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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 12pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 12pm

Rachel O'Brien, IBCLC

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Wayland, MA
Rachel O'Brien, IBCLC

Lactation consultant in Wayland MA
I help you feed your baby (IRL or virtual)
No guilt, no shame!
(3)

Rachel O’Brien is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who earned her Master of Arts degree in human lactation in 2015. Rachel prides herself on providing real-life, guilt-free breastfeeding help and specializes in low milk supply, latch difficulty, bottle refusal, tongue tie and lip tie, and LGBTQIA+ lactation. When she isn’t doing office or virtual visits for breastfeeding help Rachel is often blogging about lactation or mentoring other private practice IBCLCs. She uses her expertise, warmth, and sense of humor to help families to meet their breastfeeding and chestfeeding goals. When she’s not working you can find Rachel at home in Sudbury where she is always either playing with her three children, knitting, or watching drag queens.

03/27/2026

Vacation + breastfeeding = totally doable! ☀️💦

You deserve a break and yes, you can enjoy it without stressing over feeding schedules or forgetting your pump parts. 😅

Here are a few easy tips to make breastfeeding while on vacation actually relaxing:
1️⃣ Pack a mini breastfeeding kit (pads, milk bags, snacks!)
2️⃣ Stay hydrated- seriously, water is your best travel buddy.
3️⃣ Don’t stress about feeding times- just follow your baby’s lead.
4️⃣ If you’re pumping, bring backup batteries or an adapter.

You’ve got this! Memories > stress every time. 💛

💬 What’s your best breastfeeding travel hack? Share it below; let’s help more moms travel confidently!

03/26/2026

Did you do something wrong? 👇

Probably not! Babies get increasingly fussy and unsettled between 2 weeks and 6 weeks old.

For many parents it feels like you did something and “broke” your baby- so you scramble to try to fix it. Is it reflux, dairy intolerance? Something you ate? Something you DIDN’T eat?

The truth is MOST babies hit their peak fussiness/crying level at 6 weeks. It ramps up until then, and once you’re over the hump and they are smiling at you they start to chill out. A bit.

🥰 Rest assured! this too, shall pass - in a month or two! 🫶

Share this with a parent that needs to hear this! 💞

03/25/2026

Will starting solids affect your milk supply? Here’s what you need to know!” 👶🥣

Worried about how starting solids might impact your milk supply? The good news is that, at first, it won’t! Babies take time to adjust to solid foods, and it typically takes until the baby is 10-12 months old before they start decreasing breast milk or formula intake. This is completely normal and expected.

However, if you’re pumping and find that you’re struggling to keep up once solids are introduced, here are some tips to help maintain your supply:

💗 Keep breastfeeding regularly: Continue breastfeeding on demand or pumping regularly to signal your body to produce milk.
💗 Timing matters: Offer breast milk or formula before solids during your baby’s first year.
💗 add extra pumps: Consider extra pumping sessions on weekends or before work to ensure you have enough milk.
💗 Check pump parts: Replace silicone valves and duckbills every month for optimal pumping efficiency.

💕 Need help with starting solids? I offer consultations to create a personalized plan that helps you introduce solids while maintaining your milk supply! Book a
consultation at the link in my bio.

Are you starting solids soon? Or already have? How has it affected your milk supply? Comment below! ⬇️

03/24/2026

Looking to avoid bottle refusal and “nipple confusion” with your newborn? You need to know this👇

Ever since launching my course, Guiding Bottle 🍼 Breakthroughs, I keep getting inquiries from parents wanting something similar for parents. Worry not, I’ve got a course for parents in the works. 🫶 - BUT…

I’ve launched something designed specifically with parents in mind. This is my newest guide- currently titled “Bottle Introduction Guide for Avoiding Bottle Refusal”. 🥳

This step-by-step guide is designed for:

✅ parents who are hoping to avoid bottle refusal with their latching/breastfeeding/chestfeeding babies

✅ parents whose newborns (under 8 weeks) are currently taking an occasional bottle but it seems to be getting harder or baby seems to struggle

✅ parents whose newborns cannot keep a pacifier in their mouth

This guide will walk you through:

🍼 yellow flags for bottle refusal

🍼 step-by-step process of how to introduce a bottle

🍼 oral function

🍼important factors to know when bottle feeding any baby

🍼 what to do when baby is struggling with one of the 9 steps of bottle feeding

🍼 how often to practice bottle feeding

🍼 what to do if baby starts to completely refuse the bottle

💓 I really wanted to make something designed for parents that can be used at the start of trying to bottle feed in order to prevent bottle refusal.

💲This 21 page guide is available for purchase at the link in my bio!

If this guide interests you, comment “guide” below ⬇️ and I’ll send you a link to purchase!

What questions do you have about this guide? Comment down below! ⬇️ I’m happy to answer your burning 🔥 questions.

03/23/2026

🍼 Breastmilk Storage Basics: Keep It Fresh & Safe! 🍼

‼️ Have you ever noticed that the human milk storage guidelines from various sources (CDC, AAP, ABM, WHO, etc) are all over the place? This is because these organizations are trying to give the MOST CONSERVATIVE recommendations in order to keep medically fragile babies safe. 🙏

🤔 But the truth is that human milk is really robust & fights bacteria. It’s not fragile. As long as your baby is healthy, breastmilk is very forgiving! 🙏

🕒 How Long Can You Store Breast Milk?
💗 Room Temperature (77°F or below): 3-8 hours—The cooler your home, the longer it lasts.
💗 Refrigerator (32-39°F): 3-8 days—Keep it at the back of the fridge where temps stay steady.
💗 Freezer (-4°F or below): 6-12 months—6 months is the minimum for standard freezers, 12 months is the gold standard for milk that isn’t being stored in the freezer door and constantly being exposed to thawing

❄️ Best Practices for Storing Breast Milk:
✔️ Use BPA-free storage bags or food-grade containers designed for human milk. No to regular plastic bags.
✔️ Label every container with the date the milk was expressed—first in, first out!
✔️ Store in small 2-4 oz. portions to reduce waste since thawed milk must be used within 24 hours.
✔️ Don’t mix freshly expressed milk with chilled or frozen milk (get them to the same temperature first).
✔️ Keep milk at the back of the fridge or freezer, where temperatures remain the most stable. Avoid storing in the door.

⚠️ Thawing & Using Stored Breast Milk:
✔️ Thaw overnight in the fridge or under warm running water.
✔️ Never microwave—it destroys nutrients and creates hot spots!
✔️ Use thawed milk within 24 hours; don’t refreeze (unless the frozen milk still has ice crystals in it- then it’s safe to refreeze).

Did any of these guidelines surprise you? Drop your thoughts or questions in the comments below!

03/21/2026

Before Zoom, IntakeQ, or Spotify... there were these little humans 💕🎙🍼💻🤱
Deeper Dive into Changing Your EHR with 3/31/26 (link in bio)

03/20/2026

Here’s how…👇

IBCLCs don’t just help support you with nursing your little one…

We can help with a whole slew of feeding difficulties that your little one may have…including if they are partially or exclusively formula fed. 🫶

Here’s how we can help:

✅Guidance on choosing the right formula

✅bottle feeding support

✅supporting bonding between parent and baby while feeding

✅transition support from breastfeeding to formula

✅outlining a feeding schedule

✅education on safe formula preparation

✅support with mixed feeding

✅addressing oral function issues

💗 If you’re struggling to feed your baby, I’m here and happy to help! I offer virtual and in-person bottle refusal consultations where we work together to identify the cause of your baby not being able to take a bottle and design a plan to get your baby fed! Comment “bottle refusal” down below ⬇️ and I’ll send you the link to book your consultation. 🥰

Did you know this fact about IBCLCs? Comment down below! ⬇️

03/13/2026

No one enjoys being covered in milk all day wondering if their baby is okay. 🤍 What's normal and what's not?

Normal spit up usually looks like:
🥛 Small to moderate amounts, and very occasionally big ones
😌 Baby is otherwise content
📈 Normal weight gain
😴 Feeds aren’t dramatic
🧺 Laundry increases, but baby is unbothered

Most babies spit up because their digestive systems are immature. The muscle at the top of the stomach is still learning how to stay closed. They’re coordinating sucking, swallowing, breathing, digesting- all at once.
Milk goes in. Some milk comes back out.

They carry on with their day. That’s the “happy spitter.”

Problematic spit up usually has extra layers.
🚩 Baby seems uncomfortable or in pain
🚩 Frequent coughing, choking, or sputtering
🚩 Back arching and pulling off feeds
🚩 Feeds feel rushed, chaotic, or tense
🚩 Poor weight gain

At that point, it’s worth looking closer.
Sometimes it’s reflux that needs more attention; fast milk flow; latch and swallowing air... lots of things.
Spit up itself isn’t automatically the problem. The context matters.

If your house smells vaguely like sour milk at all times but your baby is thriving, that’s usually developmental and improves with time.

If feeds feel stressful and your baby seems uncomfortable, you’re probably not imagining it.

You don’t have to just accept daily anxiety as the cost of feeding.

Tell me- are we talking “happy spitter” or “this feels like a situation”? 💬

03/11/2026

Welcome to today’s episode of: Nap Trapped 💤

You sat down for “just a quick feed”… And now you live here.

Your water bottle? Drier than the wipes container you forgot to close.
Your phone? Clinging to life at 4%.
Your baby? Fully relaxed. Zero intention of moving.

This is normal baby behavior. And it doesn’t expire after the newborn stage.

If you are currently nap-trapped, here is your official activity list:
Perfect your one-handed snack skills.
Time for a treasure hunt between the couch cushions.
Add 47 unnecessary items to an online cart.
Google something wildly random like “how long do raccoons live?”
Start watching a show you'll have no memory of tomorrow.
Take 12 nearly identical photos of your sleeping baby.
Debate whether you actually need to p*e or can simply transcend the urge.

You can love the snuggles and still want to stand up! But if you're stuck, well... maybe close your eyes for a bit, hey?

03/09/2026

If your baby is gassy and fussy, I can almost guarantee someone has asked what you’re eating.

Dairy. Broccoli. Chocolate. Pizza (oh, so gluten tomatoes garlic onion AND cheese? perfect)

Here’s the part that gets skipped:
Infant food sensitivities can happen, but they are not the most common reason newborns are gassy.

Most early gas is about air intake and immature digestion, not your dinner.

Upper GI gas- burps- comes from two places:
🥛 Air your baby swallowed during feeds
🥛 Gas is produced in the stomach while digesting

And that gas has to come out somehow. 💨

So you see:
😖 Frequent burping
🤢 Spit up
😣 Squirming and grunting
🦵 Pulling legs up
😡 Red-faced straining that looks… extreme

There’s also infant dyschezia- which is a very medical way of saying your baby hasn’t figured out how to coordinate pushing while relaxing the pelvic floor.

Small adjustments can reduce air intake. Understanding what’s normal digestion can prevent a lot of unnecessary restriction.y may be taking in more air than necessary.

Now- swallowed air can absolutely add to the chaos. If your baby is clicking, losing suction, gulping, or fighting the flow, they may be taking in more air than necessary.

Before you start cutting entire food groups, it’s worth looking at:
Latch and suction
Positioning and airway
Bottle flow and pacing
Overall feeding mechanics

Small adjustments can reduce air intake. And understanding what’s normal digestion can prevent a lot of unnecessary restriction.

Dairy. Broccoli. Chocolate. Pizza (oh, so gluten-free tomatoes, garlic, onion AND cheese? Perfect)erfect)rfect)fect) process! Babies have brand new digestive systems, and they naturally make a lot of gas, usually starting after their first couple of weeks of life.

But it’s also not automatically your diet.

03/06/2026

Ever cried while feeding your baby?

Honestly. Of course you have. I know I have! It’s you, a tiny human, and at least one very unpredictable body part involved. Emotions are going to happen.

Feeding a baby is sometimes beautiful. It’s also… humbling.

One minute you’re staring at your baby thinking, “I would fight a bear for you.” The next minute you’re texting a friend, “Is this latch supposed to feel like this???”

Both are normal.

There’s this weird cultural script that says you’re supposed to glow through every feed. Soft lighting. Angel music. Perfectly swaddled baby. Meanwhile you’re sweaty, starving, holding your breath, and wondering why no one explained any of this.

That doesn’t mean anything dramatic. It means you’re in it.

If feeding has felt chaotic, tender, intense, surprisingly powerful, or like a full-contact sport, you’re in very good company.

We were never meant to do this in isolation. Babies are ancient. Raising and feeding babies in our modern culture are not.

Drop one word below for how feeding has felt lately. Your word might be the one that makes another parent unclench their jaw and think, “Oh. Same.”

And if you’re ready for more steadiness and fewer midnight spirals, I’m here. Practical strategy. Real answers. Zero weird vibes.

You deserve support. Even on the sweaty, snack-less, “is this normal?” days. 💛

source- American Academy of Pediatrics, 2022

Address

260 Boston Post Road, Ste 2
Wayland, MA
01778

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 12pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 12pm

Telephone

+16172319089

Website

http://www.rachelobrienibclc.com/

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Breastfeeding can be hard; I can help.

I’m a International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who earned my Master of Arts degree in human lactation in 2015. I pride myself on providing real-life, guilt-free breastfeeding help and I specialize in low milk supply, latch difficulty, tongue tie and lip tie, and LGBTQIA+ lactation.

I use my expertise, warmth, and sense of humor (and sarcasm) to help families to meet their breastfeeding and chestfeeding goals- whatever those goals may be. My lactation services are evidence-based and judgement free.

When I’m not doing in-home visits for breastfeeding help or working as a lactation consultant at UMASS Memorial Hospital in Worcester, I’m often blogging about lactation or contributing as a breastfeeding expert on Romper.com and FitPregnancy.com. When I’m not working you can find me at home in Sudbury where I’’m always either playing with my three children, knitting, or watching drag queens.