The Breastfeeding Dietitian

“OMG I wish I would have found you sooner...”
I recently had my DMs flooded with heartbreak from so many mamas after I shared my story about breastfeeding through a tongue tie.
Where no matter how much I wanted to help my baby… I (along with the people I sought help from) didn’t know how.
So much so that even after 5 years… my baby boy that made me a mama is still struggling with a tongue tie.
But we’re FINALLY getting help. Because I know more. Because the people on our team know more. We are helping my baby (he will forever be my baby 🥰).
Now I could toss all the sayings at you about this...
“Hindsight is always 20/20.”
“When we KNOW better, we can DO better.”
The hurt is still there though. The guilt. The regret. I get it. I am living it too.
I find what most often helps take the sting away is this:
“We do the best we can with the information we have at the time.”
And we are STILL doing our best, but now we have more information, so our best now is better than our best then.”
Knowing new things now (that are different than what you did before) does not change the fact that you WERE and STILL ARE an AMAZING MOM. We’re all just learning as we go!
That’s why I am all about keeping you educated and informed on your breastfeeding journey. So you can learn keep learning. Keep growing. Keep getting better.
If you want to read more about my story, check out my highlight called 👅Function!
Off the top of your head - what’s one thing you learned from this space? Let other mamas know it too in the comments!

Solving the mystery behind the pot of (liquid) gold at the end of the rainbow🌈⤵️
Because is coming up!🍀
Thank you to the mamas in my stories for all the amazing photos of the REAL colours of your pumped milk!🤱
So why does your milk change colour? Well colours are just specific wavelengths of light that are reflecting off things.
This means EVERYTHING in your milk contributes to the colour you see, not just one thing...
🌈Phytonutrients (things that give colour and flavour to foods, and other super things)
🌈Fats
🌈Proteins
🌈Carbs
🌈Immune factors
🌈Vitamins
🌈Even things that aren’t usually there, like blood (pink for fresh, brown for old)
🌈And so. Much. More!
It’s the specific COMBINATION of what is reflecting off ALL things in your milk that makes the colour you see. Your milk is changing within a feed, from feed to feed, from day to day, and even as your milk sits in storage. So you can expect the colour to change too!
So yeah, foods that you eat (or if your baby is sick!) can change the colour of your milk (and therefore their 💩), but sometimes it won’t. This does NOT mean the “things” did not make it into your milk.
They are there, but with the specific combination of everything in your milk that is tailored just for YOUR baby, you just see white. White light is actually just a combination of all colours reflecting (Pink Floyd logo anyone?👩‍🎤)
So whatever colour your breastmilk, it all still leads to the pot of (liquid) gold perfectly made for your baby! 🙌🏻
On that note - the colours not pictured that are a red flag to see your healthcare provider are “pepto bismol hot pink” and black. In addition, if you notice blood in your milk consistently, it is worth getting in touch with your healthcare provider🙂
Have you ever changed the colour of your breastmilk by eating certain foods? Share in the comments!

Part 2 of constipation in your breastfed babe: top 3 tips for daily💩

Let me be clear on two things for this post:
👉this is for babies who have NOT started solids
👉this is NOT medical advice or implying any diagnosis - it’s just info.

So first off - do NOT go for these quick fixes:
❌Laxatives
❌Prune juice (or pear/apple/ANY juice)
❌Corn syrup
❌Probiotics

These can more often than not create more problems without fixing anything (but probiotics CAN be helpful, just certain ones in certain amounts in certain situations and not the first choice)

Here’s what to do instead:

1️⃣Optimize intake

When not enough comes in, not enough comes out; BUT don’t jump to conclusions that your baby isn’t getting enough (this is why I said OPTIMIZE intake, not increase). Check that they are feeding well and assess all the signs of getting enough. Also, improper mixing of formula can also lead to constipation. So again, it’s not always about increasing - it’s optimizing. Not sure? Get help from an LC!

2️⃣Check for tension

Body tension can affect gut motility (the nerves that turn on the gut become “slow”) and a common reason I see for tension is TOTs. It’s important to note there can be other reasons, so consider the whole picture and other possible causes for tension. You can check off box 1+2 by getting a tie-savvy LC on your team!

3️⃣Modify baby’s diet to match gut function

If 1+2 check out, then maybe the lack of💩 is on the gut function side, where many factors (illness, meds/supplements, gut bacteria shifts, allergies/sensitivities) can play a role. You can tailor their diet to their gut function. No, the answer is NOT just switching to formula (but if you use formula, changing the type can help). You can modify your baby’s breastmilk diet by changing YOUR diet.

Don't be afraid to ask questions with your healthcare provider. See what you can tweak to get your babe regular💩

✨Psst. Join the FREE event starting this week so you can learn the must knows of new mom life just like this from 26 diff professionals. Check out my story highlight for deets!

Part 2 of diaper counts: 💩 DIAPERS. But there’s so much more to it than numbers!⤵️
Counts are a helpful piece of the puzzle to knowing your baby is “getting enough”, but there is SO MUCH beyond it that baby💩 can tell you.
It is a direct reflection of what’s coming in (nutrition) and what’s happening in between (gut function).
For me, it’s one of the most important things I look at. Of course, the whole picture matters, but this one tells me A LOT!
So when looking at 💩frequency (i.e. counts) specifically, you also need to factor in HOW OLD your baby is.
1 day old = 💩+
2 days old = 💩💩+
3 days old= 💩💩💩+
But in these first few days of life, arguably what’s more important about baby p**p is COLOUR. You’ll notice when these counts are met, your baby’s p**p colours will change:
⚫️ first p**ps will be black meconium,
🟢 then green transitional p**ps happen,
🟡 then mustard yellow p**ps are here to stay by at least day 5 of life (it can happen earlier though).
If that’s not happening… Red. Flag.
Beyond day 3, your baby will continue having at least 3💩 per day. Still yellow.
If that’s not happening… RED. FLAG.
Even beyond 6 weeks, your baby’s p**p pattern may (or may not!) decrease to just 1 big💩 per day (nothing close to “loonie-size”), but still expect it every day or every other day. And probably still yellow until solids.
If that’s not happening… STILL. A. RED. FLAG.
Remember, baby p**p tells us about what’s coming in (nutrition) AND what’s happening in between (gut function). So p**ping *regularly* can tell you:
✅ Your baby is getting enough milk amount
✅ Your baby is eliminating waste effectively
Need more details? Watch my story highlight called 💩💩💩
Tag a friend who needs to see this 🥰
**p **p

ON HOLIDAYS 🥰🎄 See you all in 2022! Thanks for being part of my little corner of the internet!

Has your baby’s green p**ps stuck around for weeks?⤵️
Honestly, there are a few specific times where breastfed green p**p may actually be normal. I cover that in another post.
But more often than not, the green p**p that mamas are seeing constantly for weeks is NOT normal.
What’s further frustrating is that your intuition is on point with this, but you’re dismissed with a “it’s normal” when you express concerns that you can’t remember the last time you saw a yellow p**p.
Well. If you’ve made it this far, let me point you in the direction of some help.
First off… the TYPE matters.
Frothy 💩 type = feeding issue = seek help from a lactation consultant to get your breast draining more effectively.
Mucousy 💩 type = food issue = seek help from a provider with the experience to walk you through the right* diet changes (if it IS diet related).
If you want more details on how to solve these “food issues”… head to the link in my bio and watch my FREE class (instantly!) Root Cause Remedy for Baby Gas, Reflux + P**p Problems
Put an emoji in the comments that describes your reaction to baby p**p pics!🤣 (Mine is tooootally 🧐or🤩)
**p (but actually not) (but it’s NOT)

MILK SHARING CHALLENGE. ‘Tis the season of giving - but it’s more than that. There is no giving without receiving! 🎁
I love this statement by LLL: “Milk-sharing is a special relationship that can require much thought and effort. The aim is to support the health of the baby, enhance the relationships between all the participants and share the love inherent in the act of breastfeeding and chestfeeding.”
Did you GIVE milk? Did you RECEIVE milk? Share in the comments! ❤️❤️
Better yet? Join in the challenge - now until Dec 20, post this part of your journey with the hashtag ! 🥰
There is more info and some swipe up links for how to donate or how to use donated milk in my story highlight called “Milk Sharing” at .dietitian

Because green can be normal… or not 💩
Whenever it comes to green in the diaper, texture matters. Typically all the normal reasons for green have your baby’s p**p looking pretty par-for-the-course and then it’s just green!
What are those “normal” reasons?
✅”Transitional” p**p between meconium and the typical yellow
✅Abundance of green food or artificial blue colour in mom’s diet (or directly to babe in solids)
✅Iron supplements and certain medications
When it comes to the red flag type of green, the texture is also a red flag. In addition, it typically sticks around alllll the time and is not just one offs.
The “not normal” types of green p**p could possibly mean:
❎ Feeding problems, where your baby (or your pump) isn’t draining your breast all that great (resulting in green frothy types of p**p that would improve upon fixing whatever is causing your baby to have a hard time draining your breast)
❎ Illness/Infections like a cold or stomach bug (resulting in green mucousy types of p**p that would improve when your baby’s no longer sick!)
❎ Sensitivities, like CMPA, MSPI, FPE, FPIES and many other non-IgE allergies we don’t fully understand (resulting in green mucousy types of p**p that would only improve if the correct food item(s) was removed from your baby’s diet and/or your diet)
Any of those not normal ones? Then it’s time to reach out to a healthcare provider who can help you! Depending which type, can let you know whether you need to see your doctor and/or dietitian and/or lactation consultant!
SIDE NOTE: teething can increase in mucous in your baby’s p**p, but doesn’t make it green. If you notice green mucousy when your baby is teething, ask yourself if the green is coming from a “normal” reason or a “not normal” reason.
Lots of times green p**p concerns can get blown off. Trust your mom gut, and find the person who will hear you out 💚
Tune into day 3 of Baby P**p Basics story series today, and make you sure share with a mama who needs to know what her babe’s green p**p is saying!
**p **pproblems

And when we know “normal”, we know “not normal” ⤵️
There are so many variations of what normal baby p**p is for YOUR baby. Baby p**p is a directly reflection of two things:
☝️Diet
✌️Gut function
So when there are changes in one or both of those things, then you can expect some changes in the diaper 💩
But what are some red flags to look out for to know if they shift into the “not normal” territory?
🚩FREQUENCY: not p**ping enough, or p**ping waaaaay too much (the key to knowing if this is “too much” depends on the texture - see below) .. more details on this in a previous post
🚩SIZE: this is typically reflective of what’s happening in the frequency department. Concerns would arise if your baby was consistently on either end of the extremes (always skid marks or always blow outs)
🚩COLOUR: the big ones that call for investigation are white (!!!), black (!!!), and red (!!! depending on the severity). Green can happen from you eating allll the green (or artificial blue) things, from iron supplements or from teething. But green can also be problematic, where it could be a sign for feeding issues, infection, illness, sensitivity, allergy, etc
Okay disclaimer - now we’re about to get descriptive 😅
🚩TEXTURE: concerns arise on either end of the spectrum from excessive mucous (think stringy, glob-like, booger-like, or jelly looking) or watery (think “peeing out of their butt”) to formed, solid toothepaste (or anything pebble like)
🚩SMELL: sour, foul, “eggy” or just plain ol’ like something died. Although not a concern by itself, when looking at this in conjunction with the whoooole picture is what says if it’s not normal
Tune into Day 2 of my Baby P**p Basics story share for more details on TEXTURE, one of the most asked questions I get.
What factor surprised you the most? SHARE with a mama whose wondering what the heck in happening in her babe’s diaper 🤓
**pproblems

And then want to know about beyond 6 weeks? ⤵️
At least a 💩. Every. Day. Why would that be?
REGULAR POOPING IS A HEALTH MARKER. And I’m re-sharing this helpful graphic from to hammer the message home that I’m not the only one out there looking to change the way we measure health in babies 🦸‍♀️
Seriously if I had a dollar for the amount of times I see a mom’s concerns get dismissed with a “iT cAn Be NoRmAl FoR a BrEaStFeD bAbY tO tAkE uP tO 10 DaYs To PoOp”… 🤨
Because at the end of the day, 💩 is a way to eliminate things our body doesn’t want or need. It’s a basic physiological process of BEING HUMAN. Just because your baby is breastfed does not change this fact. **Being regular is key for your baby’s gut health.**
So then why does it happen?
💩issues with intake (amount of breastmilk/formula)
💩issues with gut motility (things slow moving)
💩issues with gut function (things not operating normally)
Tune into Day 1 of my Baby P**p Basics story share for more details on each of those things! 🤓
SHARE with a mama whose babe isn’t p**ping! Got questions? Pop ‘em in the comments!
**pproblems

I’m really not a fan of the whole “foremilk-hindmilk” chatter…
I think the reason I really dislike it is because it puts the blame on the mother as if something is wrong with your milk. It’s not - your milk is perfect. This isn’t what is going on 🙅‍♀️
First off, you only make one kind of milk! But it’s not “homogenized” so the fat naturally separates out *in your breast*
👉🏻The fat sticks to the sides of your milk ducts and further up near where milk is made
When a baby starts a feed, they initially get this “watery” milk that’s sitting right there at the ni**le. As the feed continues, the fat comes down too. Massaging your breast before and during a feed can help your fat come down, and a letdown especially helps.
So there is just one milk - your breastmilk. So why do we hear about this whole “too much foremilk, not enough hindmilk” stuff?
WELL I’M GLAD YOU ASKED!
When a baby is not feeding well, they are not going to get the fat to come down. They primarily get this “watery” milk… cue:
💨 gassy, fussy baby
💩green, frothy p**ps
📉 possibly not growing well
But the root cause of those issues has NOTHING to do with your milk. It’s your baby struggling to get your milk out.
📣 It’s a *feeding issue* 📣
You can do all the things that the internet tells you to about “getting the hindmilk”, or “making your milk more fatty”, but if you don’t fix the feeding issue, the problems will just start to stack up.
Your milk is more than just fat. Your baby uses EVERYTHING in your milk to grow ❤️
**p

Yeah you bet I did the math on how much of your kids’ chocolate stash is safe to eat when you’re breastfeeding?
However much they let you 🤣
The main reason chocolate gets brought into question when it comes to safety in breastfeeding is because of the caffeine.
Let’s assume you’re a blonde roast kinda gal, so your cuppa joe has about 150mg caffeine ☕️ (I’m more of a dark roast mama which actually has less 🙃)
You’d need to eat 46 mini Hershey’s, 22 mini Aero, and 19 mini boxes of Smarties. If you’re wondering - yes that’s how much is in the picture lol. Oh and eat it all in one sitting. Not spread out throughout the day (because our bodies are always breaking caffeine down). It works out to 750g (or 1.7lbs) of milk chocolate 🍫
PLUS the recommendation is to keep it under 300mg of caffeine. So then you could technically have twice that!
But then you ask - “I heard it’s not the caffeine, it’s something else...”
That would be theobromine (a close cousin of caffeine, but they are not the same). It’s in *higher amounts* in chocolate, but it is *more weak* when it comes to comparing nervous system effects to caffeine.
The ONLY research we have is a single case report of a breastfeeding mother who had a newborn baby who was jittery and irritable. They figured it was because she ate 250g of chocolate EVERY DAY during her pregnancy AND while breastfeeding.
For perspective, that would be 25 mini Hershey’s. Every day for 9+ months.
Given the symptoms, we aren’t even sure if it was the theobromine or the caffeine in chocolate.
So eat however much chocolate feeds your soul, mama! The amount that even maybe would cause problems is A LOT. Watch your baby, and if you’re noticing problems - **check any feeding issues before jumping to food 🍫 **
Okay favourite chocolate bar, everyone - GO IN THE COMMENTS! 👇🏼

Let’s talk about that “empty” feeling and your milk supply…
So your baby just fed and drained your breast 5 minutes ago and wants to feed again. In your brain you’re thinking “you just drank it all and you have to wait for me to fill up again…” 😬
WELL ACTUALLY… there is milk there at the ready! And the best way I can explain this is by filling a water balloon 🎈
You hook up a water balloon to the tap and start filling it (but for the sake of this explanation, let’s assume we won’t take off the water balloon and tie it 😂).
As the balloon gets more full, you turn the water down so the balloon won’t break. This is like when your breasts get full between feeds (and why severe engorgement can lead to your milk making sacs “dying out”).
Now imagine a tiny hole in the water balloon where it can drain. This is like your baby feeding.
As the water balloon drains and empties, you turn the water up so it fills up. **This is like when your breasts “empty” during a feed.**
The point of the story - the water balloon is never truly empty, because there is always water in the tap. But the level that the tap is open to let water in (or signal to make milk) depends on how full the balloon is (or your breast is)!
✨This is why you can feed your baby however often they demand. There will always be milk there, being made.✨
⬆️This is why you can increase supply when you feed more often, so the empty breast being stimulated sends the signal to make more milk.
⬇️This is why you can decrease supply when you delay or stretch out feeds, as the full breast with no stimulation sends the signal to make less milk.
Eventually your body works out a perfect system to meet the demands of your baby where you are never too full and have just enough there for your baby’s needs.
And then your baby’s needs change, and responding to those changes will ensure your milk supply changes to meet those needs.
If you looking to scrap the scheduled feeds and let go of the worry if your baby is getting enough… I’m running a Getting Enough to Grow Workshop all about setting your supply up for success! ❤️ join now at link in my bio!

Let’s talk twiddling pls…
Where your baby twists, fiddles or moves something with their free hand when they breastfeed. And if your baby is like my baby… then this “something” ends up being your other ni**le 🤪 (or actually sometimes he kneads like a kitten 🐱 .. I can deal with that!)
It may seem annoying... but it’s thought twiddling may actually have a purpose!
The theory is that twiddling is your baby’s natural response to encourage a letdown. Ni**le stimulation releases oxytocin (the hormone that causes your letdown 💦)
More letdowns means more milk is removed from your breast. When more milk is removed, your body makes more milk.
So theory 1 = better milk supply? Maybe!
Another theory is that it gives your baby a focus point to allow them to breastfeed longer and calmer.
Theory 2 = distracted baby solution? Maybe!
It’s a hard habit to break though if you are okay with it. Many toddler’s will continue twiddling even after weaning!! It’s as if they basically have associated it with comfort even when you are no longer breastfeeding.
Did you let your baby twiddle? Let me know👇🏻 I did - and now we currently own aaaaaaall the poppers in an attempt to have some boundaries 😂

Real talk...
I’ve finally reached burnout. I’ve been running on fumes the past six months pushing myself to “do it all” and I’m officially out of gas. I have nothing left in my tank. And holy crap that’s not healthy... physically, mentally, and emotionally.
It has seriously taken a toll on me, and it’s affecting my family’s wellbeing. So it’s time for me to take a step back from social media.
I’m not “ghosting you”. What I’ll be working on:
👩🏻‍💻Helping mamas 1-1 feed their babies.
👩🏻‍💻Building out the back end for my freebies, future workshops and courses.
👩🏻‍💻Preparing for my return to social media, by bringing on help.
I just don’t have the capacity to be on social media anymore. I have plans to hire help managing this platform, while still holding onto the reigns creating the content you see here. I can’t do it alone anymore. Admitting that has been hard, because I KNOW people come to social media to feel connected to humans. So I’ve felt like I’ve had to be that human behind this space to make that happen.
Thanks for understanding - if you need help ASAP, I have some availability for new 1-1 clients, but also have some family holiday time planned. Just email me or head to my website contact page 💌
I’m so grateful for everyone in this community and look forward to reconnecting once I am refuelled and refreshed.

MAMA SHARE. Breastfeeding was never not an option for me when I started having babies.
After learning about the beauty and benefits of it all, I was sold! But the biggest problem I was worried about going into my first pregnancy was the fact that I have flat ni***es - I was worried it wouldn’t work out for me or I’d end up giving up (which I nearly did and wanted to so many times those first few weeks).
After my first son was born, I had a really hard time figuring out the latch despite help from our local IBCLC and using shields. My ni***es were sore, every feeding I’d wince with pain and end in tears for those first few weeks. I wanted more than anything to breastfeed over a year but it felt like that plan was impossible. I can’t remember when or why it clicked, but I finally figured out a good latch and what once caused me so much anxiety and stress became natural and one of my favorite parts of motherhood! I nursed my first until he slowly weaned himself off at 14 months.
My second pregnancy ended with our daughter being stillborn at 24/25 weeks so this brought new difficulties with lactation - to pump and donate or dry up? I decided to dry up my supply, which thankfully wasn’t too bad (thank you cabbage leaves) but have so much love and respect for mamas who donate after loss 💜
My third little one arrived and I was planning on breastfeeding once again, now that I had an idea how to tackle the flat ni**le and latching issue. I was able to nurse him for 8 weeks until we discovered he needed a feeding tube for a few medical reasons. Thus began my pumping journey! I feel so blessed that I was able to give him my breastmilk (and some of my friend’s when I experienced low supply occasionally) until he was also 14 months. Most of my pumping journey, I had an extreme oversupply but was able to share the abundance I had as well.
My breastfeeding journeys have not been what I’ve expected so far. I’ve had to use ni**le shields, bottles, syringes, tubes, & pumps, but God is good and I’ve got such a great support system in my husband, family, and friends! Pregnant with number 4 and can’t wait to see how this new breastfeeding journey unfolds!

Sure, your baby may be growing well, but your mommy-senses are tingling… ⁠⁠⁠
It’s super easy to get wrapped up in your baby’s weight. It’s hyper focused on right from birth. Heck, it’s placed on birth announcements 😑⁠⁠⁠
Because weight is the *easiest* measure of GROWTH (but it's not the perfect measure). And then growth happens when a baby is getting the energy intake (i.e. milk intake) they need.⁠⁠⁠
But at any point, weight is not a measure of your baby’s HEALTH. It’s measuring growth. Which is just one piece of the puzzle of health. ⁠⁠⁠
There are so many aspects to health. One of those aspects is gut function. And it’s the one I see SO many parents get dismissed for. Like oh, they’re growing well so nbd….⁠⁠⁠
But those points on the growth chart aren’t seeing…⁠
▪️ How blood streaks are showing up in your baby’s diaper.⁠
▪️ How it feels like your baby is either crying, feeding, or crying from feeding. ⁠
▪️ How your aunty can’t even hold the baby without getting soaked in spit up. ⁠
▪️ How the only way anyone gets any sleep is if you hold your baby in a ball and breastfeed them every hour. ⁠
▪️ And don’t even get me going on the things moms endure (pain, 24/7 feeding) just to keep their baby growing just hoping things will get easier.. and they don’t. ⁠⁠⁠
Those concerns are VALID, and none of them are measured by weight.⁠⁠⁠
So don’t let anyone dismiss concerns you bring to the table because your baby is “gaining well”. Get a second opinion. Do research. Trust your gut. Find the answers you’re looking for. ⁠⁠⁠
If you have concerns for tummy troubles in your babe, there’s still time to join my FREE class to Find Your Fussy Baby Fix in 5 days. After that, the doors to my brand spankin’ new pilot program Sensitivity Solutions will be OPEN! My goal for it? To provide you with the tools and information to navigate p**p problems, reflux, and “colic”. I’m tired of hearing moms being dismissed and then feeling like they have no where to turn for credible help.⁠⁠⁠
Head to the link in the bio to see if this is the help you’ve been looking for 🙌🏻⁠⁠⁠
**pproblems