Birmingham Breastfeeding | An in Depth Interview

Birmingham has so many great resources for new moms.  Birmingham Breastfeeding has been serving the community with such expertise I thought it would be a fun idea to sit down with Jordan to get some more insight on this amazing service for new Mamas.

I’m participating in a blog round up this month so be sure to stick around to the end of this post for a link to another photographer’s super helpful blog post for new moms.

-Can you tell me more about Birmingham Breastfeeding and how/why you started this service?

Birmingham Breastfeeding started after I struggled with breastfeeding my first son. With my background as a pediatric nurse, I thought I had all the tools I needed yet I quickly realized the lack of appropriate education, resources, support, and general encouragement available to breastfeeding moms. So, I made it my mission that no mom feels alone while breastfeeding and caring for her newborn!

-What makes Birmingham Breastfeeding unique?

We are a team of moms literally just like you!! We each have babies of our own – so we are in the thick of all of this with you! At the end of the day we want to be the friend that each of us needed postpartum – the one you can ask uncomfortable questions to, the one who is honest with you, the one that is rooting for you, and the one that helps you meet YOUR goals (whatever they may be!)

-What is the training background and experience of all the lactation consultants at Birmingham Breastfeeding?

All of our consultants are IBCLCs which is an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant. It is the gold standard certification for lactation consultants that has rigorous education requirements and requires up to 1,000 hours of hands-on experience. Additionally, all of our consultants are also registered nurses with various maternal and infant care backgrounds.

-Why would I need a lactation consultant?

If you are having a baby – I believe you need a lactation consultant closeby because so much of what you’ll read online is often all wrong (including best practices for moms who don’t plan to breastfeed.) We can help with nearly any breastfeeding issue including pain, trouble latching, bottle refusal, nipple shields weaning, reflux, etc. At Birmingham Breastfeeding we also really want to be present for any mom that feels she needs reassurance, so something doesn’t have to be “wrong” in order to need us. There is nothing we love more than watching a mom become more confident in her abilities to care for her baby!

-How often should I feed my baby, and how long does each feeding session take?

This varies depending on a baby’s age, but a newborn baby should be fed at least 8-12 times each day and the average nursing session is 20-40 minutes. However, we encourage moms not to focus on the clock, but rather focus on their baby’s hunger cues because every mom and baby are different.

-Am I making enough milk; how will I know if I’m not?

I always tell moms that outside of appropriate weight gain at doctors appointments – we can know that our baby is getting enough if they seem content after nursing sessions, they have appropriate wet and dirty diaper output, you can hear them swallow while they are nursing, and if our breasts soften after feeding. If you aren’t making enough milk –  your baby will typically consistently show you hunger cues after nursing, may be excessively sleepy, and will not have enough wet and dirty diapers throughout the day (if you are concerned you should absolutely not wait to reach out for help!)

-What should I eat to increase breast milk?

Nothing special:) It’s important to stay hydrated and well nourished, but otherwise there is no food or drink that will magically increase your milk supply. I could talk about this all day, but ultimately if you need to make more milk – you should remove more milk (by nursing more or by adding in pumping sessions). If this doesn’t make sense or sounds overwhelming – we would LOVE to walk you through this step by step or help figure out the reason for your concerns!

-How far do you travel for in-home consultations?

We currently serve greater Birmingham and Trussville with our in-home consultations. If a mom is not located within our radius listed on our website – we also try to be available for travel or virtual consultations!

All in all, our goal is to love on moms as they navigate caring for and feeding their newborns!

If you are thinking about hiring a Birmingham Lactation Consultant you might also be looking for a newborn photographer.  I would absolutely love to have a chat with you about an experience with me.  I am so very passionate about not only getting your memories printed for your home but also serving you.  You have enough on your plate right now.  Lets not let those images sit unseen on a USB drive, but lets also not add another thing to your to-do list.  From the details of picking outfits to designing to delivery, I will handle it all so you don’t have to.  In order to give my clients this luxury service, I only take a limited number of clients per month so contact me as soon as possible to get on my calendar.

• Birmingham Womens Hospital | What to Pack for your Birth
• Alabama Doula: 12 Questions You Should Ask Before Booking
• The 4 Best Spas in Birmingham AL for an Amazing Prenatal Massage

Make sure you hop over to Jessica Green Photography’s blog to read all about Date Night ideas in DC.

Virginia Schultz is a published Birmingham newborn photographer specializing in motherhood storytelling and custom heirloom artwork for busy and stylish moms in central Alabama and the River Region. From handmade albums to exquisite, museum-worthy frames, her passion is to serve clients by designing artwork for them that will last generations.  From handmade albums to exquisite, museum-worthy frames your memories deserve to be seen.

Currently serving Jefferson, Shelby, Autauga, Elmore, Montgomery, and Pike counties including: Hoover | Vestavia Hills | Homewood | Marbury | Wetumpka | Millbrook | Prattville | Montgomery | Pike Road | Auburn

You can see my work featured on the cover of the August 2022 magazine and the September 2022 magazine.