Photo by jeff.snodgrass via Flickr
Written by Amber McCann, IBCLC
Blogging has become an incredibly influential part of the media consumed by today’s mothers. In BlogHer’s 2012 Study of Women and Social Media, a sample of women were asked, ““Do you trust the information and advice that you get from blogs?” and an overwhelming 98% said YES. The number of women, especially pregnant women and new mothers, who are seeking advice and guidance from bloggers is staggering. 45% of the sample said that blogs were more influential than Facebook status updates from their friends or celebrity endorsements. Clearly, it is a medium that breastfeeding advocates and supporters should be aware of. And with nearly 4 million “mommy bloggers” on the scene, finding the best of the best can be a challenge.
I recently was involved in a conversation with other lactation consultants about what blogs we were reading to stay up to date on the current conversation about breastfeeding. I am an active blog reader (if you are new to reading blogs, I encourage you to use an RSS Reader such as Google Reader) and enjoy hearing what other mothers, volunteers, professionals and the general public are saying. Many of my colleagues expressed that they enjoyed reading blogs as well but were a bit unsure about where to go to find the ones being most accessed by breastfeeding mothers.
What are your favorite breastfeeding blogs? Where are the mothers you support telling you they get their information? Here are some of my favorites * (in alphabetical order) and why I love them:
- Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine: Physicians, such as breastfeeding research Dr. Alison Stuebe, weigh in on current breastfeeding trends and “hot topics”.
Best for Babes
- Best for Babes: Bests for Babes is a non-profit organization focused on addressing the “cultural, institutional and legal barriers to breastfeeding”. I sometimes write for their “Celebrity News” section but my favorite posts are Tanya Lieberman’s series on the “Booby Traps”, those things in the breastfeeding process that a mom isn’t expecting and when she steps on them, everything blows up. Doesn’t that feel familiar?
- Blacktating: Elita Kalma focuses on African American breastfeeding mothers.
- Breastfeeding Reporter: Nancy Mohrbacher shares her insights on current breastfeeding issues.
- Fearless Formula Feeder: I am well aware that some will take issue with the addition of this blog to my list but I consider it essential reading for lactation consultants. We must be very aware of how our message is perceived by many mothers and we must be willing to listen to the stories of those who have chosen/been forced down a different path than we would choose.
- The Leaky Boob: Jessica Martin-Weber is doing really innovative work in regards to reaching breastfeeding mothers through social media. While her Facebook pageis where most of the magic happens, her blog is truly compassionate.
The Leaky Boob
- MamaMilkandMe: Written by Leigh Anne O’Connor, IBCLC (previously profiled in our “Clinicians in the Trenches” series) in Manhattan. I so enjoy her perspective, not only on her practice, but also on her own experience as a breastfeeding mother.
- Mammals Suck: Katie Hinde is a professor of Evolutionary Biology at Harvard and Director of the Comparative Lactation Laboratory. I particularly enjoy her scientific perspective along side humor.
- Milky Way: Milk sharing, through organizations such as Eats on Feets and Human Milk 4 Human Babies has become a very “hot topic” in our field. This blog shares the stories of those mothers who are currently either donating or receiving donor milk through milk sharing.
- Motherwear: This is the very FIRST breastfeeding blog I ever read. Tanya Lieberman, IBCLC writes for breastfeeding mothers, interpreting new research and breastfeeding news in an accessible way.
-
Katherine Stone of Postpartum Progress
Normal, like Breathing: Diana Cassar-Uhl, IBCLC share her wisdom and insight on her blog. I particularly enjoyed her recent posts about breastfeeding beyond infancy.
- PhD in Parenting: Another “must read” in my book, Annie Urban covers a variety of parenting topics and often talks about breastfeeding and specifically the WHO code.
- Postpartum Progress: A fantastic blog about mental health issues surrounding pregnancy and birth.
- San Diego Breastfeeding Center: Robin Kaplan, former co-editor of this blog, has really been a standout in using her blog to build her lactation consulting private practice.
* These blogs are my personal favorites, not those endorsed by ILCA. Obviously, being located in the United States gives me a bias towards blogs authored there.
Do you have a favorite breastfeeding related blog not on this list? Do you blog yourself? What are the best breastfeeding blogs NOT based in the US? We’d love to know about it!
Amber McCann, IBCLC
Amber McCann, IBCLC is a board certified lactation consultant in private practice with Nourish Breastfeeding Support, just outside if Washington, DC and the co-editor of this blog. She is particularly interested in connecting with mothers through social media channels and teaching others in her profession to do the same. In addition to her work here, she has written for a number of other breastfeeding support blogs including The Leaky Boob and Best for Babes and served on the Communications Team for GOLD Conference . When she’s not furiously composing tweets (follow her at@iamambermccann) or updating her Facebook page, she’s probably snuggling with one of her three children or watching terrible reality TV.
What a wonderful list of breastfeeding blogs! I’d like to add my blog (and website) which is specifically aimed at breastfeeding mothers serving in the military, and discusses the many unique challenges that they face every day when Giving the Breast for Baby and Country. Check it out at http://www.breastfeedingincombatboots.com/blog
Thank you for your list! I know and follow most of them already. I do blog on my own site, where I mostly talk about things new parents will meet on their breastfeeding journey. I like to address the peer community around new parents as well, and give my thoughts on newly published research and what’s hot in the media.
I forgot to mention: I blog in Dutch, as I live in the Netherlands: http://www.borstvoedingdebasis.nl
Thanls! Always good to find more great blogs, especially about breastfeeding. My blog has a lot of breastfeeding related posts too.
I will be writing a follow-up post to this one and will be glad to include all of your blogs!
Thanks so much for including my blog on this list!!! It has truly been a labor of love:) I follow most of these wonderful blogs already, but can’t wait to add the rest to my blog roll and to my google reader!
Thanks for showcasing the blogs you read on this topic, such a great resource to have them aggregated together. And I am so pleased to learn that you appreciate Mammals Suck! It has been such an incredible learning experience for me, and such a great way to get the science out to a broader audience. Thank you for letting me know that its working. Warmly, Katie
My favorite breastfeeding blog is: milkfriendly by Maryam Fortuna…..shows you milkfriendly ways to nurse and still dress like you want. So helpful, fun, and real!
Not so much a blog as a compendium, but Kellymom.com is essential breastfeeding reading!
Agree with Mary, I was surprised Kellymom.com wasn’t on the list, even though I guess it’s technically not a blog. But it saved me in the first year of breastfeeding!
Definitely agree about Kellymom. I also love Analytical Armadillo (www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk) and Dispelling Breastfeeding Myths (mythnomore.blogspot.com). I’d love to add my blog about breastfeeding friendly fashion at MilkChic.co.uk/blog to the list too!
I’d have to throw in a vote for http://www.milkjunkies.net
It’s written by transgender Dad who breastfeeds his son in spite of having had breast surgery. It’s a really unique perspective and great proof that the success of a breastfeeding relationship is not solely determined by milk supply.
Pingback: Care for a Virtual Cuppa? Australia’s first Online Breastfeeding Café launched. |
I have a breastfeeding blog: http://www.nursinginpublic.com
My goal is to empower women to breastfeed in public. I think feeling restricted to nursin in private is one of the biggest barriers woken face today when it comes to breastfeeding. I want women to know that not only is it their legally protected human right to nurse in public, but that they are ethically & morally entitled to do so as well. Being able to breastfeed in public is critical to the success of breastfeeding.
My site contains lots of information about Breastfeeding, how & why women nurse in public & resources on how to successfully nurse in public, as well as links to useful sites (many listed in this article!) and breastfeeding how-tos.
I LOVE your blog and added it as a resource to my Breastfeeding in Public blog post http://thebreastfeedingmother.blogspot.com/2012/04/breastfeeding-in-public.html
Love this Blog – we’ve just tweeted it and added it to our facebook group! Lots of really great boggers to follow. We hope you don’t mind us mentioning our blog too
which you can find here:
http://www.boobyboutique.co.uk/blogs/news
I also have a breastfeeding blog called http://www.mummiesnummies.com. I LOVE seeing so many breastfeeding blogs that help so MANY mummies!
Pingback: How IBCLCs Can Make an Impact Through Social Media |
Thank you for this great list!
Some great new blogs for me to check out here, thank you for this list! I’d like to add my blog http://thethoughtfulpublisher.blogspot.co.uk – where I mostly blog about breastfeeding, although I do touch on other birth and book related topics too.
Hello, all is going well here and ofcourse every one is sharing data, that’s really good, keep up writing.
Great post! I love many of these blogs and I love seeing so many amazing women writing about breastfeeding. The more good information that’s out there for new moms, the better. I am an IBCLC with a new blog: http://www.nursememama.com.
In response to your appeal for breast feeding blogs outside the US: I’m a breast feeding mum in Hove, East Sussex in the UK and just started my blog http://www.confessionsofacrummymummy.wordpress.com as I prepare to stop breast feeding my 17 month old daughter. It’s about breast feeding, but also about being a first time mummy. Please add me to your list!