The Mindful Breastfeeding Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do and this episode is the first of a series of talks drawing upon our wellbeing model, The Spaces Philosophy, the philosophy that underpins the work we do at The Mindful Breastfeeding School.

This week I focus on self-compassion. It sometimes doesn't feel natural to prioritise ourselves or to make space for calm and connection throughout our daily life, especially as women, but I'd really like you to understand how practicing self-compassion can have a really powerful impact and how leading your breastfeeding support with the message of self-compassion will strengthen every aspect of their parenting journey and ultimately improve their relationships with their babies, and of course with themselves. 

"In the same way that physical health requires a daily practice, so does mental and emotional health"

Joined today by Alex Heath - Clinical Hypnotherapist, Perinatal Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner and Founder of The TBR College, we delve into the subject of perinatal emotional health, how this period can be wrought with challenge, difficulty and sometimes even trauma and how the stigma of mental health can be a barrier to finding safe spaces to explore our emotional wellbeing.  

Alex shares her own journey which has led her to where she is today and the passion she has for providing solution focused tools to apply to the emotions we experience in the perinatal period - in a world where our society doesn't prioritise our emotional health or educate us on how to stay emotionally healthy. 

For professionals wishing to train with Alex, visit www.tbrcollege.com, 

For parents wanting to work with Alex, you can visit www.thebirthrepublic.com 

If you are someone who is affected by trauma, please visit www.traumaticbirthrecovery.com 

You can also find Alex Heath's book, 'A Guide to Recovery from a Traumatic Birth'  here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Recovering-traumatic-birth-practical-guide/dp/B08DSVJWWW/ref=asc_df_B08DSVJWWW/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=499352049769&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2836627294559242687&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006791&hvtargid=pla-1401552126872&psc=1&th=1&psc=1  

This episode is all about the wonderful hormone, oxytocin!!

Oxytocin plays such a key role in so many elements of our life but today I focus on its involvement when it comes to our reproductive lives and feeding our babies.

I talk through some of the biology and neurology of oxytocin for breastfeeding including how our autonomic nervous system controls its release, the importance of oxytocin in the early days of learning to feed our babies and I explore ways in which we can prioritise the flow of oxytocin beyond the birth, when it comes to our environment, connection with others and seeking the right support.

Oxytocin Flow = Milk Flow!

This week I am joined by Hypnotherapist, Mindset Coach, mum to three and good friend, Liz Stanford. Liz is the owner of The Calm Birth School which offers training to those who wish to transform the negative birth narrative from one generation to the next.

In this episode we talk about the positive impact of hypnobirthing, unpick some of the misconceptions and truths about what it is and what it isn't and talk about how we can apply the skills and tools we learn in a hypnobirthing course to every day life, including with infant feeding! We also talk about the relationship between birth and infant feeding, how hypnobirthing and mindful breastfeeding complement each other in enabling us to confidently prepare for our journey into motherhood and how necessary it is to prepare.

The Calm Birth School run training courses throughout the year so get in touch with Liz if you are interested in learning more about training to be a hypnobirthing teacher or about hypnobirthing in general. You can find more information at www.thecalmbirthschool.com or @thecalmbirthschool on instagram and Facebook.

In this episode, Sophie Brigstocke and I discuss what Doulas are and how they support families through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

Sophie Brigstocke is a birth and postnatal doula  and doula mentor and owns and runs Nurturing Birth, provider of approved doula courses & mentoring across the UK and internationally. You can find more information about Nurturing Birth by visiting www.nurturingbirth.co.uk and you can find them on Instagram and Twitter at @Nurturing_Birth.

You can sign up to Sophie's Free 5 Day Event here: 
https://courses.nurturingbirth.co.uk/is-there-a-doula-in-you?

Hello! In this episode I talk to you about what Mindful Breastfeeding support looks like and what our mission is at The Mindful Breastfeeding School. I take you through the training programs and support we offer to those who are interested learning with The Mindful Breastfeeding School to support infant feeding in their communities and the Mindful Breastfeeding tools and techniques we equip them with.

If you'd like to find out more about The Mindful Breastfeeding School or enquire about training with us you can find more information at www.themindfulbreastfeedingschool.com. If you're looking for a Mindful Breastfeeding Practitioner near you, you can check out our Practitioner Directory on our website.

Hello and welcome to The Mindful Breastfeeding Podcast!

I am Anna Le Grange, a Nurse, Lactation Consultant, Mindfulness Teacher and Founder of The Mindful Breastfeeding School.

I am so excited to introduce you to The Mindful Breastfeeding School podcast. In this episode I talk about who I am, why I do what I do and my intentions for this podcast. I also introduce you to the ins and outs of 'Mindful Breastfeeding' and the science behind it.

I hope this is going to be a really useful and positive space to chat about all things birth, infant feeding, parenting and wellbeing. I will be bringing guests along with me on this journey and invite you to join us too!

If you'd like to find out more about The Mindful Breastfeeding School or enquire about training with us you can find more information at www.themindfulbreastfeedingschool.com 

I've decided to talk about how Mindful Breastfeeding can positively impact situations with complex lactation issues during this episode.

I talk a little bit about my own challenges when I breastfed my third child after breast reduction surgery and how I navigated these challenges using a growth mindset mentality to manage my emotions positively.

"Oxytocin needs to flow for milk to be released and oxytocin struggles to flow in stressful situations when our nervous system is on high alert" which is why it's even more important to focus on a mindset change and to have self-compassion, to feel better and nurture ourselves but also to help lactation to work better.

The breastfeeding person and their families go through a range of feelings and emotions, especially if they experience struggles and it's really important to manage and support these families to help them to feel more kind and compassionate towards themselves. The tools we use at the Mindful Breastfeeding School are designed to help you move into a more relaxed nervous system and to enable you to better nurture yourselves with positive words of affirmation and positive self-talk. Don't underestimate the power of these tools and the impact they can have on  feeding experiences and lactation issues.

Are You a People Pleaser?

Come and join me as I explore the topic of "people-pleasing", how it can be a big part of our lives, consciously or subconsciously, why we do it and how we can recognise when this becomes a problem.

Plus, I offer FIVE solutions to overcoming this type of behaviour which is most likely not serving your best interests:

1. Money Boundaries

2. Time Boundaries

3. Saying No

4. Self-Exploration

5. Self-Care

I really feel this is a topic that will resonate with many of you, especially if you are working in the breastfeeding support world. I'd love to hear how you get on with putting in place these five solutions so get in touch with me and let me know!

Today I am joined by Laura Ellington, Hypnobirthing Instructor, Mindful Breastfeeding Practitioner and Founder of Plus-sized Pregnancy which offers support and evidence based birth and breastfeeding information for those who identify as plus-sized or have a higher BMI.

Laura sheds the light on the experience of many people who have a higher BMI as they feel misled and coerced into making choices that are not based on the facts and shamed alongside a culture of fat-phobia. It's so important to delve deeper into the research and statistics and rely on real evidence-based sources in all situations but we highlight the importance of this especially for plus-sized people who seem to be targeted with fear-based information throughout their maternity care. This is a topic that isn't covered enough and we need to do more to normalise plus-sized bodies in our society.

It was also great to hear how Laura uses the Mindful Breastfeeding tools and techniques with her clients and how important it is to build up that belief in our bodies and their ability to do what they are made to do!

You can find out more and stay up to date with Laura by following her on Instagram at @plussizepregnancy