Christina Schaefer RN, IBCLC, CPD

10/25/2025

"The review found that babies who have skin-to-skin contact with their mother within the first hour of birth are more likely to see a variety of benefits, including exclusive breastfeeding, optimal body temperatures and optimal blood sugar levels. While possible benefits for the mother were also studied, such as effects on blood loss and timing of placental delivery, the evidence was less certain."

The 2025 Cochrane review on immediate and early skin-to-skin contact after birth highlights that further randomized controlled trials comparing skin-to-skin contact with ‘usual care’ are no longer ethical.

The findings show there is now enough evidence to make immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth the global standard of care, and as WHO already recommends skin-to-skin the standard of care, the authors argue that randomizing the separation of mother and newborn may no longer be justifiable.

Read more:
https://centerforbreastfeeding.org/cochrane-review-2025

09/27/2025

✨ Sometimes the simplest gift makes the biggest impact ✨

Today I had the joy of delivering a donated Willow pump to a family in need. 💗 Adequate milk removal is one of the most important foundations for keeping milk supply steady … whether that’s at the breast, with hand expression, or with a pump. Having the right tools can mean the difference between stress and confidence for a parent working hard to feed their baby.

🌿 If you have an unused pump tucked away, consider donating it—your generosity can truly change someone’s breastfeeding journey.

🌸 If you’re a family in need of a pump or extra support, please reach out. No one should have to walk this path alone.

Together, we can make sure every parent has what they need to nourish their little one. 💕

09/15/2025

Don’t mind us. We are just working our muscles over here. 💪🏋️

08/24/2025

🫶🤗🫶

07/23/2025

What a great resource! 🤩🤩

𝓢𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓴𝓲𝓭𝓼 𝓸𝓷 𝓿𝓪𝓬𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷? 𝓘’𝓿𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾.
I’ve got you covered — from the east to the west end + beyond! I bring pediatric sick visits straight to your vacation rental or hotel, so you can skip the crowded urgent cares and receive the pediatric focused care you can trust.

Whether it’s a fever, ear pain, rash, or anything in between — I provide expert care in the comfort of your own space.

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07/08/2025

🌞Morning Light = Mama’s Mood Reset🌿

Postpartum healing isn’t just about sleep and snacks (though yes, please). One of the most powerful yet overlooked mood-balancers?

Early morning sunlight.

Just 10–15 minutes of light exposure within the first hour of waking can:

✨ Reset your circadian rhythm, helping you fall asleep faster at night
✨ Boost serotonin, the “feel-good” hormone—yes, even when you’re running on coffee and cuddles
✨ Support healthy melatonin production (aka deeper, more restorative sleep when you do get it)

Bonus? Babies benefit too. Their little bodies begin syncing with day-night cycles through you. ☀️👶
So, cozy up near a window or step outside with that morning cup. It’s free medicine for your hormones, mood, and milk supply.

06/10/2025

There are interesting conversations surrounding microchimerism in mental health. 👀

During pregnancy, fetal cells migrate out of the womb and into a mother’s heart, liver, lung, kidney, brain, and more. They could shape moms’ health for a lifetime, Katherine J. Wu reported in 2024:⁠ https://theatln.tc/qozjIdje

During pregnancy, fetal cells migrate out of the womb and into a mother’s heart, liver, lung, kidney, brain, and more. They could shape moms’ health for a lifetime, Katherine J. Wu reported in 2024:⁠ https://theatln.tc/qozjIdje
⁠
The presence of these cells, known as microchimerism, is thought to affect every person who has carried an embryo, even if briefly, and anyone who has ever inhabited a womb. The cross-generational transfers are bidirectional—as fetal cells cross the placenta into maternal tissues, a small number of maternal cells migrate into fetal tissues, where they can persist into adulthood. ⁠
⁠
Genetic swaps, then, might occur several times throughout a life. Some researchers believe that people may be miniature mosaics of many of their relatives, via chains of pregnancy: their older siblings, perhaps, or their maternal grandmother, or any aunts and uncles their grandmother might have conceived before their mother was born. “It’s like you carry your entire family inside of you,” Francisco Úbeda de Torres, an evolutionary biologist at the Royal Holloway University of London, told Wu.⁠
⁠
Some scientists have argued that cells so sparse and inconsistent couldn’t possibly have meaningful effects. Even among microchimerism researchers, hypotheses about what these cells do—if anything at all—remain “highly controversial,” Sing Sing Way, an immunologist and a pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, told Wu. But many experts contend that microchimeric cells aren’t just passive passengers. They are genetically distinct entities. And they might hold sway over many aspects of health: our susceptibility to infectious or autoimmune disease, the success of pregnancies, maybe even behavior. ⁠
⁠
If these cells turn out to be as important as some scientists believe they are, they might be one of the most underappreciated architects of human life, Wu writes.

06/02/2025

So so good! Let’s rethink that swaddle?