The holiday season brings all of our favorite things. Time with loved ones, old and new traditions, joy, and delicious food. With all of those wonderful things, it can also bring stress and fatigue. Lactation consultants often see a rise in the occurrence of plugged ducts and mastitis during the holiday season. A plugged duct is a plug of milk that sits in the milk duct, causing new milk to “back up.” Mastitis is inflammation of the breast tissue, which may or may not involve an infection. Both new and experienced mothers are especially vulnerable during this time due to changes in routine and schedules, stress, and sleep disruption.  Read more...

"No parent wants to think that their baby will be born prematurely. No parent wants to know the fact that your baby will be in the NICU, because it is just too early for them to develop outside the womb. I was 34 weeks pregnant and everything was going great except my blood pressure suddenly got too high. My OB did everything she could to keep me pregnant but ultimately, it was safer for Mason to be born." Read more...