HI
96734

Telephone

+16083473579

Website

http://jenberryman.com/

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