Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats – Details, episodes & analysis

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The journey to becoming a parent is transformative, with every expecting family deserving compassionate, continuous support through pregnancy, birth and beyond. This intimate conversation with Gail Tupin, a certified birth and postpartum doula, unveils how professional birth support dramatically improves outcomes and experiences for new families.

When a doula is present at birth, intervention rates including C-sections measurably decrease – not because doulas provide medical care, but because they create a crucial buffer in the birthing environment. As Gail explains, doulas offer that essential "pause moment" between medical recommendations and parental decisions, allowing families to make choices from a place of confidence rather than fear. Unlike your medical team or even your closest loved ones, doulas bring an unbiased perspective and extensive experience with birth, creating space for parents to fully process their options.

The misconception that doulas only support unmedicated births prevents many families from accessing this valuable resource. Contrary to popular belief, doulas support all birth plans – including epidurals and cesarean births – by adapting their role to each family's unique needs and preferences. The support continues into the critical fourth trimester, where postpartum doulas help new mothers process their birth experiences while creating what Gail beautifully describes as a "sanctuary space" for recovery.

Though insurance coverage remains limited, some Medicaid programs now include doula services, and creative solutions like adding doula support to baby registries can make this care more accessible. Whether you're expecting your first baby or adding to your family, connecting with a doula whose personality and approach resonate with you could transform your birth experience. Reach out to Gail for a free consultation if you're in the Metro Detroit area, and discover how professional birth support might be the missing piece in your journey to parenthood.

Check out Gail's website: www.rooted-doula.com or follow her on IG & FB for helpful birth and postpartum content @rooted_doula

You can also find Gail providing pregnant and new mom support at Livingston County's premiere holistic pe

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Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
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Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.

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Curious about how the mind-body connection can transform your childbirth experience? Dr. Samantha Vaive, an expert in childbirth psychology, uncovers the secrets of hypnobirthing and its surprising benefits beyond labor. From easing your dental anxiety to unraveling the societal myths of childbirth trauma, this episode promises to reshape your understanding of birth and mental health.

Join us as we navigate the terrain of postpartum intimacy, addressing the common pressures new parents face. Dr. Sam and I discuss the importance of honoring one's recovery journey and the power of setting boundaries. Discover creative ways to foster connection with your partner while healing physically and emotionally from birth and postpartum.

We also explore re the benefits and challenges of breastfeeding, the restorative power of prenatal yoga, how stress influences milk production and why sound therapy could be your new best friend in birth preparation. 

Our Guest
Samantha Vaive, PhD, founder of Sound Birthing LLC and creator of the Mind-Body, Birth approach, is an expert in childbirth psychology. Her doctoral research explored improving the childbirth experience and birth outcomes. She is passionate about making anxiety-free childbirth accessible to everyone and helping those who wish to, succeed in human milk feeding. She also holds a Master's in Social Work from the University of Denver with a graduate certificate in animal-assisted social work. As well as a postgraduate certificate in sex therapy and sexual health education from the University of Michigan.

In addition to traditional academic qualifications, she has completed more than 500 hours of Yoga teacher training. She is a Wind Willow Sound Health certified sound therapist, with additional sound therapy training completed through Sage Sound Academy and Dr. John Beaulieu.

She is deeply committed to social justice and has worked as both a political activist and elected official fighting systemic barriers. She sits on several boards in the community and volunteers at a wildlife rescue. She has been a potter for over 20 years and enjoys hiking in her free time.

You can learn more about Dr. Sam's offerings at her site, http://sound-birthing.com/ and by following her on socials @sound_birthing. Be s

Support the show

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (IG)
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (FB)
@wholemamamichigan (IG)
@wholemamamichigan (FB)

Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.

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My guest is Carolyn LaPan, a Masters level psychologist and Certified Functional Nutrition & Lifestyle Practitioner. Carolyn and I connected in our local Holistic Networking Group and have been collaborating on ways to combine forces in support of women’s health. She is passionate about gut health, hormone health, and longevity, as well as eating for the seasons, with whole food, plant-based recipes. Carolyn has contributed her expertise to Breastfeeding Bootcamp and runs her own individual and group coaching programs @satori_cl. 

In this episode, we cover a lot! Some topics include:

• Tongue tie 
• Strategies for fitting in restorative rest when caring for a newborn
• How to think about nutrition when breastfeeding
• Importance of movement postpartum
• Importance of mental health postpartum
• Difference between carbs that spike blood sugar and those that provide longer-lasting energy

Credits
Podcast artwork by Staci Oswald Creative - logos, branding, and photography
Produced by Empowered Bumps & Boobs - modern, holistic support & education for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, birth and beyond. 

Support the show

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (IG)
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (FB)
@wholemamamichigan (IG)
@wholemamamichigan (FB)

Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.

Send a text

My guest is Adrian Fear, IBCLC, owner of Huron River Lactation and mom of 5. Her breastfeeding journey started out with round the clock finger feeding(!) that eventually led to successful breastfeeding. And coming full circle she now helps other new moms in the metro Detroit area navigate breastfeeding challenges and set them on a path to meet their breastfeeding goals. If you'd like to see our conversation, and all of the goodies Adrian pulls out of her Mary Poppins bag, head to YouTube to view the video version of the conversation. 

We cover a LOT of ground, including:

• Finger feeding
• How to fit a pump flange
• Weighted feeds
• Lactation Consultant services
• Adrian's running streak, which was NOT broken when she birthed her fifth baby at home (you read that correctly!)
• Establishing milk supply
• Supplementation
• Oversupply
• Pumping

Credits
Podcast artwork by Staci Oswald Creative - logos, branding, and photography
Produced by Empowered Bumps & Boobs - modern, holistic support & education for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, birth and beyond. Subscribe to our newsletter!
Music - "Playdate" by The Great North Sound Society

Support the show

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (IG)
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (FB)
@wholemamamichigan (IG)
@wholemamamichigan (FB)

Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.

Send a text

My guest is Liezl, who has a 3 year old girl and 10 month old boy. She is originally from the Philippines, had her babies in California, and now lives in snowy, cold Michigan. 

If you’ve ever stayed home with a baby, or a baby and a toddler, much of what she shares will sound familiar. Liezl is very honest as she shares what it feels like to be trapped inside with two little ones while husband is away for work and she cannot drive. 

Birth
She also shares about her two very different births:

• Premature birth of her daughter
• C-section with her son
• Feeling upset with how birth was managed by health care providers

Milk Supply
Liezl mentions that in Filipino culture, it is common for women to use malunggay leaves to increase milk production. This supplement is called Moringa in the US, and there are studies supporting its use as a galactagogue (milk supply-boosting supplement).

Mental Health
Liezl shares how she felt postpartum and how she manages her mental health. 

Credits
Podcast artwork by Staci Oswald Creative - logos, branding, and photography
Produced by Empowered Bumps & Boobs - modern, holistic support & education for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, birth and beyond. Subscribe to our newsletter!
Music - "Playdate" by The Great North Sound Society

Support the show

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (IG)
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (FB)
@wholemamamichigan (IG)
@wholemamamichigan (FB)

Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.

Send a text

My guest is Stacie, a wife, mom, and current clinical year Physician Assistant student (who will be certified in August!). She had her daughter, Eleanor, in March 2020 just as the US was going into lockdown. This episode was recorded when her baby was 7 months old.

In our conversation we discuss Stacie’s success with Exclusive Pumping, juggling PA school and new parenthood, the isolation of having a newborn during quarantine, storing breastmilk at family and friends’ houses, mastitis, nipple cream, DIY nursing bras, and the importance of no judgment when it comes to how each mom feeds her baby.

Resources
Stacie references the Pump Log app, which she found incredibly helpful.

Credits
Podcast artwork by Staci Oswald Creative - logos, branding, and photography
Produced by Empowered Bumps & Boobs - modern, holistic support & education for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, birth and beyond. Subscribe to our newsletter!
Music - "Playdate" by The Great North Sound Society

Support the show

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (IG)
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (FB)
@wholemamamichigan (IG)
@wholemamamichigan (FB)

Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.

Send a text

In this episode we focus on a topic intricately tied to breastfeeding and new parenthood -- getting your baby to sleep (and getting enough sleep yourself!)

Beth Hawkins is a UK-based BabySleepTheNight qualified child sleep consultant and a Mum who can talk from the heart about struggles with her own family's sleep challenges. For Mums and Dads wanting to make a change, she offers practical advice, bespoke sleep plans, and emotional support. 

You can learn more about Beth's services, including upcoming workshops, at https://www.starrynightsbabysleep.com.
She's also posts helpful baby sleep content on Instagram @starry_nights_baby_sleep

Credits
Podcast artwork by Staci Oswald Creative - logos, branding, and photography
Produced by Empowered Bumps & Boobs - modern, holistic support & education for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, birth and beyond. Subscribe to our newsletter!
Music - "Playdate" by The Great North Sound Society

Support the show

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (IG)
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (FB)
@wholemamamichigan (IG)
@wholemamamichigan (FB)

Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.

Send a text

In this episode we hear from Sarah who says breastfeeding her children is the best thing she's done. We talk about how she flexed her work life to accommodate breastfeeding on demand, her feelings toward pumping (spoiler alert: she's not a fan), how to ignore misguided advice, the revelation that one can treat mastitis without antibiotics (and how the baby can actually save you), her experience nursing in-flight and her overall advice to be patient with yourself.

Sarah is a mom of two active, sweet boys, Oliver (4) and Jack (2.5), and runs her own family law practice in Montana. She and her husband are currently living a real life version of “Flip or Flop” as they renovate their new home together.

Credits
Podcast artwork by Staci Oswald Creative - logos, branding, and photography
Produced by Empowered Bumps & Boobs - modern, holistic support & education for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Music - "Playdate" by The Great North Sound Society

Support the show

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (IG)
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (FB)
@wholemamamichigan (IG)
@wholemamamichigan (FB)

Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.

Send a text

Holly is a mom of 3, two boys (8 & 10) and a 4 year old girl who can do just about anything her brothers can…while wearing a princess dress. Holly is passionate about her work through Parents as Teachers, where she visits with families to make sure that all children will learn, grow, and develop to realize their full potential. She is also a “Happier in Hollywood” fan, which is how we connected!

We discuss oversupply, cabbage leaves, Baby Led Weaning, tandem nursing, supporting at-risk moms and families, WIC peer counselors, the secret recipe for breastfeeding (spoiler alert: there are only two ingredients), kissing baby foreheads, and mom guilt related to having a second baby.

Resources
Parents as Teachers website
Information on becoming a WIC Peer Counselor
An explanation of Baby-Led Weaning

Credits
Podcast artwork by Staci Oswald Creative - logos, branding, and photography
Produced by Empowered Bumps & Boobs - modern, holistic support & education for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Music - "Playdate" by The Great North Sound Society

Support the show

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (IG)
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (FB)
@wholemamamichigan (IG)
@wholemamamichigan (FB)

Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.

Send a text

My guest is Lauren, a wife and mom of two little girls, Elliana who is 2 ½ and Charlotte who is 7 months old. She is also a social worker who works with adults with developmental disabilities and is trying to balance it all, just like everyone else.

We discuss painful nursing in the beginning, the barriers to meeting with a lactation consultant (emotional, mental, and logistics), finding out two years later that baby has a lip tie, comparing baby 2 to baby 1 and the guilt that comes with that, the amazing Haakaa (with lid!), dwindling supply, and more.

Resources
Information on Lip Tie, Tongue Tie & Revision from the International Breastfeeding Center
Haakaa Silicone Pump with Cap (as recommended by Lauren/affiliate link)

Credits
Podcast artwork by Staci Oswald Creative - logos, branding, and photography
Produced by Empowered Bumps & Boobs - modern, holistic support & education for women navigating fertility, pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Music - "Playdate" by The Great North Sound Society

Support the show

Enjoying the show? Please consider supporting us in our mission to put out valuable content for pregnant and new mamas. Become a supporter

Spilling the Milk: Breastfeeding Chats is a production of Whole Mama Michigan, LLC. If you're looking for evidence-based information and support around fertility, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum, head to www.wholemamamichigan.com and join the email list to receive information on classes and services. And if you're local to Metro Detroit/Livingston County, come visit us at our first brick-and-mortar holistic perinatal wellness center opening spring 2025!!

Feeling social? Follow us!
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (IG)
@empoweredbumpsandboobs (FB)
@wholemamamichigan (IG)
@wholemamamichigan (FB)

Be Our Guest!
If you'd like to be a guest and come Spill the Milk with Emily, please send an email to emily@empoweredbumpsandboobs.com. We'd love to have you :)

Podcast artwork for Seasons 1 & 2 by Staci Oswald aka my favorite designer EVER + mom of 2 bundles of boy energy. Music is Sprouting Leaves by Epidemic Sound found on Canva.