298: Setting the Record Straight on Breastfeeding Myths and Facts w/ Dr. Stephanie Libs

If You Want To Have a Successful Breastfeeding Journey, You Should: Surround yourself with supportive and knowledgeable professionals to help you Let your baby control how much they are eating Be mindful and prepared for the barriers you will face Create a journey that works for you and your baby Breastfeeding has been a taboo subject for decades too long. Normalizing breastfeeding will make it easier for mamas to seek out support while struggling and not shame mamas for doing the best they can. Getting real about the barriers you will face as a new mom and the benefits of this amazing time is key to opening up the conversation and shining a light on your breastfeeding journey. The Breastfeeding Doc: Dr. Steph Libs Dr. Stephanie Libs is a pediatric and prenatal chiropractor in San Diego. After her own breastfeeding struggles, along with so many families in her office struggling, she quickly has become the “breastfeeding doc.” Dr. Steph is my go-to lactation consultant who personally helped me on my breastfeeding journey with Kingston. She’s been published in magazines, submitted case studies for peer-review publication, and hosts continuing education workshops and chiro philosophy meetings. The System Was Designed to Fail It is probably not your fault if you didn’t get to breastfeed as you wanted to or are worried about something going wrong on the breastfeeding journey. The system was designed to under-support women and has become so medicalized that we genetically forget how to give birth. You did not fail your child if things went wrong. You just need experts like Dr. Steph to get to the root cause of latch concerns and be better supported through this journey. Empower Yourself With the Knowledge You Need Everyone’s breastfeeding journey is different. While Dr. Steph recommends breastfeeding for as long as you can, not everyone can do that. This is why Dr. Steph provides recommendations such as when to introduce solid foods, how to set yourself up for a better breastfeeding experience before you even give birth, and tips to leave your baby in control of how much they eat. As women, we deserve better than what the medical field provides for us. It is time to take back control of breastfeeding so that you can find an easier and less stressful way to be with your new baby. Where are you on your breastfeeding journey? Let me know what you need support with on the comment section of the episode page! In This Episode Why breastfeeding being seen as a taboo topic is doing a disservice to women (11:25) Which age most women stop breastfeeding and when to introduce solid foods (20:28) The connection between feminism and breastfeeding (28:40) Breastfeeding barriers to be mindful of during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery (34:25) Positive outcomes that come from breastfeeding for as long as you can (41:30) Resources Mentioned: Must-Have Tips for Breastfeeding Guide Cafe of Life Website Dr. Steph Libs Website Follow Dr. Steph on Instagram Other Resources: Check out the full show notes page Keep up with everything Dr. Mariza Follow Dr. Mariza on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative Related Episodes: Essentially You Episode #227: What I Did to Get Pregnant at 40