Women often hear that breastfeeding is natural, but many encounter challenges or hurdles. Neonatologist and breastfeeding advocate, Dr. Leah Jordan, shares tips on establishing a good milk supply, finding good lactation support and advice on managing stress when nursing your NICU baby doesn't go as planned.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What led you to pursue a career in neonatology?

• Why are you so passionate about breastfeeding and health equity?

• What should a new mom know about breastfeeding if she's expecting a NICU stay?

• Establishing milk supply, particularly for a NICU mom, can often be highly stressful. Tips and suggestions? What's safe and what isn't?

• How can a mom advocate for getting good lactation support?

• Once she leaves the NICU with her baby how can she get support if she runs into challenges or subsequent hospital stays?

• If your baby is NPO (Latin nil per os) "nothing by mouth", what support can the hospital provide for storing your pumped milk?

• What's your best advice to a NICU mom who is stressed about nursing her new baby?

Dr. Leah Jordan is a board certified pediatrician from Minnesota who loves supporting NICU moms in reaching their breastfeeding goals. She recently completed her fellowship and joined Children's Minnesota as a neonatologist. Her research centers on the use of quality improvement methodology to promote breastfeeding in the NICU and beyond.

Learn more about breastfeeding:

https://llli.org/breastfeeding-info/

The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby's NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license