The Unique Challenges of Breastfeeding in the Military

03/11/21 • 31 min

As we all know, being a new mom is tough. There are no two ways about it. Trying to figure out how to care for a newborn or multiple babies while staying sane, semi-clean, and at least slightly human is something almost all of us have had to grapple with. But for a certain very special group of women, trying to figure out the nuances of motherhood has its own unique set of challenges.

So my question for today is: How do you balance the active-duty of being a new mom when you’re literally on active duty?

Today we’ll take a walk in the shoes of one woman who can tell us exactly what it’s like to care for a newborn when you’re in the military. Join us and our special guest, Krystal Wallace, an former active duty and current Reservist with the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Assistant Education Director for Mom 2 Mom Global, a worldwide network of breastfeeding support and advocacy resources for military families.
We look forward to having you join us!

So my question for today is: How do you balance the active-duty of being a new mom when you’re literally on active duty?

Previous Episode

Innovations in Breastfeeding

Hello Mommas and Mommas-To-Be! This week on the podcast we’re talking about what we like to call “Breastfeeding 2.0”.

Have you ever wondered why motherhood in general and breastfeeding, in particular, attracts so many wives’ tales and generational remedies? From cabbage leaves to drinking beer, many of the “helpful hints” we get for breastfeeding is actually age-old advice passed down through the decades. In a world that is completely dictated by technology, this seems a bit at odds with where we are as a society today. Have there really been no advancements in breastfeeding? Is the advice passed down from our mothers, grandmothers, and aunties still sage? Today we are going to find out.

With us on the show today is Adriana Vazquez, Co-Founder & CEO of Lilu (Lee-Lou), a company that has created the first-ever massaging pump bra. Adriana’s long list of credentials includes being recognized as one of the top 30 Femtech Healthcare Influencers of the Year, and the patent for her bra nabbed her Philadelphia’s Invention of the Year in 2019. While most of the breastfeeding world still relies on age-old wisdom, Adriana is leading the charge to bring technology into motherhood which makes life a heck of a lot easier for those who want to breastfeed successfully while working, parenting, and managing our increasingly busy day-to-day lives.
We look forward to having you with us for today's show!

Next Episode

Let's Talk About Formula

What's with mom guilt, anyway? As women, we are made to think that we should have this mothering stuff down to a science and that it should all come naturally.

This holds especially true with breastfeeding. There are so many things that can go wrong and yet we are expected to know what we are doing even if we’ve never done it before. Hence the guilt, right?
According to the CDC, as many as four out of five moms start out breastfeeding, but only half are breastfeeding by six months of age and just a third are still breastfeeding at the 12-month mark. According to research conducted by lactation-pod company Mamava, 42 percent of moms end up supplementing with formula at some point in their baby’s first year.

So what’s the deal? Is breastfeeding something that mommas can actually succeed at? At what point is it ok to call it quits? Is formula really that bad?

Our guest today is Florida-based IBCLC Oneida Segura. In addition to being a lactation consultant, Oneida is also a Registered Nurse and has worked with new mothers in a breastfeeding, health, and education capacity for decades. She has three girls, one beautiful grandbaby boy, and she is proud to service the Spanish-speaking community in South Florida as well as breastfeeding moms around the country.
We hope you love today's episode all about formula feeding!

Breastfeeding Unplugged - The Unique Challenges of Breastfeeding in the Military

Transcript

Amanda Gorman00:00:00.149

[Intro] Breastfeeding Unplugged.

Amanda Gorman00:00:02.910

Welcome. Welcome. Welcome mamas and mamas-to-be. A podcast dedicated to helping moms navigate their way through the tricky world of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding Unplugged.

Amanda Gorman00:00:22.649

Breastfeeding Unplugged.

Amanda Gorman00:00:27.079

Hello, mamas and mamas-to-be. Welcome to t