top of page

Lactation Consultants & Breastfeeding Support

At Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, we are committed to supporting and educating mothers who are interested in breastfeeding their babies. Every baby deserves a healthy start in life!

Our goal is to meet you where you are and your journey, empower you to ask questions, and make informed decisions. Whatever you decide to do is right for your family!

At Healthy Mother's Healthy Babies, we tailor to the moms. We believe that conversations need to be tailored to individuals and their needs; and conversations need to inspire two-way communication

New parents may be anxious about doing their best for their baby. It is normal to have questions to navigate through parenthood.

Benefits for You

With no formula to buy and prepare or bottles and nipples to sterilize, breastfeeding is a money and time saver. In addition to savings on formula, nearly $1,000 in healthcare costs can be saved in baby’s first year by nursing. Plus, you’ll have a regularly scheduled time to relax and develop a deep bond with your baby.


The feelings of love, devotion and relaxation many moms report when nursing? Those feelings are aided by the release of oxytocin during breastfeeding, the same hormone released in the brain when you fall in love! It also helps your uterus shrink back to its pre-pregnancy state and may decrease the amount of bleeding you have after giving birth.


Breastfeeding can have long-term benefits as well. According to The American Academy of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, breastfeeding may reduce your risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, and helps prevent osteoporosis and hip fracture later in life. For an added bonus, breastfeeding may help you shed some of those pounds gained during pregnancy!


Benefits to Baby

Breast milk has the optimal ratio of fat, sugar, water, protein, and minerals your baby needs for healthy growth and development. And as your infant grows, your breast milk adapts to meet the changing nutritional needs. That’s something formula can’t do!


Importantly, breastfeeding boosts your baby’s immune system to help protect against diseases and decrease the chances of developing earaches, colds, allergies, and lung infections. It also reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also known as SIDS or crib death.


Tummy upset can be a problem for newborns since their gastrointestinal tract is still developing. Breast milk encourages the growth of healthy bacteria in your baby’s gastrointestinal tract and inhibits the growth of other disease-causing bacteria. Because your baby is better able to digest breast milk than formula, breastfed babies have less constipation and diarrhea.


Children who are breastfed also have been shown to have fewer speech problems and straighter teeth, and numerous studies have shown enhanced language and emotional development in key parts of the brain.


Risks of NOT Breastfeeding

There are many benefits of breastfeeding, and unfortunately there are also some risks of not breastfeeding. Infants who are not breastfed are 10-15% more likely to be hospitalized before their first birthday. They also have higher risks for:


  • Childhood obesity

  • Ear infections

  • Gastrointestinal illnesses

  • Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes

  • Leukemia

  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)



Mothers who do not breastfeed are at increased risk for :

  • Breast cancer

  • Ovarian cancer

  • Type 2 diabetes

  • Heart attack

  • Metabolic syndrome

For more information and a free downloadable guide on breastfeeding, click here.


Common Breastfeeding Questions

Although breastfeeding is natural, many women have questions and need help getting started.

How do I know if I’m making enough milk?

Is my baby getting enough to eat?This is a very common question. A newborn’s stomach is only the size of a marble, and by 10 days old, is only the size of an egg! The fact that your baby constantly wants to eat is not a sign of under-production or that supplementation is necessary. Babies simply eat around the clock during their first months of life because their stomachs are very small and they digest breast milk very efficiently. You can expect major growth spurts approximately 4 weeks, 6 weeks and 4 months – just keep nursing, as you cannot overfeed a breastfed baby! Find support and remember that it’s a “supply and demand” issue. The more often you put baby to your breast; the more milk you will make. Relax and trust yourself; your baby is helping build and sustain your milk production and supplementing with formula will compromise your supply. For a baby under 6 weeks old, six to eight wet diapers and two to five bowel movements in 24 hours means the baby is getting enough to eat. If you have more questions, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) child growth chart at your pediatrician’s office to ensure healthy, optimal weight gain.

Which is best: a manual or electric breast pump?

What are my rights as a nursing mother?

What are my rights at work?


Sources

1) Breastfeeding Benefits Your Baby’s Immune System, The American Academy of Pediatrics. Available at https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/Breastfeeding-Benefits-Your-Babys-Immune-System.aspx.


2) FAQ- Breastfeeding Your Baby, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Available at: https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Breastfeeding-Your-Baby


3) The Business Case for Breastfeeding, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health. Available at: http://mchb.hrsa.gov/pregnancyandbeyond/breastfeeding/.


4) Supporting Nursing Moms at Work: Employer Solutions, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health. Available at: http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/employer-solutions/index.php.


5) Your Guide to Breastfeeding, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health.


Locations

Oahu, Maui, Hawai'i

Highlights

Join us

If you're interested in this program, please fill out our intake form to get started.

bottom of page