What?! How can you have a "breastfeeding" podcast episode on bottle-feeding?  Well pretty easily as it turns out.  We at Breastfeeding Outside the Box understand that breastfeeding cannot always look like exclusive breastfeeding, and there are many situations in which nursing parents may need to use a bottle to feed their baby.  Through her groundbreaking (and frankly, courageous) efforts, Dee Kassing has developed a method of bottle-feeding that not only doesn't cause the dreaded nipple confusion, flow confusion or flow preference, but actually helps babies with nursing.  Some parents have even called it "therapeutic".  Dee honors us once again with her expertise and wisdom on this week's podcast episode.

How wonderful when a family includes a breastfeeding mother! Well how about if a family includes two of them?  For same-sex female couples, both mothers can share in the nursing of their baby.  This is called co-nursing.  Co-nursing can be such a gift for families, but it also has its challenges.  Rachel is a lactation consultant with personal experience with co-nursing.  She shares her amazing wisdom and insights with us on this podcast episode!

Chrissy is an intended mother, in other words she became a mother via surrogacy.  She tells us of her inspirational journey to nursing her son, from the surprising way she discovered induced lactation to her current breastfeeding relationship with her now 9-week old son.  

In this podcast, we catch up with Alyssa Schnell, co-host of the Breastfeeding Outside the Box podcast and author of Breastfeeding Without Birthing.  We heard a bit about Alyssa's personal story in episode #2.  Now we connect with Alyssa professionally as she shares some of her expertise on breastfeeding-without-birthing ... or breastfeeding in situations of adoption, surrogacy, foster care, co-nursing, relactation, and more.

Some babies seem to be born knowing exactly what to do at the breast.  And for some others...well, latching comfortably and getting milk from the breast isn't so easy.  Lots of times, mothers feel that they have done something wrong when this happens, when in fact their babies are born with some extra challenges.  That was certainly the case with Becca's baby.  But Becca was resourceful and determined, and with the help of some amazing local professionals she gradually and lovingly transitioned her baby from exclusive bottle-feeding to breastfeeding.  We are so grateful that Becca has shared her amazing journey with us!

Becca didn't give up.  When breastfeeding got off to a

If there was a queen of breast pump flanges it would be Dee Kassing.  I'm serious.  Dee knows A LOT about breast pumps and their flanges. What is a breast pump flange?  The flange is the clear plastic funnel-like piece that a mother places on her breasts to draw in the nipple and some of the areola in order to extract and collect milk.  But why does using the right flange matter very much?  Dee explains that using the right flange for you results in the most comfort and milk output.  If you are regularly using a breast pump to provide milk for your baby, this podcast episode is a must!

Hearing from Bridget and her husband Shawn will blow you away.  This incredible couple shares their touching journey through a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy, cancer treatments that did not allow mom to breastfeed, and a baby who would not accept his wet nurses or a bottle, Together this mother, father and baby discovered a solution that helped heal them all. Finger-feeding ended up not only being a way for this couple to nourish their baby, but a way to nurse their baby when traditional nursing was not available.  No milk production required.  No breasts required.  Just a finger, a feeding device, and love.

We are so thrilled to have the wonderful Diana West on Breastfeeding Outside the Box.  Through her writing, speaking, and individual work with breastfeeding families, Diana has opened the doors to breastfeeding for so many parents, starting with mothers breastfeeding after breast reduction surgery.  Her influence then grew to supporting mothers with low milk production for various reasons.  And she is now expanding the understanding and support for breastfeeding/chestfeeding for the transgender community.  

We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to interview Jo Lockhart, nursing mother, doula, and creator/moderator of the Supply Line Breastfeeding Awareness Project Facebook page.  In this interview, Jo shares her early struggles with breastfeeding and how using a supply line (a.k.a. at-breast supplementer) has been a key element in her successful nursing relationships with her two youngest children.  Jo is now a pioneer for supply line feeding for mothers with low milk production all over the world.   Cry and celebrate along with Jo as she shares her inspirational journey in this monumental podcast episode.