Blog | naturalbeginnings

All Posts

Mar 26
3 min

COVID-19 or Mastitis? How can I tell the difference?

In a post COVID world, some mothers are rushing to the hospital or their doctors office because they believe they have COVID-19. Only to ...

Write a comment

My Baby Is Still Nursing Poorly After A Frenotomy. What Can I Do?

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Jan 16
3 min

My Baby Is Still Nursing Poorly After A Frenotomy. What Can I Do?

It is very frustrating to new mothers to have a baby still not nurse well after a frenotomy. Sometimes a tongue tie is diagnosed in the hos

Write a comment

Maternal Feelings and Sexuality After Birth: Loving the New You

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Sep 30, 2019
3 min

Maternal Feelings and Sexuality After Birth: Loving the New You

Caring for a newborn can be physically and mentally exhausting. As a new mom, you maybe unprepared for all the new postpartum adjustments...

Write a comment

Poor Weight Gain After Birth, What to Do

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Aug 2, 2019
5 min

Poor Weight Gain After Birth, What to Do

You have been eagerly awaiting the birth of your new baby. The nursery is ready. You and your partner have taken childbirth and breastfe...

Write a comment

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Jul 8, 2019
3 min

Summer Travel With Baby

So you are going to be one of the brave, the few and the fearless, a parent with a small infant on vacation. Before you begin your daunt...

Write a comment

Engorgement: What is it and how to prevent it

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Jun 1, 2019
4 min

Engorgement: What is it and how to prevent it

Help with engorgement is probably the number one early breastfeeding call lactation consultants get. The first few day after birth your ...

Write a comment

What is in your breast milk? A Lactation Consultant’s Guide

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Apr 23, 2019
4 min

What is in your breast milk? A Lactation Consultant’s Guide

As new parents you hear lots of confusing comparisons between human breast milk and formula. Most of the articles are written by parentin...

Write a comment

Breastfeeding Red Flags....when to get help

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Mar 6, 2019
3 min

Breastfeeding Red Flags....when to get help

As a new mother, you are exposed to lots of conflicting advice about everything from which diapers are “best” to the “right way” to breas...

Write a comment

Why scheduled feedings are not compatible with breastfeeding.

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Feb 14, 2019
3 min

Why scheduled feedings are not compatible with breastfeeding.

As a lactation consultant, I am always surprised when new parents believe they need to schedule feedings for their newborns. Some parents...

Write a comment

Breastfeeding in a Vacuum: Cultural Isolation and Breastfeeding

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Jan 30, 2019
3 min

Breastfeeding in a Vacuum: Cultural Isolation and Breastfeeding

Have you ever wondered why today’s mothers struggle to breast feed? Is it really low milk supply, sore nipples, sleepy babies, chronic sl...

Write a comment

Holiday Gatherings: 10 Hot Button Things That You Should Never Say To A Breastfeeding Mom

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Dec 20, 2018
2 min

Holiday Gatherings: 10 Hot Button Things That You Should Never Say To A Breastfeeding Mom

The Holidays are a joyful time of year for most people, filled with the lights and sounds of holiday magic. Being a new mom at this time ...

Write a comment

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Nov 29, 2018
3 min

Considering Tandem Nursing?

For centuries, it was common for mothers to nurse two siblings who were not twins. For many families this may mean nursing a newborn and ...

Write a comment

Natural Childbirth and Breastfeeding After Sexual Abuse

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Oct 15, 2018
17 min

Natural Childbirth and Breastfeeding After Sexual Abuse

As lactation consultants, doulas, childbirth educations and other medical professionals, it can often be daunting to work with women who w...

Write a comment

Nursing In Public: Stop Hiding In Your Home

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Sep 21, 2018
4 min

Nursing In Public: Stop Hiding In Your Home

Most people would be surprised to find nursing in public is usually the number two worry for breastfeeding mothers behind not producing e...

Write a comment

Primitive Babies, Modern Parents: How to better understand your baby.

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Aug 31, 2018
3 min

Primitive Babies, Modern Parents: How to better understand your baby.

I always find it amusing when I’m describing the difference between active nursing and non-nutritive nursing and a new mom has an epiphan...

Write a comment

Forgotten Baby Syndrome: Summertime Car Safety for Parents

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Jul 24, 2018
3 min

Forgotten Baby Syndrome: Summertime Car Safety for Parents

While no parent believes it could happen to them, hot car deaths are a persistent problem in our modern society. This year 28 children ha...

Write a comment

The 411 on Why Babies Can’t Latch or Suck After Birth

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Jun 29, 2018
3 min

The 411 on Why Babies Can’t Latch or Suck After Birth

After birth, your baby may not be able to latch immediately or even for a few days after birth or the first week. You may assume this is...

Write a comment

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

May 31, 2018
4 min

The Fallacy Behind Bestfed

“I hesitated to get help with breastfeeding but it doesn’t really matter how my baby feeds, right?Because bestfed is best." Nothing is m...

Write a comment

Dads Are Important to Breastfeeding, Too

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Apr 5, 2018
5 min

Dads Are Important to Breastfeeding, Too

So your wife is going to breastfeed, what does this mean for you? Before or after the birth of your baby, many fathers wonder about their...

Write a comment

Avoiding Mastitis: How busy schedules can stress your body.

Cleo Marchese, IBCLC, RLC

Dec 27, 2017
4 min

Avoiding Mastitis: How busy schedules can stress your body.

Every year around mid-November lactation consultants see a spike in mastitis that peaks at the end December but often lingers until mid J...

Write a comment

{"items":["5e7d09db78c3200017782a22","5d80e254fa95b80018609b60","5d80e25513da0c0017ae46ec","5d80e2532cf83a001788119a","5d80e253183373001709b5fd","5d80e2535395ab001778e5d7","5d80e253a7cc740017bf6164","5d80e2535395ab001778e5da","5d80e253fa95b80018609b5c","5d80e25418c1010017afe892","5d80e2533d599a0017cea674","5d80e25313da0c0017ae46df","5d80e25366ef440017f57c8b","5d80e2532cf83a001788119b","5d80e25313da0c0017ae46e1","5d80e253d3996b001887037c","5d80e253950de40017b3f1ff","5d80e253ea63dc0017269b0b","5d80e253f712ac00173c1fb7","5d80e2534514ae0017c00270"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":1.3333333333333333,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":940,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":16,"galleryMargin":0,"floatingImages":0,"chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":1,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCubeRatio":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":1,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":1,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"useCustomButton":false,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_THE_RIGHT","galleryHorizontalAlign":"center","galleryTextAlign":"center","galleryVerticalAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"expand","fullscreen":true,"allowSocial":true,"allowDownload":false,"allowTitle":true,"allowDescription":false,"loveButton":true,"loveCounter":false,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","scrollDirection":0,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowTitleExpand":true,"allowDescriptionExpand":true,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"AUTOMATIC","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":0,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"textsVerticalPadding":0,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"titleDescriptionSpace":6,"customButtonText":"","customButtonBorderWidth":1,"customButtonBorderRadius":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":1,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":940,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_12","value":"rgba(175,203,224,1)"},"galleryLayout":2,"modifiedGallerySize":true,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|fill|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":false,"externalInfoHeight":0,"externalInfoWidth":0.5},"container":{"width":940,"galleryWidth":972,"galleryHeight":1440,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}