Today I’m chatting with my friend Amber Ginn, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and founder of The Latch Link, on how to set yourself up for breastfeeding success before baby arrives. Amber’s got a no-fluff, straight-talking style and a passion for helping moms navigate the wild, beautiful ride of breastfeeding.

Amber shares her expertise on preparing for breastfeeding, the importance of understanding your 'why,' and practical tips for those first hours and days postpartum.

What’s inside this episode:

• Preparing for breastfeeding before birth: getting clear on your why behind your goals & the benefits of meeting with a lactation consultant prenatally.
• Birth decisions that might impact your breastfeeding journey.
• How to advocate for yourself and your little one after birth - and some tips for navigating those hospital convos.
• Your options for lactation care: From virtual consults to in-person support, you’ve got options to build a care team that’s right for you.

Helpful timestamps:

• 01:26 The Breastfeeding Journey
• 02:12 Meet Amber Ginn, IBCLC
• 04:06 Amber's Story
• 06:53 Preparing for Breastfeeding Success
• 11:56 Navigating Hospital Staff
• 15:06 Overcoming Early Breastfeeding Challenges
• 20:17 Colostrum Collection
• 22:28 Birth Decisions That Impact Breastfeeding
• 25:20 Addressing Newborn Weight Loss Concerns
• 30:29 Supplementing and Feeding Options
• 34:45 Building Your Support Team

More from Amber Ginn:

Visit TheLatchLink.com

Listen to The Latch Lounge Podcast

Instagram: @ambertheibclc YouTube: @ambertheibclc

About your host:

🩺🤰🏻Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama.

For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here.

For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen!

👉🏼 A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️

Connect with Lo more on:

I’m so excited to share this heartfelt episode with you. Today, I’m sitting down with Kaylaa, a labor and delivery nurse, mama of two (soon to be three!), and co-founder of Dreamy Peach Co. She’s opening up about her two very different birth experiences - one ending in a C-section and the other a triumphant VBAC at a birth center.

We get into the raw, messy beauty of motherhood, navigating the healthcare system, and why she’s choosing a home birth for her third baby. Kaylaa also shares a bit about her entrepreneurial journey with Dreamy Peach Co., a company created to help parents transition their babies out of swaddles safely. Grab your coffee or raspberry leaf tea, settle in, and join us for this honest, supportive conversation about birth, choices, and trusting your instincts.

What’s inside this episode:

• Kaylaa’s First Birth Story: An unexpected induction at 41+5 weeks, a cascade of interventions, and a C-section during the early days of the 2020 pandemic.
• Navigating Early Motherhood: The challenges of parenting with no village, canceled meal trains, and mental health.
• Second Pregnancy & VBAC: Switching to a birth center, embracing the midwifery model, and achieving a redemptive unmedicated VBAC.
• Postpartum Reflections: Processing birth trauma, advocating for mental health, and the power of feeling seen in your care.
• Choosing Home Birth: Why Kaylaa, as a labor nurse, feels safest birthing at home for her third baby.
• Dreamy Peach Co.: How Kaylaa co-founded a wonderful business to solve the swaddle transition struggle with a safe, innovative sleep sack that me and my baby personally loved.

Helpful timestamps:

• 01:22 Welcome Kaylaa!
• 02:23 Kaylaas's First Birth Story: The Unexpected Journey
• 14:32 Navigating the Challenges of Early Motherhood
• 15:13 Kaylaas's Second Pregnancy: A New Approach
• 24:33 Reflecting on the Birth Experience
• 27:51 Postpartum Reflections and Mental Health
• 29:38 Balancing Motherhood and Career
• 32:25 Choosing Home Birth for Baby Number Three
• 39:40 Launching a Small Business

More from Kaylaa:

Keep up with Kaylaa on IG @laa.anderson & @dreamypeachco

Visit DreamyPeachCo.com

Save 10% at Dreamy Peach Co:

https://dreamypeachco.com/discount/TLM10

About your host:

🩺🤰🏻Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama.

For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and

The Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER) is a physiological breastfeeding condition. This chemical, hormonal response to the moments of milk let down, is an important topic we need to discuss and bring awareness to, as it can affect as many as 1 in 10 mamas.

In this episode of the Lo and Behold podcast, Lo shares a deeply personal and humble story about her breastfeeding experiences with Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (DMER). Lo gets into the emotional and physiological complexities of D-MER, a condition many breastfeeding mothers may unknowingly face.

What’s inside this episode:

• Lo’s breastfeeding experiences with D-MER, the emotional rollercoaster it took her on, and her coping strategies for dealing with this condition.
• The science behind D-MER and why mamas experience this during breastfeeding.
• The impact of hormonal changes, and the importance of knowing this is a physiological response, and not a mental health condition.
• When to seek support - let your provider know if you are experiencing any symptoms of D-MER.

This episode aims to foster awareness, reduce shame, and provide support for mothers navigating similar challenges in their breastfeeding journey. Share this episode with another mama who could find this valuable!

Helpful timestamps:

• 01:22 Lo’s Story: Postpartum Challenges
• 05:24 Discovering DMER
• 09:37 Understanding DMER: Symptoms and Impact
• 18:32 The Emotional Impact of DMER
• 19:04 The Science Behind DMER
• 21:44 Risk Factors and Personal Experiences
• 24:30 Differentiating DMER from Other Conditions
• 27:45 Coping Strategies and Support
• 33:20 Seeking Professional Help
• 34:56 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Mentioned in this episode:

• Checkout Alia’s book:  Before the Let Down Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex and the Breastfeeding Mother
• Read more about D-MER here: https://d-mer.org/
• Lo's blog on D-MER: Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex: Understanding D-MER
• Grab my Breastfeeding Blueprint Course

About your host:

🩺🤰🏻Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama.

For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list