August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, a topic that Bonsie Skin to Skin Babywear is very passionate about. Breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact are closely connected because of the ways that skin-to-skin contact contributes to breastfeeding success. Both of these nurturing acts provide a cascade of benefits for mom and her baby, and we strongly believe that the world would be a better place if mothers simply had more time to cherish these loving moments together. 

Here’s a snapshot from the book The Nurture Revolution, by Greer Kirshenbaum, PhD (we highly recommend it), that perfectly highlights why breastfeeding gets us so fired up:

Breastfeeding “continues to build your baby’s stress system, immune system, and their mouth palate (which is also vital to the developing stress system and brain development). Plus, it provides you with the benefits of oxytocin for every single feed. It is comfort, nourishment, development, health, and closeness. Comfort is not extra, unnecessary, or spoiling; it is vital to building your baby’s brain. There is no downside to breastfeeding or body feeding for all of infancy and beyond.” 

Greater breastfeeding education and support are desperately needed for new moms, so we are providing you with priceless information from the most inspiring lactation consultant we know. Summer Friedmann is an IBCLC with her own private practice, called Done Naturally. She also has her own YouTube channel and Facebook group where she shares short videos and vital information to help moms all over the world reach their breastfeeding goals. In the content below, Summer shares what she wishes she had known as a new mom, now with 18 years of experience as an IBCLC and mother of three. (You’re going to want to bookmark this article!)