Megan Macy, CLC CD, Spokane, WA Videos

Very excited to partner with @stnindigenousbirthjustice on Spokane’s first ever Indigenous Milk Medicine Week event! This will be a night of community connection❤️ Enjoy movie concessions, refreshments, goodie bags, enter to win a raffle, view the release of a local photography project/art gallery, watch the mini documentary Indigenous Milk Is Medicine by The American Indian Cancer Association, and stay after for a Q&A with a local panel of Indigenous women. RSVP on eventbrite or themilklady.net

Odds are you are a mother because you had sex, eh? It’s okay, me too 😘 We have to take away the taboo stigma that surrounds “sex talk!”So let’s talk about it here! Unapologetically👏🏼 The truth is, just because you are 6 weeks postpartum doesn’t mean you can or will want to jump back into your pre baby sex life/routines! So much has changed and is changing within your mind, body, and soul. I’m not just saying that to be “hippy-woo”. Seriously, your hormones have completely shifted causing massive changes in your mind, body, and soul! Taking care of a baby 24/7 is also TIRING!😴Often it’s hard to eat a well balanced diet with enough calories when you are a mom. Being tired and under nourished even affects your hormones too! It’s a whole thing. See? But I want to help you navigate postpartum so you can make informed decisions and live each day with intention 🧘‍♀️You can order your February copy of a local magazine Spo-CDA holistic family community guide to read my full sex and lactation article! #spocdafamilyguide You can also RSVP to my free upcoming sexual health awareness film event where we will be watching @businessofbirthcontrol followed by a Q&A with local holistic women’s health specialists on the panel answering YOUR questions! www.themilklady.net

I can’t wait to connect with you all at my 3rd upcoming film event February 18th 5:30-8:30pm Magic Lantern on Main 📽🎞✨ Who’s ready for a glass of wine, a bag of popcorn, a powerful documentary, and deep conversations?🍷🍿🎟 FREE RSVP Link in bio www.themilklady.net

February is the month I am hosting Spokane’s first Sexual Health Awareness Event! February is also Black History Month! The film The Business of Birth Control discusses how historically contraception has been weaponized in communities of color. This film event is meant to ignite deep conversation surrounding birth control as we know it, and bring light to holistic, ecological, and non pharmaceutical birth control alternatives. We will have a live Q&A led by a culturally diverse panel of women. This event is Saturday, February 18th 5:30-8:30pm downtown Spokane at @magiclanternonmain RSVP on www.themilklady.net

It’s an important topic! Almost every woman is affected by birth control in some form. How we prevent pregnancy affects us mentally and physically. Different options make sense for different people. It’s important that women are informed on their options. Let’s dive deep into contraception in the US and what informed consent, risks, benefits, and alternatives really look like in our women’s healthcare system.We will have a LIVE Q&A after the film that will be hosted by a diverse panel of local women including Women’s Hormone Specialist @drbreannaguan Saturday, February 18th 5:30-8:30pm at @magiclanternonmain 🎟RSVP www.themilklady.net

It’s easy to look back in hindsight mama. Give yourself grace ❤️

So much fun chatting with @mirrjo yesterday!💞You can watch our hour long “breastfeeding questions” IG Live on either of our pages. We discuss: 🥛Nutrition and hydration while breastfeeding 🥛Switching from bottle to breast🥛Getting off the nipple shield 🥛Working out while breastfeeding 🥛Tongue ties 🥛Body work and therapies 🥛Pumping volumes and freezer stashes 🥛When will milk dry up after weaning

I’m as rich as I’ll ever need to be ❤️

“Why does my baby want to eat more than every 2-3 hours?!” Is probably the number one question I get asked. So let’s talk about it!👏🏼The hospital sent you home and said “feed baby every 2-3 hours” but for some reason baby is chewing on their hands, opening their mouth, licking their lips, and crying more frequently than every 2-3 hours! So what is the deal? Often new parents hear “if the baby is fed, burped, and changed they should be happy” many new parents think baby must need a diaper change, a different blanket, a sound machine, or pacifier if they show cues before the 2 or 3 hour mark.Feeding schedules were created by male pediatricians (whom never actually cared for their own infants) starting about 100 years ago when formula hit the market. They looked at the caloric needs of babies, how many ounces they need a day, and divided it up and decided 8-12 feeds. Before formula and bottles, mothers would follow their babies cues without ever looking at a clock. Whether it was 2 hours from the last nursing session, or 20 minutes, they would simply meet their baby with the breast to ensure baby was getting lots of milk and would grow and thrive.Babies want to suckle for SO MUCH MORE THAN NUTRITION! (Write that down) Suckling is how babies regulate their nervous systems.When adults feel out of sorts- anxious, sad, scared, stomach pain, etc. We have the brain capacity to soothe ourselves and work ourselves through our discomfort. Newborns do not have this inner monologue. They do not have the capacity to regulate their nervous system without sucking. When we take a diss regulated newborn and bounce them, rock them, change their diaper and clothes, hold a pacifier in their mouth- this only pushes them further into diss regulation. The longer a babies cues are mis read the more unhappy the baby. Babies who are pushed to follow strict feeding schedules are typically less happy, more fussy babies. Often described as “colicky”. When we look at babies

Sometimes I struggle being on social media seeing how western women obsess over diet when breastfeeding. I struggle even more with seeing how many professionals feed into the anxieties and insecurities of struggling new mothers. OF COURSE WE SHOULD BE NOURISHING OUR BODIES👏🏼But… breastfeeding is already hard enough for our culture to grasp. Our breastfeeding statistics are grim. Just the very BASICS of how breast milk is made goes right over most Americans heads. With that being said, you will never see me talking in depth about nutrition on my page. I’m a firm believer that women all around the world have been breastfeeding since the dawn of time, eating whatever they have available to them based on their region and season. For some, that might mean no fresh fruit or veg for a couple/few weeks- mostly grains, starches, and protein. For others it might be mostly fresh fruits and veg for a couple weeks with limited protein and grains available. And for some moms it’s food from the local food bank, food purchased on WIC, or a food basket someone dropped off on your porch to help your family. Sometimes it’s a fast food dinner because you worked a 10 hour day and the kids had dance class right after school, and you are a human who is allowed to be tired. There is no diet that will make your breastmilk less nutritious than formula. Even if you eat like “crap”The benefits of breastmilk will always outweigh the risk of switching to formula and that is agreed upon by the World Health Organization. As long as you are eating and drinking AND PRACTICING GOOD BREASTFEEDING HABITS you can make milk 🥛 Eat when you are hungry and drink water when you are thirsty.Happy Monday Milk Ladies

What’s all this talk about “Pace Feeding?” and why does it matter?Pace feeding matters for so many reasons. Some key points are •baby is less likely to over eat. Over eating causes discomfort that presents as gas/reflux. Over eating in infancy can lead to future health problems.•baby is less likely to develop a bottle preference (nipple confusion) this is important if you are wanting to nurse (from the breast)Nursing (directly from the breast) and bottle feeding are very different experiences for baby. Nursing from the breast is biological infant feeding, it’s the optimal feeding experience for a human baby. This is not to say bottle feeding is bad, but we do need to acknowledge it is different than nursing and there are proven benefits to trying to mimic nursing elements while bottle feeding. All this to say… pace feeding technique is pretty simple! Here are some tips:•slowly offer the first sip (babies have to suck up to 60 seconds to get a letdown at the breast, and this is where bottle preference starts) •keep baby upright instead of laying down •hold the bottle horizontal ⬅️ instead of vertical ⬇️•fill only the bottle nipple with milk, not the entire bottle top•pay attention to babies suck swallow pattern, every once in a while tip the bottle base down and give baby a moment to breathe•offer to burp baby mid botttle and then continueCheckout themilklady.net to work with me!🍼

I can teach you all about it 🌽🎶 Don’t forget to visit themilklady.net to register for a prenatal breastfeeding class, or book your postpartum lactation package!🥛 #breastfeeding #breastmilk #doula #postpartum #spokane #spokanebusiness #spokanedoula

I love feeding people ❤️ I think many pregnant and postpartum moms feel overwhelmed trying to “eat healthy”. It really doesn’t have to be expensive, complex, or hard. It’s okay to reach out to loved ones to see if they could help prep a couple freezer meals or snacks. My grocery shopping tip for pregnant and postpartum people (or anyone really) is to do the majority of your grocery shopping on the outskirts of the grocery store! if you do this, your cart will mostly be full of Whole Foods!👏🏼What was your favorite postpartum meal prep?#postpartumfood #postpartumnutrition #nutrition #doula #postpartum #cooking #mealprep #quiche #miniquiche

🎞You are invited to attend the first Milk Lady Movie Night Saturday March 12th 4:30-7:00pm!🎬 Click that save button➡️ Fun Fact: I’m obsessed with documentaries!😍 So I got ahold of some producers, a local vintage theatre, some amazing sponsors, and put this event together for you guys! 🎥 @themilkywaymovie is a 2014 documentary created by 2 lactation consultants. This film highlights the political and cultural roadblocks for breastfeeding in the United States. They take a deep look into why America’s breastfeeding rates are some of the lowest in the world, and also what it takes to improve our breastfeeding rates. This film event is free and for EVERYONE! Bring a date, bring your friends, bring your sister, bring yourself and make friends!💫 Garland theatre does follow current mask mandates- as of now that is masks in the lobby, but you are fine to remove your mask once in your seat. I ask we all please be respectful of the theatre for allowing us to have this event ☺️ 🍿 @garlandtheaterspokane 🍸 @bonbonspokane ❤️A BIG THANK YOU TO @hazeltreemidwifery @rc_midwifery @spokanebirthresources Are you a local birth resource that would like to provide your card, a brochure, or a “swag bag” for the @spokanebirthresources table? DM me!💕 #spokaneevents #spokane #spokanedoesntsuck #spokanewashington #spokanelocalbusiness #spokanemom #pnwmom

Breastmilk Baby Food
Contrary to popular belief, you can use purees and baby led weaning together!👏🏼 There are several foods like yogurt, soups, mashed potatoes etc. that have a similar consistency to purees. So don’t worry mama! If you want to do baby led weaning and purées, it’s totally okay 😊 Also, don’t be intimidated by homemade baby food🍎 You don’t even need a “baby food maker” You just need a pot with a lid, and a blender or food processor. 🍌Fun fact: the more brown the peel the sweeter they are. 🥛The reason we use fresh breastmilk, is for storage and expiration purposes. You can’t re refrigerate thawed breastmilk, and that holds true when it’s added to baby food as well. I choose to store my homemade breastmilk baby food in reusable pouches I found on Amazon. This way baby feeds themselves, which is great for hand eye coordination. I like to bring a homemade baby food pouch with us when we go out and about, and won’t have an opportunity to practice baby led weaning. My babies love to eat their pouches while we grocery shop!🛒 👇🏼Leave a comment if baby food is easier to make than you thought! #babyfood #purees #homemade #homemadebabyfood #babyledweaning #spokanemom #breastmilk #breastfeeding #complimentaryfeeding #lactationcounselor

Do you have a baby shower gift ready?
Have a baby shower coming up? Not sure what a meaningful or useful gift would be? Here is your answer!🤗 Visit themilklady.net for pricing and packages. Virtual prenatal appointments starting at $40, through comprehensive in-home prenatal and postpartum packages up to $400. Find visits or packages at any price point in between! #spokanemom #spokanemama #spokane #spokanewa #pnwmom #pnwmama #inlandnorthwest #northidaho #cdaidaho #cda #cdamom #spokanedoesntsuck

Pumping at work laws- know your rights
You don’t have to pump in the bathroom mama🚽 Under the Fair Labor Standards Act is the Break Time For Nursing Mothers Law, which is a Federal Law. This law states all employers must provide nursing employees for 12 months after baby’s birth, with: -a private space free from intrusion that is NOT a bathroom. -this space must be available every time you need to pump. -enough breaks every 2-3 hours to mimic your baby’s feeding schedule -each break long enough to set up, pump, and clean pump parts -they are NOT required to pay you for these breaks, HOWEVER you can use whatever paid breaks you have to cover a portion of your pumping time. It’s best to have this conversation with your employer before maternity leave, or before your first day back from maternity leave. #reels #funnyreels #momreels #breastfeeding #normalizebreastfeeding #lactation #lactationconsultant #lactationcounselor #ibclc #clc #pumping #pumpingmom #workingmom #knowyourrights #spokanemom #spokanedoesntsuck #breastmilk #laws #health #rights #womensrights #motherhood #maternityleave #backtowork

Who is The Milk Lady?
GIVEAWAY🎉 Share this post & Tag a pregnant or new mom in the comments, to enter to win 1 free in home consultation for you or someone of your choice ❤️ 🎥 Bee's Knees Marketing Co.

Steps to a deep latch!
A deep latch can be achieved in any position, with a few basic steps. Ignoring shallow latch can be detrimental to a breastfeeding relationship. Check out my last two posts to read more about achieving a deep latch!🤱🏼 Please SHARE or TAG a pregnant or postpartum mama 🤗 #reel #healthreel #health #breastfeedingtips #breastfeeding #breastfeedingmama #normalizebreastfeeding #lactation #lactationsupport #lactationconsultant #spokanemom #spokanedoesntsuck #inhomecare #holistichealth #postpartum #newmom #newborn #pregnancytips #pregnancy

Worry about yourself
Hope everyone is having a good Wednesday ❤️