Motherhood & Moore: Lactation, Perinatal and Pediatric Occupational Therapy

08/06/2024

Is your little one nearing the five to six-month mark? Let’s talk about starting solids! 🍓🥕

Reach out to me for tips and guidance on this exciting milestone. Together, we’ll make your baby’s first bites delightful! 🌟👶

10/23/2023

YOU. ARE. ENOUGH!

In the eyes of our little one, we are always enough. No matter the struggles, the doubts, or the challenges, to our child, we are their everything. We are their warmth, comfort, nourishment, and love. Embrace the beautiful simplicity of being 'enough' for your precious one, mama.

Daily affirmations can be a powerful tool for supporting and enhancing the breastfeeding experience. Affirmations remind us that our breastfeeding journey is shared with countless other amazing people around the world. I often provide breathing techniques and positive affirmations for my clients.

How can you use positive affirmations?
⭐ Choose a positive statement.
⭐ Repetition: Repeat your affirmations regularly. This helps embed these positive beliefs into your subconscious. Say it loud, write it down or use visual aids.
⭐ Believe in what you are saying.
⭐ Visualization: Combine visualization with your affirmations. Close your eyes and imagine yourself living the reality described in your affirmation. This adds a sensory and emotional dimension to the process.
⭐ Use Affirmations in Moments of Self-Doubt: Whenever you face self-doubt, anxiety, or negative thoughts, repeat your affirmations to counteract those feelings. They act as a positive counterbalance.

Remember, every mother-baby pair is unique, so pick and choose what works for you! Affirmations can help boost your confidence and provide a positive mindset during your breastfeeding journey.

Alsooooooo, sorry for the radio silence, folks! Turns out kids + biz keeps me busy, and my boss (aka me) has been working overtime. But hey, I'm back and 'milk-ing' this social media thing for all it's worth! 🍼💪

11/20/2022

🥹🥹🥹

11/05/2022

Ahhhh… all the sleep questions ! Infant AND parent sleep are both common concerns I hear from my lactation clients. I’m always happy to send them to Instagram for support! Read Cayla’s tips below, and check out her support group starting on November 8th! 😴💤🥱

Posted •

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the vast amounts of information available on sleep, here are some things you need to know about normal infant sleep:

✔️ It’s broken: between what we know of attachment, and the natural mechanisms meant to protect against SIDS, babies are not meant to sleep in long, consolidated stretches without wakes

✔️ It requires support: ‘independent sleep’ is a fictitious gold standard created by sleep trainers. Dependence is the key to independence, whether during the day, or at night

✔️ It’s unique to each individual: sleep charts are not rooted in science. If your baby is developing normally, meeting milestones and is happy, they are likely well rested. And, if they aren’t meeting these qualifiers, poor sleep may be the symptom of an underlying issue, not necessarily the cause

✔️ It doesn’t require ‘fixing’: you can absolutely make some changes if things are really not working well for your family. But you also have the option of riding it out on it’s own, and neither path will carve a specific future for your baby. If you do decide that change is best for you, there are many, many options that do not involve sets of rules that you and baby must follow (spoiler alert: that’s what I’m here for!)

Want to learn more about navigating the first 8 months without any sleep training whatsoever? Group coaching starts next TUESDAY! DM me or visit the link in my bio for more information or to register. 💕
                                           

10/22/2022

Life as a lactation provider: Coffee for me, drink for new mama, and bag complete with the creepy infant doll. 🫣

10/08/2022

Parenthood really is quite the ride isn’t it?! Love this graphic by 🎨❤️🙌

[ID - Parenthood mood swings - pic of 3 swings moving with labels “I want this to last forever/I cannot handle one more second” “I want more/I’m done!” “I’m getting the hang of this/WTF is going on?”]

08/29/2022

“Motherhood: it’s one beautiful contradiction.” ❤️❤️❤️

I’ve been the happiest since I’ve had children.
I’ve also been at my lowest.
I’m a much better version of myself.
I also haven’t always liked what I’ve seen when mirrors have been held up to me.
I’ve never been in more company.
And at times never felt so lonely.
Some days I don’t want to end.
Some days I wish away, oh and the guilt from feeling that when they grow so fast.
I’ve never been so sure of who I’m meant to be.
I’ve never wondered so much who I am.
I’ve never felt closer with my husband.
But at times, I’ve never felt more distant.
I believe in myself, I trust myself.
I’ve questioned myself and doubted myself.
I always want to be better for them.
But I’ve yelled and cried and wished I’d handled certain situations better.
I’ve never loved so hard and so fiercely.
And I’ve never felt so vulnerable.
I’ve never been more broken.
And I’ve never been more complete.
I’ve never smiled so much.
I’ve never cried so much.
I’ve never craved alone time more.
But when I am I always feel like somethings missing, like an arm.
I’ve never been so excited to watch them grow.
And simultaneously wished they’d stay little forever.
Some days I feel like I’ve achieved nothing.
But as I think of them at night, I know I’ve achieved everything.
I’ve never looked forward to so much.
And I’ve also, never looked back.
It’s one beautiful contradiction.
A journey of wrong turns that are probably still right.
And dreams of the future even if you don’t get enough sleep to dream.
Exhaustion but effortless love.
The hardest and most rewarding thing ever.
Motherhood. ✨
……………………………………….
✍🏼: Written by: Jess Urlichs, Writer
📸: O Trocatintas

08/23/2022

Thank you for the inclusive language 👏🏻👏🏻

A low pump output is NOT a sign of low supply. The average lactating person produces around 25 ounces in a 24 hour period, which is about how much a child younger than 12 months consumes!

Babies are often more efficient at removing milk than a pump, so don't use your pump output as a measurement of your supply. However, if you're exclusively pumping (no nursing at all), and are producing a low quantity, please reach out to a lactation professional to make sure your child is getting enough.

08/02/2022

Happy World Breastfeeding Week! This week we celebrate ALL OF YOU who are breastfeeding, chestfeeding, pumping, or have done so in the past. We celebrate any amount of milk a mama makes & any amount of time a mama breastfeeds. It is tough work, and we see you and support you!

I understand this can be a difficult week/month for many who so desperately wanted to breastfeed their baby. Please know this: how you feed your baby does not determine your worth as a parent. YOU are enough. We are so lucky to have formula. It is life saving! A fed baby is essential. And if a mama chooses to supplement or start with formula from the get go, we support you. Celebrate you and your beautiful baby!

Why do we have a WBW? To bring awareness of the health benefits of breastfeeding for both the parent and child, and to support the pair if they choose and can breastfeed. Support, educated, and empowered is best!

Which brings me to this year's theme which I absolutely LOVE: “Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support." YES X 1000! We know most parents set out with the plan to breastfeed, but barriers stand in the way. The structures and pillars in our society that should help support breast/chestfeeding parents are not there. SO, how can we step up for breastfeeding? A little bit goes a long way! For pregnant women, I always suggest a prenatal lactation course to help provide an optimal start to breastfeeding. This will also give pregnant people the tools to problem solve in case things don't go quite as planned. For mamas who are are or have already breastfed, reach out to your pregnant friends and see what you can do to help. Share breastfeeding-friendly advice, or social media accounts. Health care providers working with pre/postnatal women can take continuing ed courses in lactation.

Read the 2020 Report Card for the US: http://ow.ly/PRxw50Ka0Ws

07/04/2022

It's a heavy Fourth of July here in America. Whether you are mourning, seeing red, or already fighting, we are with you.

To the people who have always seen this side of America and never had the luxury to stop fighting, thank you. We are indebted to the black, brown, and indigenous people who built this country and continue to fight for equity.

06/29/2022

Happy PRIDE Month! 🌈🏳️‍🌈

Love is love...and we will always choose LOVE!

+ 🌈