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How to Successfully Breastfeed With 5 Easy Tips

Posted on by Maddy McGlinchy

To breastfeed a baby, can sound daunting to some people. To others it may feel like it will be easy. But overall breastfeeding can be challenging. I want to help you be successful on your journey! These are 5 tips to help you successfully breastfeed.

How to successfully breastfeed with 5 easy steps

1. Skin to Skin contact – (the keystone to breastfeed successfully)

Have you heard of the golden hour? This is when your baby is laid on your chest right after birth. I know this isn’t possible for every mama and that is okay! But if you can I really recommend it. Once you get to hold your baby place their bare skin on your bare skin. This produces oxytocin in both you and baby. Not only will this create a better bond but it will help stimulate your milk supply and help increase babies desire to feed. I suggest doing this as often as you can. Even when your baby is older! This will always help stimulate milk supply.

2. Let baby suckle immediately after birth

Bring them skin to skin and have their little face right next to your breast, bring your nipple onto their cheek/side of the mouth and watch to see what happens, your baby has a natural reflex that will cue to them to open their mouth to your nipple. Help place your nipple in their mouth. If your baby is in the NICU I highly recommend to start pumping with a hospital grade pump! If you don’t have one yet order one. The hospital carries some for you to use while you’re in the hospital. Just ask the nurse. You might not be able to breastfeed the baby right away if they are in the NICU but by pumping it will provide milk for them now and step success for later!

3. A good latch

Now, this is very important. What does a good latch look like? You want the babies mouth to cover your whole nipple and some of the areola. You want a deep latch. When the baby opens its mouth take your nipple and put as much if it into the babies mouth as you can. Here is a picture to show you what I mean.

How-to-successfully-breastfeed-good-latch-vs-bad-latch-1Download

If you have a shallow latch this can cause your nipple to rub in the babies mouth- this can cause a lot of pain and lots of sores. You want your nipple deep into the babies mouth. This will help you breastfeed effectively and without much pain.

4. Making sure you don’t get too engorged while breastfeeding.

Now engorgement just happens. It is your breasts way of telling the body to produce less milk. Around 5 days postpartum your milk supply will come in and your breasts will become engorged. It can be hard to latch a baby onto engorged breasts. Now, you want to relieve the engorgement pain without stimulating the breast to continue to produce this much. If you pump out the milk with a hospital grade pump you will continue to produce the same amount of milk or more. If you want to just feed baby on demand with the exact amount that your baby needs then, relieve your pain with a Hakka or hand expression. This will release the milk without simulating the breast to create more. I HIGHLY recommend the Hakka. Here is a link to buy it on amazon.

5. Feeding cues to breastfeed and watching the clock

When you are first breast feeding it is good to watch for hunger cues and to watch the clock. Baby hunger cues are the following- Open mouth turning to the side to try and suck on something, hand in mouth, putting anything in their mouth, starting to get fussy. These are all cues to breastfeed. While you are watching these cues also watch the clock. How long has it been? You want to offer a feeding every 2 hours for their first couple of weeks of life. If you let baby go for too long without a feeding hand they are really fussy now do this – skin to skin, cuddle them and offer a feeding. This usually helps them calm down to breastfeed.

My most important piece of advice!

Be patient and gentle with yourself. It takes lots of learning from you and baby. Tell yourself kind things like, I can do that, my breasts are capable, I can support by baby, my baby can learn how to breastfeed well!

If this is costing you your sanity ask yourself, is this working for me and my family? I do believe that fed is best! I believe a happy mom is a happy home. Please dont feel judgment by anyone. This is YOUR life and this is YOUR baby. You got this mama.

All of these tips will help you breastfeed. If you feel like you need more help please visit more blog post about breastfeeding here.

How to Prep Your Partner for Birth With 5 Easy Steps! 

Posted on by Maddy McGlinchy

How to prep your partner for birth – with 5 easy steps. Have you been one of those people that researches and researches so that you can feel mentally prepared? Then you talk to your partner about it and they just nod their head and say okay. Haha!! So frustrating! I want to help you know how to incorporate them in your birth planning!

Having your partner be apart of your birth planning can help on so many levels. I can help you feel empowered, it can give them a sense of understanding and it can help you both feel like you’re on the same page.

Here are 5 easy steps to help you prepare your partner for your birth.

1. Tell them how much you need them.

This is going to be a really hard experience and you NEED there support. This may sound silly but having this statement being told to them will help them with the rest of the steps.

2. Prep them on what happens during labor and birth.

Even if its not their first time watching you in labor. LOTS of husbands pass out because of what they see. So lets prep them a little more! Go to THIS blog post for what happens step by step in labor. Also help them know how to help you postpartum. This stage can we rough and unknown. Please go to THIS post to learn more about it and how your partner can help.

3. Teach them how to help you relax during labor and birth.

Figure out what helps you relax. Is it back rubbing? Is it relaxing music? Is it essential oils or a candle? Is there words of affirmations you need to hear? Talk to them about it. Figure it out together. MAKE A LIST. This will help when you’re in labor and give them a task to be helpful. Giving them something to do before hand will help them not feel hopeless and lost while you’re in pain.

Here are some products for relaxing at natures sunshine. Click Here

Lets teach them counter pressure and the hip squeeze! This helps so much when you are in pain. I will do my best to explain it but if you need a visual there are lots on YouTube. Place your upper body onto a counter or bed, made it so you are bend over. Now have your partner place their hands right on the top of your hips on the bottom of your back. Once they have their hands in the right position have them press down HARD! You will love the pressure when you are in labor. If it is painful it means their hands are in the wrong spot. The hip squeeze- have your partner take their hands and place them on the sides of your hips and press hard again.

4. Give them tasks to do while you are in labor.

Tasks will help them relax because they are in charge of something. We don’t want your partner to feel helpless. Like, being charge of the phone chargers and the bathroom supplies. Have them be in charge of snacks tell them what you want during labor and what you want postpartum. Examples of snacks could be nuts, fruit snacks, popcorn, gatorade, whatever it is that you like that is quick and easy. (PLEASE snack while you are in labor. Even if you are doing a hospital labor. It is vital to keep your nutrition up while your body goes through the hardest thing.. EVER. The reason they ask you not to eat is if you need an emergency c-section.)

5. Have them help you with the birth plan!

GO HERE for a free birth plan. Just scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for a free birth plan. Fill it out together and talk about all the little things on the sheet.  

What Happens When I Go Into Labor?- Explained Simply

Posted on by Maddy McGlinchy

Pregnant? You might be starting to think about what happens when you go into labor. Questions like, when will I know its happening?! When will I need to go to the hospital/go to the birthing center or call my midwife to come to me?  

Lots of questions will be swirling around in your head. Let’s see if I can help answer a few of your questions with this blog post and if I can’t please visit my contact page HERE and I can answer more of your questions. 

What happens when I go into labor

Your first question might be, “how will I know when I am in labor?”

And if you have asked providers that question they might just tell you, “Oh you will know.” Let’s be honest that’s not a helpful response. Here are 4 of signs that your body is preparing to go into labor

  1. You might have diarrhea
  2. Your mucus plug might fall out – a collection of mucus that forms in your cervix. It prevents bacteria or infection from entering your uterus and reaching your baby.
  3. Bloody show – small amount of blood in your underwear.
  4. Irregular contractions. 

What does a contraction feel like?!

If you are a first-time mom you might think, “what does a contraction feel like?” If you have ever had period cramps it feels like those! Your uterus contracts when you are in labor and it feels like someone is taking your insides and squeezing them. Bad description but it’s true haha! 

Once you start to feel these contractions. Start to time them. How long do you feel the contraction and how long is the break in between contractions? If you can time these contractions and they are consistent in timing you are in labor! Woohoo!

Now when do you need to go to the hospital or text your midwife if you are having a home birth? If you are having a home birth tell your midwife right away. They will direct you on what will happen next. If you are leaving your home for a hospital birth I recommend waiting for the 1-5 rule. Contraction lasts 1 minute and has a break of 5 minutes ib between contractions. OR if you need pain relief then go sooner. If you are trying for a natural birth in the hospital I recommend waiting and using the 1-5 rule.

Have you heard the term effaced and dilated?

They use these terms a lot at visits with your care provider. They check this more in hospitals. This is what it means- Effaced means how thin your cervix is getting. Dilated means how wide your cervix is getting. When your body is ready to have a baby your cervix will be dilated to a 10 and you will be 100%.

What happens after I go into labor?

There are 3 stages of labor!

Stage One

  • Early labor – The contractions last 30 – 60 seconds. They are about 5-20 minutes apart. You can be in early labor for up to 12 hours. This is when your cervix is dilating from a 0 cm-6 cm.
  • Active labor – this is when you will feel the contractions getting more intense. The contractions last 45-60 seconds long. They are about 2-5 minuets apart. This is when your cervix is dilating from a 6 cm-8 cm. This can last up to 6 hours.
  • Transition- Contractions are 60-90 seconds long and come every 2-3 minutes. Your cervix is dilating from a 8 cm-10cm!

Stage Two: Pushing – Birth of the baby.

You will still be having contractions as your baby comes down the birth canal. Your uterus is pushing the baby out with each wave of contraction. If you have an epidural it might be hard to feel how to push. But give it your best shot. You want to bring down a lot of your push towards are bottom. Push with your contractions. Work as a team with your body.

If you do not have an epidural you will be able to feel this instinct kick in. The need to push. Get into a position you can push in the best. Try different ones! Most women don’t like to push on their back. Note: if you have an epidural you have to push on your back. If you don’t try hands and knees, try squatting. Most hospital beds have a squatting bar. Try something different with each contraction to see what works best for you.

Stage Three: The Birth of the Placenta

Once you have your baby you might be thinking, “thank goodness! Im done!” But, not quite. Once the baby is out you will then have to deliver your placenta. It is a soft tissue that will just feel weird coming out. Not painful. BUT more care providers will rub on your tubbing hard to get your uterus to contract and stop bleeding, and also to help the placenta come down and out. Once it’s out you’re almost done. The care provider will make sure you don’t need stitches. And either stitch you up or tell you, you don’t need any.

I hope your labor goes well and everything ends up safe and happy. Please visit my other blogs HERE to help you with any other question about pregnancy, birth and recovery.

How Labor Works: Explained in 3 Easy Steps!

Posted on by Maddy McGlinchy

Alright, lets talk about what actually happens in labor. We talk about this with our doctor or midwife and may get just a brief response and still feel a little confused about how it all works! I want to give you a quick step by step as to how labor and birth work!

There are actually 3 stages of labor! In the first stage of labor there are 3 parts. I hope I haven’t lost you yet! Let me break it down clearly.

First Stage

Early labor:

During early labor you will start to feel mild irregular contractions. These contractions will start to open your cervix. In early labor your cervix will open from 0 cm – 6 cm. This is the very beginning when you are questioning – Am I labor? Am I not? Let’s talk about timing these lots of baby apps have contraction timers. I find these timers SUPER helpful! I really recommend one.

Make sure you have one of these on your phone! Here is a link for a app that I really love to help with contraction timing: Contraction timer

When tracking your early contractions you’ll see that your contractions maybe be 30-60 seconds long and 5-20 minutes apart. As labor goes on your contraction time will lengthen and the time between them will shorten! I’ll talk about this more in active labor.

How long does early labor last?! – For a first time mom it can last hours to days, but for a mom who has had a baby before the time will most likely shorten.

What are other symptoms of early labor? – Backache (constant or with each contraction), menstrual-like cramps, lower abdominal pressure, indigestion, diarrhea, small contractions, pinkish/white goo (called a mucus plug) being discharged from your vagina, a feeling of warmth in the abdomen, your water might will break (but this could also happen later on.)

 Active Labor

Now, here comes the active labor! This is when your contractions start feeling more and more intense! Your cervix will start dilating from a 6 to a 10. Also, the contractions will be getting closer and closer together. The timing of these contractions is: 45-60 seconds long and 2-4 minutes apart.

Side note: You may be asking, “When do I go to the hospital?!?” – I like to tell my clients do go by the 411 rule. Contractions are 4 minutes apart, last for 1 minutes and this has been continuous for 1 hour. I really recommend this if you’re trying to do a natural birth. If you’re not trying to do a natural birth I recommend going by the 411 rule OR if the pain is too much the bare then get to the hospital. ALSO- go to the hospital if your water has broken.

How long does active labor last?!- This stage will go by quicker than early labor. I most likely will not take longer than 6 hours. For some women it takes 30 minutes for others it could take a couple of hours.

What are other symptoms of early labor? – Increasing pain (you won’t be able to talk through these contractions), Increasing backache, your legs may feel heavy, fatigue, an increase of blood, your water breaking (if it hasn’t already), nausea and/or vomiting

Stage Two

Pushing!

By this point, you have almost made it! Your baby is almost here! Your cervix is fully dilated to a 10 and it is time to push out your baby!

What does this feel like? -It is a strong uncontrollable urge that you can’t fight. To be honest it will feel like you have to poop really bad and trust me this is the biggest poop ever! lol. When you feel this urge to push, if you are able to (not attached to a standard epidural) find a position that will help you push the best. 

This could be laying on your side, squatting (on the bed or beside the bed), on all fours, on your knees, laying on your back what ever position helps you get enough ground to push. Make sure to follow your own instincts! You will feel them at this point. It is also good to be aware of what your healthcare provider is telling you.

Once your baby is almost here you will push out the babies head first (hopefully), once the head is out the rest of the body will follow.

Then you get your baby! Yay! They are here! Every mom dreams of this moment! After a long pregnancy to FINALLY feel your baby on your chest. Truly magical!

Stage Three

Delivering the Placenta

This is the stage the most women don’t know about or forget (because its boring! You already got your baby!) But it is the last step and a very necessary one. After your baby is born your uterus will start contracting and you will start to think, “what the freak?! I thought I was done.” Nope! Your uterus is contacting to help deliver the placenta. The placenta is the organ that helped your baby live! The babies umbilical cord attaches to it to provide nutrients from you to the baby.

The Doctor or midwife will help your uterus contract by pushing down onto your uterus, this feels very uncomfortable but it encourages the uterus to start contracting. By the uterus contracting it helps deliver the placenta AND helps you stop bleeding so much if you are hemorrhaging. The doctor or midwife may also give you a shot of Pitocin if your body needs help with this step.

Last step: The doctor will then sew you up if you tore at all. They will numb the area first if you didn’t get an epidural. 

TADA! All done with the birth part. Now onto recovery! If you want some tips on postpartum recovery visit my blog page about it! Click HERE!

9 Amazing Tips To Help Postpartum

Posted on by Maddy McGlinchy

I’m a mommy of two so I have been around the block a couple of times now. I have also been a postpartum doula for many mamas. Let me tell you something that I have learned, the after birth is nothing like an after party. Yes it is so wonderful to be able to hold your little baby in your arms but, little do they tell you about all the things your body will go through AFTER you have the baby. Let me help you be prepared for your postpartum journey with a couple of tips!

Something You May Not Know:

Before we get into the tips let me tell you something you may not know about postpartum. During pregnancy your uterus grows from the size of a lemon (its natural size) to the size of a watermelon in 40 weeks! Once you deliver the baby your uterus shrinks from a watermelon to a lemon is just 6 weeks! Your body goes through contractions to push a baby out but it ALSO goes through contractions to shrink back down to size.

This is where breastfeeding comes in handy. Breastfeeding stimulates your uterus to contract back down to size. If you’re not breastfeeding don’t worry it still will go back down to its original size it just may take a little but longer. This is why you are told to REST after you have a baby. Your body is healing back to its original size in a very small amount of time.

9 Tips to Help you Survive Postpartum:

  1. Cold/warm packs: I think hot and cold off and on helps any injury. But man after birth the downstairs can hurt so dang much! Its nice to have small soft ice packs that you can place on your vagina after birth, then to switch it off and on with a warm rice pack or heating pad.

2. Pads: Apply aloe to the pad, add some witch hazel essential oil, then place in the freezer! Those are awesome for immediate postpartum. What I like to do is to place witch hazel oil into a spray bottle with some melted coconut oil and spray into onto the aloe that is placed in the pad. Makes it pretty easy!

3. Diapers: Some women love the mesh panties they give to you in the hospital. Personally I don’t like them. I think they move around too much a sneak in places I don’t like. (Just a personal opinion.) What I do love is using a good ole diaper! I’ll take a maxi pad place it in the diaper first thing in the morning. Then towards the middle of the day I’ll remove the maxi pad then just wear the diaper by itself the rest of the day. Make is easy and convent! I have a specific brand that I absolutely LOVE! They are a super cheap price and feel like normal underwear (Score!) The link for it is right HERE. Make sure you purchase the right size. If its too big it can cause chafing.

4. Rest: Like I said above. REST REST REST. Your body NEEDS the time to heal. Even if by day 3 you feel like you’re good and don’t need to rest. You do. Give your body the time it needs to heal. If you decide that after 2 weeks you want to go outside walk around or exercise you many notice your pad/underwear have more blood than normal. This usually means that you have pushed it a little too far and need to go rest some more.

5. Keeping it clean: Your vagina postpartum is very tender. Especially if you tore. The best way to help it heal is if you keep it nice and clean. The hospital or your home birth midwife will make sure to leave you with a peri spray bottle. They are awesome to have. If you want an upgrade from that version Frida Baby sells this one. I highly recommend it. It helps to got get your hands all messy and it provides a really awesome angle. Its not very expensive and is a total game changer.

6. Medicine One of the best things about not being pregnant? You can finally take Advil again! Use the dosage recommendations. Or course Tylenol is still a good option.

7. Lidocaine spray: The hospital may send you home with a lidocaine spray that will help a lot but if they don’t or if you run out there is a spray that you can buy here that helps a lot. I really recommend this product to help with pain management. I used it so much after I had my babies. You can purchase it here.

8. Witch Hazel: I talked about this in the pad section. Another way you can use witch hazel is through and brand named “tucks” pads. They help heal the vagina and also help with hemorrhoids. This is something that isn’t talked about much either. I would love to shed some light on this too. When you are in the pushing stage of labor sometimes the pushing can cause a woman to have hemorrhoids. A hemorrhoid is a swollen vein or group of veins that occur in the anus when there is extreme pressure. They don’t usually show up immediately. It can be a couple of days or weeks postpartum that they become painful and noticeable. Things to help with this are stool softeners and tucks pads. I strongly recommend getting some of these. Witch Hazel does wonders.

9. Be willing to ask for help: Personally I am so bad at asking for help! One thing that helps me is forced help haha! And by that I mean, scheduling people to come help you when the baby arrives. Planning moms, mother in laws, sisters, friends, or a postpartum doula. Yes postpartum doulas are a thing and they are amazing. Planning out people to come can also make people feel overwhelmed and pressured into doing more than they should.

Side Note:

There is a combo pack with the lidocaine cream and the tucks pad that you can buy here. The bundle pack makes it cheaper to buy together!

I truly hope that you consider all of these pain management tips. I truly believe they will help you after you give birth! Hang in their mama! This stage can be hard but you have got this! If you are at the beginning of pregnancy and are struggling with morning sickness visit this blog post. 10 tips to help with morning sickness.

About Me

Posted on by Maddy McGlinchy

Hi! I am Maddy McGlinchy. I am a Child Birth Educator, a Doula, and a Lactation Councilor. I am from Seattle Washington but currently live in sunny Phoenix Arizona with my husband and two babies.

I have been on this journey for years and have seen so many women feel lost as they become pregnant. They struggle through pregnancy and they feel incompetent to give birth and then breastfeed their baby. I hope that with this blog I can help women empower women as they grow into motherhood.

This blog is different that any other birth education blog because I am open, honest and try to add humor into it.

If you are new here and are just at the beginning of your journey I highly suggest to read this blog.