Are you planning to take a trip, a visit, or a vacation? Aren’t all of those the same? No, not really! Each has some specific implications for the impact on traveling with your baby. Car, train, plane: What will work best for a breastfeeding baby, a mother who is pumping, or both? How much extra drive-time do you need to build into your car trip to reach your destination on time? You’ve got to pack, but how can you plan for diapers, feeding gear, snacks, clean-up, and pump equipment? What about a backup plan, especially if you’re in a rural neighborhood where overnight delivery of a replacement part isn’t possible? With all of the conflicting information about storing and saving, what do you need to know about transporting your milk? Then, of course, there are the little extra hassles like if you don’t have access to electrical power, potable water, or if your family criticizes you for breastfeeding your baby. Join Marie as she answers these and many more questions!

Mothers who breastfeed often prefer to use natural foods and natural treatments. It’s only natural, right? But just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s safe; essential oils are potent. If you’re a nursing mother—or anyone else, really—there are number of questions you should raise about essential oils before you use them. Is it an herb or an essential oil? Does it matter if it’s “sage” or “clary sage”? Is it okay to ingest it if it’s okay to put it on your skin? Join Marie and her guest, certified aromatherapist, Lea Harris, as they take you on a whirlwind tour of the “essentials” of essential oils for everyone—and especially for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. You’ll discover how essential oils can help you to avoid using medications when you have a sore throat, a bee bite, or other simple ailments; some factors related to safe use—whether you’re breastfeeding or not; the difference in administration methods and dilutions, cautions for children, and much more!

Use of telehealth services skyrocketed during the pandemic, but it won’t be decreasing any time soon. To the contrary, it’s likely that telehealth services will increase. We’ve seen that telehealth can be a more convenient alternative to on-site care. Yet, there are some special factors to be considered before offering or accepting telehealth. What about issues of privacy and security—and how can those be overcome? Can competent clinicians simply begin offering telehealth services, or do they require special training and if so—what would that be? How comfortable must each party be with this type of communication? Are there situations that still require an in-person on-site visit now that telehealth options are available? Join Marie and her guest, Melanie Silverman, RD IBCLC, owner and Chief Clinical Officer of Pacify, for a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the answers to these and other questions that arise as we forge new pathways to telehealth services for ourselves or our clients.

Ever since 2005, when the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released their first statement on sleeping with your baby, we’ve all wondered: Is the AAP right? Do I risk having my baby die if I sleep with him? And some of us have asked the much more difficult question: Is there real data for this, and if there is, does it apply all babies, or is it okay for breastfeeding babies to sleep with their mother? Join Marie and her guest, James McKenna PhD, internationally-recognized infant sleep expert and author of over 180 peer-reviewed articles and chapters on SIDS and related topics. Unquestionably, safe sleep practices are paramount. But “safe” does not necessarily mean putting the baby to sleep in a crib. Learn how Dr. McKenna’s research sheds a light on newborn/infant sleep in terms of what’s normal, what’s safe, and what parents really do. And, gain a perspective for how parents can be empowered to make their own decisions about where to sleep.

It’s just food. Or just a beverage. You don’t need to worry about whether it will affect your milk or your baby, right? Or, maybe you should worry? Heck, maybe you’re already worried, but perhaps there’s nothing to worry about! Get answers about safety, side effects, allergies and more as Marie interviews her guest, Philip O. Anderson, PharmD, FASHP, FCSHP, the author of the National Library of Medicine’s LactMed database. They’ll talk about the research to substantiate answers to questions about food and beverages that you probably consume on a regular basis, as well as some foods you might never have heard of. Listen as Marie asks Dr. Anderson about the effects of coffee, tea, colas, chocolate, alcohol, garlic, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, fava beans, turtle meat, and more! Are you curious about food allergies, maternal vaccinations while breastfeeding, food poisoning, botulism and breastfeeding? Get the information you need on those topics, too!

Exclusive breastfeeding has been the “gold standard” for many years now. But for some families, combination feeding, either by choice or necessity, occurs. Parents aren’t always informed that some breastfeeding is better than no breastfeeding or that there are some interim solutions that might work to bring you back to exclusive breastfeeding. If you’re feeling confused, conflicted, guilty, grieving, or shamed for the way you feed your baby, this show is for you. Join Marie and her guest, Lucy Ruddle, IBCLC, as they look at the issues and provide some answers.

Okay, so it’s just a vitamin. And hey, we’re all in good health, so consuming a little more or a little less vitamin D in a day won’t make much difference to us or to our fetuses or infants, right? And if we’re a little short on Vitamin D, we can just get a little extra sunshine on our shoulders, right? Wrong. Join Marie and her guest, Dr. Carol Wagner, as they discuss several well-researched but lesser-known facts about the critical role of Vitamin D during pregnancy and lactation—more than any other time in a woman’s life cycle. You’ll learn the astonishing findings from Dr. Wagner’s research, the dangers of getting too little or too much vitamin D, and factors that can impact vitamin D status. And, you’ll understand why some studies suggest that Vitamin D plays a minimal role in achieving optimal health while some studies say otherwise. You’ll also get some real-life advice on natural sources of vitamin D, and find out a relatively simple way to reveal your own vitamin D status.

Imagine having twins and wanting to breastfeed. Now, imagine having those twins born at 29 weeks gestation. You know your tiny, fragile little girls need you and your milk. Thankfully, you have an abundant supply of milk within two days. You’re thinking you’ve already cleared the big hurdle. But oh, there are other hurdles to jump, too. Well, yes, you can hold the babies skin-to-skin, but …Yes, you can do other things, but …Then, there are certain rules about what and when the babies will be “allowed” to go to breast. And just the minute you think the babies are meeting the criteria for those “rules,” well, no, um, maybe later. All of the questions about cow’s milk-based formula, bottles, frequency, how to hold them, and much more start surfacing. Join Marie and guest Brie Merhar as Brie tells her story and explains how she advocated for her now 3-month old babies so that they’ve yet to have a drop of formula since they were born.

May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month. Only a small percentage of women develop preeclampsia during pregnancy, but it can and does happen. According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, preeclampsia remains a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the leading indicator of preeclampsia. What is this condition, and can it be avoided, minimized, or cured? Join Marie and her guest, Carla Sandy, M.D., as they talk about this potentially life-threatening disorder to both mom and her baby. You’ll want to know the risk factors for hypertension. Is it possible to have this condition without knowing it? Who is at highest risk, and how can they and other women take steps to avoid developing it or at least reduce their risk? What questions should you ask if you have preeclampsia and want to breastfeed – and what about medications? Get answers to these and other questions!

What’s it like to be the breastfeeding mother of three small children when you’re also a criminal defense attorney? How do you pump at a 200-year-old courthouse that doesn’t have an electrical outlet in a private place? And since by definition an attorney represents someone else, how does that affect your ability to take a break, the time you need to show up for work, and even the clothes you wear? Can you take several months of maternity leave if you are self-employed? Is it okay to put your children in daycare, or does that make you a second-class parent? How does the COVID pandemic play into all of that? Join Marie and her guest, Caitlin Aarab, JD, as they talk about these and other issues that any young professional woman faces. Be sure to listen to Caitlin’s final insight on how breastfeeding families can get through it all and make it all work.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week! Join in celebrating with all who protect, promote, and support breastfeeding throughout the globe! Yet, as you celebrate, recognize that there’s work to be done. This year’s World Breastfeeding Week theme calls us to focus on gender-equitable strategies for breastfeeding families everywhere. So how can we do that? Join Marie and her guest, Stephanie Brown, IBCLC for a lively discussion that addresses how clinical professionals exhibit helpful and unhelpful actions for the LGBTQIA community. Begin to become aware of how your attitude, your language, and even your clinical environment can undermine rather than empower parents, beware of how “othering” can creep into your messages, recognize how issues such as continuity of care and consent and body autonomy impact care. And, get Marie’s free handout at mariebiancuzzo.com to help you take actions to facilitate gender-equitable parental social protection.