Breastfeeding Tips Pediatricians Don’t Always Share (with a Fellow IBCLC and Pediatrician)

The PedsDocTalk Podcast: Child Health, Development & Parenting—From a Pediatrician Mom

Dr. Mona Amin

Medicine, Kids & Family, Health & Fitness, Parenting

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 6 August 2025

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Think your pediatrician has all the breastfeeding answers? The truth is, most don’t and that’s not a knock on them. It’s a reflection of the limited lactation training in pediatric residency. That’s why I sat down with Dr. Lauren Hughes, founder of Bloom Pediatrics and a double threat: pediatrician and IBCLC. Together, we unpack the myths, the mental load, and the real deal about breastfeeding support that parents deserve but don’t always get in those early days. We talk about: Why pediatricians often give confusing (or just plain wrong) advice around lactation How the term “nipple confusion” creates shame instead of support and what’s really going on with flow preference How pumping, pacifiers, and supplementation can all fit into a successful feeding planWhy protecting a parent’s mental health is just as important as protecting their milk supply To connect with Dr. Lauren Hughes follow her on Instagram @bloomdcp and check out all her resources at https://www.drlaurenhughes.com/ We’d like to know who is listening! Please fill out our Listener Survey to help us improve the show and learn about you! 00:00 – Intro 03:08 – Meet Dr. Lauren: Pediatrician and IBCLC 05:29 – Breastfeeding Training Gaps in Pediatrics 07:57 – What Parents Deserve in Feeding Support 10:20 – How DPC Supports Better Lactation Care 12:11 – Why Pediatricians Should Also Be IBCLCs 14:23 – The Pacifier Panic: When to Introduce It 17:13 – Formula Stigma and Feeding Shame 20:11 – Healing from Birth and Feeding Trauma 22:30 – “Science Milk”: Reframing Formula 24:12 – How to Talk About Pacifiers (Without Judging Moms) 26:25 – Exclusive Pumping is Still Breastfeeding 27:58 – The Role of Policy in Feeding Goals 29:11 – Supplementing Wisely: When and How 31:15 – Pumped Milk vs. Formula: Stop the Math Game 33:18 – Babies Aren’t Robots 35:15 – The Problem with Overtracking Feeds 36:05 – Protecting Supply: What Pediatricians Miss 37:11 – Triple Feeding: What Actually Helps 40:33 – The Sleep Trap: Prioritizing Baby Sleep Over Supply 41:08 – Realistic Overnight Routines for Pumping Parents 42:54 – Twin Feeding Realities + Supply Building 43:34 – Time Limits at the Breast: Who Are They For? 45:46 – One Last Myth: Formula Before Bed = Better Sleep? 47:19 – Final Words: Your Worth Isn’t Measured in Ounces Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and ⁠subscribe to PedsDocTalk⁠. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠! And don’t forget to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedsdoctalkpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the ⁠PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships⁠ page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	My line, whenever people ask if it creates nipple fusion, is I have never met a baby that confuses what feeds them and what doesn't.
0:06.4	For me, nipple confusion, which is the phrase that people use whenever you're giving a bottle or a pacifier,
0:12.0	that you're confusing that for the breast, and then they're going to prefer that over the breast because now they're confused about what to take.
0:18.0	So because of our training, I actually understand now that, no, that's
0:22.7	just a firm stimulus, which is different than a breast, and it is flow preference.
0:34.5	Welcome to the Pete's Dog Talk podcast. I'm Dr. Mona, your favorite online pediatrician, maybe,
0:40.2	IBCLC, and mom friend who's here to help you cut through the noise and feel more confident in your parenting.
0:45.7	August is recognized as National Breastfeeding Month with World Breastfeeding Week celebrated globally from August 1st to the 7th.
0:52.1	It's a time to promote and support breastfeeding while also acknowledging the real-world
0:56.7	challenges families face in those early feeding months.
1:00.6	So for this episode, I wanted to bring on one of my favorite people, a fellow pediatrician
1:05.2	and IBCLC because that combo is rare, but incredibly valuable.
1:10.3	Did you know that not all pediatricians are trained in breastfeeding?
1:14.1	Gasp, unless we've pursued a CLC or IBCLC certification.
1:19.1	We're honestly not even close to being experts.
1:22.3	And even among those of us who do have the license, our experience varies widely.
1:27.0	Like, for example, I'm really good
1:28.5	at educating on pumping, combo feeding, and I could be better at helping with skills at
1:34.3	nursing at the breast. That's why I'm thrilled to be joined by the incredible Dr. Lauren Hughes,
1:39.6	a board certified pediatrician, IBCLC, and founder of Bloom, DPC, and lactation in Kansas City.
1:45.9	She's a mom of three, including twins, a wife of over 10 years, and someone who brings warmth,
1:51.9	clarity, and no-nonsense advice to every feeding conversation, parenting, and child development
	...

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