If You're Planning on Breastfeeding, Read This First...
Hello, beautiful mama! If you're pregnant and thinking about breastfeeding, or if you've struggled with breastfeeding before and want to set yourself up for success this time, this episode is for you. I'm sharing everything you need to know about preparing for this incredible journey—because just like you wouldn't run a marathon without training, breastfeeding success really starts before your baby arrives. Whether this is your first or fifth baby, there's so much grace in whatever feeding journey God has for your family.
🎧 Listen to the Episode
Why Breastfeeding Preparation Matters More Than You Think
I've noticed that so many mamas focus all their energy on preparing for birth itself, but they don't spend much time thinking about the breastfeeding journey that follows. It's like planning for your wedding day but not for your actual marriage!
Here's what I want you to know: breastfeeding is natural, but it's also a learned skill. For most of us, it doesn't just happen without any effort. There's a learning curve for both you and baby, and preparing ahead of time can make all the difference in your confidence and success.
With my first baby, Ellie, there were so many times I almost gave up because my confidence was so deflated. I was comparing myself to what I saw on Instagram—other moms pumping copious amounts that I could never match. It really got in my head. But my mom and sisters, who had all breastfed their babies, were such an encouragement and kept me going. I'm so grateful I didn't listen to the fear and instead leaned on their wisdom.
The Incredible Benefits of Breastfeeding
When I share these benefits, I'm just amazed by God's incredible design of our bodies and how beautifully the breastfeeding process works together.
For Your Baby: Liquid Gold in Every Drop
Your breast milk truly is liquid gold—packed with antibodies that give your little one passive immunity against infections:
36-50% reduction in ear infections, respiratory infections, and stomach bugs
Up to 50% lower risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
Perfect nutrition that changes throughout the day and as baby grows
Gut health foundation with the right bacteria for lifelong wellness
15-30% lower rates of childhood obesity
Reduced risk of diabetes and childhood leukemia
Enhanced cognitive development from DHA and other brain-building nutrients
For Mama: Your Body's Beautiful Design
Breastfeeding isn't just good for baby—it's fantastic for you too:
Faster healing as oxytocin helps your uterus contract back to size
300-500 calories burned daily just from breastfeeding
4.3% breast cancer risk reduction for every 12 months you breastfeed
30% lower ovarian cancer risk
Stronger bones in the long run
Emotional benefits from bonding hormones that help you feel more relaxed
Reduced risk of postpartum depression and anxiety
Practical Benefits You Might Not Have Considered
Financial savings: Most families save $1,500-$4,000 annually on formula
Convenience: Always ready, right temperature, no mixing or sterilizing
Environmental impact: The ultimate sustainable feeding choice
Health savings: Breastfed babies are healthier, meaning fewer doctor visits
How to Set Yourself Up for Breastfeeding Success
Start with Education During Pregnancy
Knowledge is power, mama! Here are the key things every expecting mom should understand:
How to achieve a proper latch and what it should feel like
Different nursing positions and ways to hold baby
Supply and demand basics and the science behind milk production
Normal patterns like growth spurts and cluster feeding
I cannot tell you how many frantic moms text me saying, "My baby just wants to nurse all the time. I don't think I have enough milk!" Sometimes babies go through stretches where all they want to do is nurse all day long. This is perfectly normal! Having that knowledge ahead of time can change everything.
Essential Resources for Success
"Breastfeeding Made Simple" is my top book recommendation. It's evidence-based, written by IBCLCs (the gold standard of lactation consultants), but doesn't overwhelm you with information. Everything is given clearly, and it addresses those common concerns we all have. Plus, it comes in audiobook format—perfect for multitasking!
Lactation consultant support is crucial. Most hospitals have consultants available, but you can also hire private support once you're home. Check with your insurance—most cover lactation consultants to some degree.
La Leche League offers both in-person and online support groups. It's a wonderful way to connect with other mamas in the same season of life.
The Power of Professional Support
As a doula, I see firsthand how support makes all the difference. Research consistently shows that moms with doula support have higher breastfeeding success rates and tend to breastfeed longer. We're there to help with positioning, recognize good latches, troubleshoot challenges, and most importantly—believe in you when you doubt yourself.
"In those moments when you're tired and doubting yourself, it can mean the world to have someone say, 'You're doing great. I know this is hard work. Let's make this small adjustment.' That encouragement can change everything."
When to Seek Help (And Why Time Matters)
Please don't struggle in silence. If you're having challenges, seek help as soon as you notice issues because time is of the essence. The sooner you get support, the less intense the problem becomes.
For example, if latching is really uncomfortable, it's likely because baby had a poor latch that damaged your nipples. But there are so many practical things we can do to heal and prevent this from happening again. Learning those tips and tricks helps you enjoy the experience so much more.
📖 Scripture for Your Heart
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has born? Though she may forget, I will not forget you." - Isaiah 49:15
This verse captures the profound bond between a nursing mama and her baby. That connection is so deep and instinctive that God uses it to describe His unfailing love for us. The Hebrew word "hesed" (steadfast love) carries this imagery of a mom whose milk lets down when she hears her baby cry. Just as a mom's body responds immediately to her child's needs, God's love responds to us with that same faithfulness.
🙏 A Prayer for Your Birth Journey
Dear Jesus, thank You for the incredible design You created for motherhood and the gift of nourishing our babies with our own bodies. I pray for the mama reading this—whether she's preparing for this journey or in the midst of it. Give her confidence in Your design and patience with herself as she learns. Give her wisdom to seek help when needed.
Surround her with supportive, encouraging people who can remind her that this journey may be challenging, but it's not a burden. Help her see it as an expression of Your love working through her. When challenges come, remind her that she's fearfully and wonderfully made and equipped for this calling.
Bless her and her baby, and let those feeding moments be times of connection, peace, and joy. Let her know how deeply You love and care for her. In Your name, amen.
Remember: There's Grace in Every Feeding Journey
Whether you choose breastfeeding, formula feeding, or a combination of both, what matters most is that you're providing your baby with love and nourishment. There is so much grace in whatever path the Lord has for your family. Trust Him with your decisions and have peace knowing you're doing an amazing job.
📎Resources & Links Mentioned
📖 Breastfeeding Made Simple - One of my favorite breastfeeding book recommendations
🤝 La Leche League - Breastfeeding support groups online and in-person
✨ Christian Mama Birth Prep Library: Free birth prep tools, worship playlists & more
💛 Work with Me 1:1 - Personalized pregnancy and birth support that integrates faith and evidence-based care, including virtual coaching, doula support, and comprehensive childbirth education (includes breastfeeding basics). 📣 Let’s Stay Connected
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Meet Your Host —
Natalie is a certified birth doula and childbirth educator in Jacksonville, FL. She equips Christian women to experience peaceful, faith-filled births and confident breastfeeding journeys through virtual and in-person support. Her heart is to help mamas choose faith over fear in every aspect of their motherhood journey.
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📄 Full Episode Transcript
Hello, beautiful mama, and welcome back to the podcast. I'm so excited that you're here with me today because we're going over a whole episode about breastfeeding. I've noticed this is an aspect of motherhood that can be easily overlooked. There are so many moms that focus a lot of their energy on preparing for the birth itself, but they don't spend a ton of time thinking about the breastfeeding journey that follows.
So it's like planning for your wedding day, but not for your actual marriage. Today I want to share with you some encouragement and practical information about this incredible journey, and I hope it really blesses you. But before we dive in, I do want to share something that's been on my heart because I think breastfeeding can stir up some feelings for many of us.
I'm going to be talking today about the benefits of breastfeeding and how to set yourself up for success. I share this information to benefit you as you're making this decision for your family. But I want to say if you did not breastfeed your baby, whether that was your choice or that was just the way things worked out and that really saddened you, there is so much grace in that. Although I've had the honor to be able to exclusively breastfeed my two babies, I know that is not possible or even preferred by many moms.
I want to share this information so that you can know and pray about where the Lord is leading you and your family to decide how you're going to feed your precious baby. Every family's situation is different, and what matters most is that your baby is fed, that this baby is loved and cared for, and that you have peace about the decisions you are making for your family.
So whether you're currently pregnant and thinking about breastfeeding, you're a new mama just starting out, maybe you've already started this breastfeeding journey, or maybe you've breastfed previously or you weren't able to breastfeed previously and that's what you're hoping to do this time, you are in the right place. So I just wanted to share with you some of the amazing benefits of breastfeeding. We're going to talk about some of the ways you can set yourself up for success, and then I'm also going to give you some incredible resources that have helped so many of the families that I've worked with. So let's dive into this beautiful topic together.
We'll start by talking about just how remarkable breastfeeding truly is. When I share these benefits—and again, this is not every single benefit known to man for the benefits of breastfeeding, but just some of them that I really think are incredible to highlight—I am just amazed by God's incredible design of our bodies and how he designed the breastfeeding process. It's just so beautiful how it all perfectly works together.
So first we're going to talk about the benefits to your baby. Your breast milk is liquid gold—you may have heard it called that. It's packed with antibodies, and this gives your little one passive immunity against infections. That looks like a 36 to 50% reduction in ear infections, respiratory infections, and things like stomach bugs. Then there's also research that shows many benefits, up to 50% lower risk of SIDS, which is sudden infant death syndrome. I remember, especially with Ellie, my first, feeling very paranoid about SIDS. But just to know that breastfeeding significantly lowered that did make me have more peace of mind.
The nutritional side is absolutely incredible too. Your breast milk changes throughout the day. As your baby grows, it starts to change so it can meet their exact needs. It's perfectly designed with the correct amount of proteins, fats, and all the various different aspects of the milk is just perfectly formulated for your individual baby or babies. Plus it sets up their gut for the right bacteria for lifelong health. So it's not only short term—obviously they're less sick and all these things—but long-term health benefits. The DHA and other nutrients that are in breast milk are building your baby's brain and helping their eyes develop perfectly.
Here's something that really gets me excited too. Again, talking about long-term benefits. Babies who are breastfed have 15 to 30% lower rates of childhood obesity. They're less likely to develop things like diabetes. There's even research showing reduced rates of childhood leukemia. Some of these studies have found enhanced cognitive development too. Again, it's just amazing how this one choice can impact your child's entire lifelong health.
Now we're going to hop into some of the benefits for mama, because breastfeeding isn't just good for baby—it's also really fantastic for you too. Right after birth, the oxytocin release that happens when your breasts, your nipples are stimulated, helps your uterus contract so it can go back down to its pre-pregnancy size faster. What this means for you is that you bleed less and you heal much faster. And yes, you also burn a ton of calories—300 to 500 calories on average a day—just simply breastfeeding, and that can certainly help with just gradual healthy weight loss after you've had the baby.
The long-term benefits to you are also remarkable. For every 12 months that you breastfeed, you reduce your breast cancer risk by 4.3%. You also have a 30% lower risk of ovarian cancer. Your bones become stronger in the long run despite the temporary calcium your body uses for milk production. It's all a way to invest in your long-term health as well.
Then there are also emotional benefits. All the hormones—the oxytocin and the prolactin—these are not only helping with milk production, but they're also promoting bonding between you and your baby. These are also going to help you feel more relaxed. Research even shows that it can help reduce the risk of experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety.
I know some of you are thinking about the practical side too of going the breastfeeding route, so let's talk about the benefits financially. They're pretty amazing. Most families save between $1,500 and $4,000 a year on not having to buy formula. Beyond that, breastfeeding babies are also healthier, which means you are spending less time at the doctor for other healthcare costs, plus time off work to care for your sick baby.
From a convenience standpoint, breast milk is always ready and available. It's the right temperature. You don't have to worry about it spoiling inside your breasts. Whether you're at home at 3:00 AM or you're traveling across the country, everything you need is right there. You don't have to mix formula, you don't have to sterilize bottles, you don't have to worry about contamination.
For those of you who care about the environmental impact, breastfeeding is the ultimate sustainable feeding choice. There's no packaging waste, there's no manufacturing carbon footprint, and it's completely renewable.
I had a mom that I worked with last year who was so worried about whether or not she could breastfeed successfully. She had tried with her first, but really struggled with supply issues and just felt like she had failed. This time we worked together during her pregnancy—she took my childbirth education class—and when her second was born, she was so much more prepared. She texted me at six months saying, "I finally understand what it means to enjoy this breastfeeding experience." She feels so much more connected to her baby and was sad to think about weaning. That's the kind of transformation that I hope and pray for you, that you would enjoy this breastfeeding experience.
This journey—yes, it is certainly challenging at times. There were so many times, especially with Ellie's breastfeeding journey, I just wanted to give up. I was concerned about my supply, even though I really didn't have any cause for that. I was comparing myself to other people and things on Instagram, people pumping copious amounts that I could never do something like that. It really got in my head. But there is such a joy in it. I think it comes with preparing yourself to be successful. For most of us it does not come so naturally where it just happens without any effort. There is effort to it—it's a skill that you're learning.
This brings up something I'm really passionate about, which is preparation. Just like you wouldn't run a marathon without training, breastfeeding success really starts with education before your baby is even here. I see so many moms who think breastfeeding will come naturally because yes, it is a natural process. We might have that natural desire, but the technique needs to be learned.
There are key things that every expecting mom should understand: how to achieve a proper latch, what that looks like, what that feels like, different positions, different ways you can hold the baby while nursing. Understanding how supply and demand works, understanding a little bit more of the science behind that, because your body truly does know what to do. It knows how to make the milk, but if you're not sure how to nurse frequently enough and things like that, your supply will just not be able to keep up with your baby's demand and what they need.
The other thing that's good to know about is things like growth spurts and cluster feeding. I cannot tell you how many frantic moms are texting me saying, "My baby just wants to nurse all the time. I don't think I have enough milk." It's really simple. Sometimes babies just go through these stretches where all they want to do is nurse all day long. You're like, "Something is wrong with me, something's wrong with my body, something's wrong with my baby." But this is a perfectly normal process. Just having that word of encouragement that this is normal, everything's okay, can change the game for you because knowledge is power, mama. It gives you so much confidence to step into this season and this journey, not in fear.
Some of these things I like to teach in my online childbirth education class. I see the benefits of knowing what to expect, what's normal, how to troubleshoot common issues so that you're more likely to have a positive experience. Having that information in pregnancy allows you to really absorb it and to ask questions. Then you're not overwhelmed when you're trying to learn this with your newborn and you're sleep deprived and you're already overwhelmed and you're like, "I can't take in any more information right now."
In my course, I like to cover understanding baby's hunger cues—when to tell when they're hungry, how to latch your baby, knowing when to reach out for help. Here's the thing: I want you to feel confident and prepared, not anxious and uncertain.
Some resources that I love to share—there's a book called "Breastfeeding Made Simple." I'll put that book in the show notes. What I love about this book is that it's evidence-based. It's written by IBCLCs. These are women who are the gold standard of lactation consulting. But they don't overwhelm you with information. Everything's given very clearly. They break down the natural laws of breastfeeding in a way that makes sense. It addresses those common concerns that I've been hinting at. The best part too is if you're not able to sit and actually read the book, it comes in audiobook format as well. That was always a lifesaver for me because I'm a big podcast audiobook listener. If I'm in the car, or even when I was nursing, I remember nursing Ellie and listening to breastfeeding books as I was nursing her in the middle of the night, both to keep me up, but also to learn some tips and tricks because there's so much to learn about breastfeeding. You can multitask and absorb that information.
Beyond books, I cannot stress enough the importance of having lactation consulting support. Most hospitals will have a lactation consultant there to help you while you're in the hospital. Sometimes their hours are a little weird, so depending on the time you deliver you may or may not be able to see her, but definitely seek out that support. You can also hire a lactation consultant once you're home. I do have some recommendations here locally, but definitely look into lactation consultants in your area. Go on Facebook and mom groups and ask around about lactation consultants. Look up with your insurance because most of the time they do cover lactation consultants to a degree. Talk with friends and family about who they might have used.
There's another resource, La Leche League. This is a group that has been around for a really long time and they even have in-person support groups. They also have online support groups. That's a great way to be in community with other women that are in the same stage of life as you.
This brings me to wanting to highlight the benefits of doula support for breastfeeding success. Obviously, I'm a doula, so I'm a little partial to this. So many people think that doulas are just for birth, but we really go beyond that, supporting you through those first six weeks or so. I remember I had one mom who had a beautiful birth experience, but when she got to that first breastfeeding session, the baby just did not want to latch. Instead of it being that magical moment, that golden hour that she had imagined, she was really frustrated because the baby was not latching, baby was getting more frustrated. But having someone there to give some tips and tricks or just say, "Hey, this is okay, this is normal," or even, "Let's just give it a break. Let's just do some skin to skin. Let's all just have a breather and kind of calm down"—that makes all the difference when you're going through that experience.
As a doula, we are there to help in that immediate postpartum time with positioning, watching out for signs of a good latch or a not-so-good latch, and just giving you some tips and tricks and helping you troubleshoot so that things can go as smoothly as possible. We can also help you notice when there are potential issues earlier on so that they don't become these huge, massive problems that are much harder to overcome later.
Beyond that technical support, there's so much value in just having somebody who's in your corner, who believes in you, who believes in your body's ability to do this whole thing. In those moments when you're tired and doubting yourself, it can mean the world to just have someone say, "You're doing great. I know this is hard work. Let's maybe make this small adjustment." That encouragement can just change everything for you.
Research also consistently shows that moms who have doula support have higher rates of breastfeeding success, and they tend to breastfeed for longer. When doulas help connect you with lactation consulting, that's the ultimate wraparound support. Doulas are going to be there for the typical issues and struggles and challenges, but if you start to notice you're having a lot more challenges, there are some other things at play with you and/or baby. Having that lactation consultant brought into the fold can go such a long way if your goal is to breastfeed your baby for as long as you can.
Support is everything. I say it all the time—we were not meant to do this alone. Breastfeeding is certainly no exception. I think it really does take a village for women to breastfeed confidently and meet their breastfeeding goals.
I remember again with Ellie, my first, there were a couple times where I almost completely gave up because my confidence was so deflated. There was nothing physically indicating that Ellie was not thriving with the breast milk or anything, but I had just gotten into my head too much about doubting myself. My mom and my sisters, who all breastfed their babies, were such an encouragement to me and just kept me going. I'm so glad I didn't listen to the fear that I was experiencing in my heart and my mind, and I really leaned on their wisdom and their encouragement to really bring me through the other side. That was such a blessing to me, and I hope you also have those people in your corner, whether that's a doula, whether that's a lactation consultant, a friend, your mom, your sisters, whoever. It's really important to have that support system in place.
As we wrap up today's episode, I would love to leave you with a little bit more encouragement. Understand that learning the skill of breastfeeding is a learning curve. Just like learning any new skill, it will take time for you and your baby to figure this out. There's no such thing as breastfeeding failure—there are just different journeys. Fight against that feeling and that need to want to compare your breastfeeding journey against someone else's.
Do not struggle in silence. If you're having challenges, the worst thing you can do is just try to brush it under the rug and hope it's going to go away. Seek help as soon as you're noticing issues because time is of the essence. The sooner you can get that support, the less of an issue you're going to have, and the less intense it will be as you let things get out of control.
For example, if when baby latches, it's really uncomfortable, it's likely because they had a latch or two that was really uncomfortable and they damaged the nipples. But there are so many practical things we can do to help heal that nipple so that every time you nurse, you're not curling your toes and it's so painful. Just learning those little tips and tricks can go such a long way, and then you get to enjoy it so much more.
Make sure that you're doing that preparation ahead of time. "Breastfeeding Made Simple"—please check out that book or audiobook. It's so important to just lay that foundation educationally. I would also encourage you to look into taking my online childbirth education class, which includes covering the basics of breastfeeding. If you're looking for personalized support, I would also love for you to reach out to me for virtual birth support and see how I can possibly serve you and your family.
Now I want to leave you with this beautiful reminder from scripture. This comes from Isaiah 49:15, and it says, "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has born? Though she may forget, I will not forget you."
I love this verse because it captures the profound bond that happens between a nursing mama and her baby. That connection is so deep and so instinctive that God uses it to describe his unfailing love for us. My pastor recently shared how this beautiful word picture for the Hebrew word "hesed"—it's often translated as steadfast love—has been understood to carry this imagery of a mom who, when she hears her baby cry, her milk lets down and it starts to flow. Just as a mom's body responds immediately and instinctively to her child's needs, God's steadfast love responds to us with that same immediacy and faithfulness. That is just so beautiful to me—that the Lord has designed this process to show another facet of his love and his faithfulness for us as his children.
Now I'd love to just close us out in prayer and leave you with this final encouragement. Dear Jesus, we just thank you for the incredible design that you have created for motherhood and the gift of being able to breastfeed and nourish our babies with our own bodies. I pray for the mama who's listening right now, whether she's pregnant and preparing for this, or she is in the midst of her breastfeeding journey. I pray that you would give her confidence in your design and patience for herself as she's learning this process. Lord, give her the wisdom to seek out help when she might need it.
I pray, Lord, that you would surround her with supportive, encouraging people that can uplift her and help her to see that this breastfeeding journey is a hard one, but it is not a burden. It is not something that she needs to be perfect at. But Lord, help her to see that it's an expression of your love working through her, and that when those challenges do come—because they will—remind her that she's fearfully and wonderfully made and that you have equipped her for this calling.
I pray, Lord, that you would bless her and her baby and that bond that they're creating through breastfeeding. I pray that those feeding moments that they get are times of connection and peace and joy. Lord, ultimately, let her know how deeply you love and care for her as she's seeing it through her eyes as a mother towards her child. We just love you, Jesus, and we thank you so much for the way you love us. It's in your name I pray. Amen.
Thank you so much for joining me today on this episode. Just to remind you again, however you choose to feed your baby, whether that's breastfeeding, formula feeding, or a combination of both, what matters most is that you are providing your baby with love and nourishment and caring for them. There is so much grace in this feeding journey, and I pray that whatever path you choose, whatever the Lord has for you in this journey, that you would have confidence and peace with those decisions.
Please share this episode with some other mamas that you think this would be an encouragement to, whether they're preparing or maybe in the midst of it—share this with them as well. You can also find me on Instagram at Faith Over Fear Birth Doula, and on my website, faithoverfeardbirth.com. I love connecting with you all and hearing your words of encouragement. I'm so excited to champion you as you are going through this season. But until next time, mama, remember that you're loved, you are equipped, and you're doing such an amazing job. I will talk with you soon. Bye-bye for now.
