Most of the time sleep and breastfeeding feel like opposing forces, but they don't have to be. Joy MacTavish is an IBCLC and a holistic sleep consultant who supports families to balance both wants and needs of their growing family. Joy also supports many Queer families and addresses their unique needs. Listen as Joy MacTavish and Katie Oshita discu…

In this episode, Katie Oshita addresses many of the topics new parents need to know about. From prenatal lactation to weaning, telehealth, and gut microbiome, lactation is a time of questions and concerns for most families. Many aren't even sure what to ask or when to seek support. If you have questions about skilled bodywork, galactagogues, or oth…

Type 1 diabetes in infancy and toddler years is rare, but when it happens most families are not just encouraged but forced to wean from breastfeeding. Erin Hayden-Baldauf has personal and professional experience with breastfeeding a T1D baby, and has written a book about the challenges this brings. All IBCLC's supporting families need to know about…

Breastfeeding, chest feeding, body feeding, bottle-feeding. There are many ways to feed an infant (this list doesn't even include cup feeding, finger feeding and more!). Gender diverse and queer families need unique support when expecting and as new parents. Their lactation consultant needs to be knowledgeable about inducing lactation with herbs or…

Bottles are actually not an innate skill. Babies are born knowing how to breastfeed, and with many reflexes to support the process. However bottle are not like the breast (no matter how much the packaging claims it's "just like the breast") and it is a skill that needs to be taught and learned, by both parents and babies. Unfortunately most hospita…

Being born is quite difficult and traumatic, even in the best of situations. It's hard- on both the parent and newborn. Chiropractic care helps get the dyad moving and feeling better, and this means breastfeeding better as well. Katie Oshita and Dr Rachel Kuperus discuss what skilled bodywork looks like for a newborn (**hint- it's not 5-10 min visi…

Year 3 for podcasting is done! This year saw the end of constant traveling and instead a focus on international virtual travel. The recordings were with 10 IBCLC's, 4 Release providers, 4 Bodyworkers, 6 solo recordings, and 2 other providers. They spanned 6 countries- Ireland, Lithuania, Spain, Australia, Germany and Canada. Discussing and learning…

Having a bodyworker with hands on during a release isn't popular, but it has profound results. Dr Michael Geis, an Osteopath trained in Osteopathic Manual Manipulation and Cranial Techniques and has chosen to specialize in oral ties after dealing with his own ties and those of his kids. During the residency in CT for the Holistic Lactation course, …

In this episode Katie Oshita talks about how people aren’t healthy anymore- fertility rates are on the decline, pregnant patients are less healthy, children aren't healthy in their childhood anymore. Airway and movement dysfunction (snoo, swaddle, containers, then kids and adults sitting and not outside). There are toxins all around us- mold, Lyme,…

OT and Lactation can have a very complementary relationship however, sadly it's frequently a complicated relationship instead. In this episode Katie Oshita and Nat Udwin discuss how IBCLCs and OTs can not only support each other but support families for better results. OT is all about skills to "do your job" which can mean work skills for an adult,…

Tongue tie is not a US phenomenon. Tongue ties have been known about and treated for hundreds of years, but in the last decade the field has dramatically expanded. Part of that is more recognition, part is epigenetic changes causing more tongue ties, more vaulted palates, more narrow jaws than ever before. In this episdoe Katie Oshita and Dr Sheree…

Most families in the US do some form of combination feeding, using bottles and frequently breast pumps. The sheer volume of new pumps, bottles, and other feeding supplies is enough to overwhelm most IBCLC's. To stay current on new equipment means either many hours researching, or taking a course from someone who did all the research and work alread…

Every professional specializes overtime. Sometimes it's an instant pull and choice, other times it's a slow process where you learn more and more about an area and become an expert about it. For Amber Ginn, it was much more instantaneous. As a teen mother, Amber Ginn is acutely aware of the challenges and special needs supporting a teen mother with…

In this episode Katie Oshita discusses some of the healing and holistic modalities that she is learning through the Holistic Lactation residency course she is taking. Comparing and contrasting allopathic/mainstream "normal" interventions such as antibiotics, swaddling, pacifiers, formula, bottles and prescription medications with natural/holistic o…

In this episode, Katie Oshita and Gina Nigro discuss lactation support and tongue tie in both the US and Spain. In both locations, there are a lot of differences in the care available, and many similarities. Both parts of the world have many confusing options when trying to find a "breastfeeding expert". Listen as Katie and Gina discuss ways to sup…

Katie Oshita sees tongue-tied babies and discusses oral function for infants. But what happens if not treated, or if full oral function is not achieved? Jenae Ciuffreda sees kids and adults with oral ties and other oral function dysfunction. In this episode, Katie and Jenae discuss expansion, nasal breathing, and airway health. If you have question…

More world traveling for lactation learning. In this episode, Katie Oshita and Bobbi Daly discuss lactation, oral ties, and living in a small country that produces 10% of the world's formula. In Ireland most families see a GP for infant care, not a Pediatrician and breastfeeding rates are incredibly low. The massive amount of formula made in a coun…

Continuing on the world tour of breastfeeding support and oral ties, Katie Oshita meets with Diana Marcinkevičienė to discuss lactation, access to care, and oral tethers in both the US (PNW is Katie's location) and Lithuania where Diana practices. Life is very different for parents and providers when comparing- from the long two-year maternity leav…

In this episode, Katie Oshita reviews her Top 5- most popular episodes, locations- countries and cities with most listeners, things she has learned and things she hears from both clients and other practitioners. With 67 previous episodes and thousands of miles to meet and record with practitioners, Katie Oshita has a lot of information to share. Po…

Breastfeeding is universal, something that all humans, all mammals have done since the beginning of time. Lactation as a profession is new and has different norms throughout the world. Rosa Sorribas is an IBCLC in Barcelona, Spain who focuses not just on supporting new parents with lactation and infant feeding support. Rosa focuses on training new …

For both Katie Oshita and Rachelle Markham, being a neurodivergent business owner is part of life. Learning about sensory banks, tools, timers, apps and how to make life easier for themselves has been a learning process. Listen as they discuss some of what has, and what has not, helped them be more productive, and more regulated so that balance and…

Katie Oshita and Allison Alexander discuss private practice in the US, support for new families, tongue tie timing and more. Allison Alexander sees families struggling with complex feeding issues, develops customized care plans and supports families throughout the feeding journey. Understanding the dyad is what makes lactation universally different…

Breastfeeding struggles are not a uniquely US issue, nor is tongue tie. In this episode, Katie Oshita talks with Eva Fieback, an SLP/IBCLC in Berlin, Germany about the differences and similarities between support in the two countries. Eva discusses how as an SLP it is in her scope of practice in Germany to teach oral exercises, however IBCLC's are …

In this episode Katie Oshita discusses the Holistic Lactation residency course she is taking, and our framework. Acknowledging and understanding our framework is an essential first step to education and practice. If we don't examine what we think of as normal, common, or basic for everyone, then we are ignoring what is part of our bias. Our framewo…

In this episode, Katie Oshita discusses manual therapy and tongue tie babies with Dr Ashley Rich. Understanding oral ties and the impact on the fascial system is important for all practitioners working with families struggling with feeding issues. Understanding how a different therapist sees things allows us to learn from each other, for the benefi…

On the road again, well just for the day. Listen as Katie Oshita meets with Dr Jimmy Chan in Vancouver BC to discuss his journey into tongue tie, ICAP and all things lactation and oral tethers. When to release a tie is just as important as if to release the tie. Tongue ties aren't just a problem in the US, but worldwide ankyloglossia is a growing i…

Pelvic floor issues post-pregnancy and birth are all too common. Whether it's related to more sedentary lifestyles, assisted births, or epigentics is not known, but it does not have to be accepted. Jenn Lormand EP and Christina Walsh PT all about stopping the acceptance that a little leaking is normal, and empowering women to take control of their …

In this episode Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC addresses some very common questions about breastfeeding and more. Everything from "should breastfeeding hurt" and "how long should a feed take" to general education about the Snoo, starting solids, pumping, safe sleep and more. If you have wondered about basic breastfeeding and how to answer some questi…

In this episode Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC discusses the current status of birth in this country. In the United States there is a vast disparity in healthcare between races, leading to an alarmingly high maternal morbidity and mortality rate for black women. This will not change until it is talked about, until we all demand equal and safe healthc…

Dr Jack Newman has been working with breastfeeding mothers for over 4 decades! His knowledge of breastfeeding medicine is expansive, and his passion for helping breastfeeding mothers never wavers. In this episode Katie Oshita and Dr Newman discuss inducting lactation, at breast versus bottle supplementation and much more. If you want to learn about…

Bodywork is defined as a manual therapy, healing touch used holistically to increase wellness in a person. There are many wonderful kinds of bodywork- craniosacral therapy, chiropractic, osteopathic, myofascial and more. Judy Rosevear-Pusey has been practicing myofascial release therapy for over 30 years and teaches throughout the country. Katie an…

Listen in as Katie Oshita and Dr Niki Boloorchi discuss tongue tie, training, timing, teams and all the things in this fields. Dr Niki is one of the rare providers who actually practices what she preaches, and understands timing of release, encouraging parents to work with lactation and bodywork before and after a release. Dr Niki doesn't even offe…

Katie Oshita and Rachelle Markham discuss lactation and how it is now, plus how it should be. Rachelle has taken the year long holistic residency program from Jennifer Tow, and discusses how this has transformed her practice, but also how understanding our body processes and how dysfunction happens has added whole new toolboxes for her practice. Ra…

Another year of podcasting! Another year on the road with THOUSANDS of miles, meeting with providers and recording to share this information. In this year Katie Oshita met with 10 release providers, 3 chiropractors, 1 Myofascial release therapist, 7 IBCLC's, 1 SLP and had 5 episodes herself. In this episode, Katie discusses some of the things she h…

In this episode Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC and Mark Persaud, DDS discuss tongue tie both from a parent's and provider's perspective and how all of this led to Dr Persaud and his wife Amelia Persaud to create a multi-therapy office. The strategy here was to allow parents one location, one place to centralize care. More than that, this central desi…

In this episode Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC reviews a few recent case studies for tongue tie support. In one case the family reached out for support one month after a frenectomy that hadn't brought any changes. The other family reached out when the baby had completely refused the breast, at 7 weeks old, after needing to supplement for weight gain.…

Both Katie Oshita and Liz Turner are working with tongue tie families trying to find support and function. Both Katie and Liz know the secret isn't in the release alone (Liz does a fabulous release tho, and it is an essential part of the process), it's about timing of release, teamwork and functional habilitation. So how do all these things go toge…

Lactation typically is either a home visit where the IBCLC comes to the client, or an office visit where the client comes to the IBCLC. Holly Johnson saw a problem in her area where too many families lived rurally and choosing one location for an office wouldn't serve each community. So Holly came up with a unique idea of creating a mobile lactatio…

In this episode Katie Oshita and Sharon Vallone discuss how lactation and chiropractic are essential for the treatment and support of tongue tied babies. Both professions support the whole person, going beyond symptoms and looking for the root cause of issues. Both professions help families struggling independently, but when working together, lacta…

Tongue ties are on the rise, some evidence says 25-33% of babies have an oral restriction, and these families need help. In Olympia, they have a talented Pediatric Dentist at Olympia Untied with Dr Andrea Mason. In this episode, Katie Oshita and Dr Andrea Mason discuss the necessity of a team approach and how working together helps families thrive.…

In this episode Katie Oshita discusses how much of medicine in the Allopathic system is a band-aid model and treats everyone the same. If you go in for depression, they go to the same antidepressants regardless of who you are, they just go down a list. This method ignores the fact that there are many different causes for any issue, such as depressi…

Katie Oshita and Diana Leon knew each other when they were both in the CA Bay Area, before Katie took to the RV life and Diana moved to Denver. In the early days, Katie and her family were blessed to see Dr Diana each week for adjustments and to help their body feel its best. In this episode, Katie and Diana talk about all think chiropractic for ba…

In this episode, Katie Oshita and Montika Collins discuss the importance of representation in health care, and what it means to be an activist. Montika Collins is passionate about not only supporting women of color, but also training women of color in order to increase the support for families in Tulsa. Montika also discusses food deserts, the impo…

Timing of release isn't just a catch phrase, it's the MOST important part of deciding when to have a tongue tie release. Katie Oshita and Dr Gary Myers discuss how he started doing releases (spoiler alert: he was pushed into this space by Jennifer Tow), how his practice grew (crunchy mom referrals at first then eventually got some Pediatrician refe…

Recently Katie Oshita at the age of 44 years old had a functional frenuplasty with Dr Maggie Davis. Katie had already done a lot of prep work (listen back to episode 33 for some of her symptoms and pre release therapy) but was still surprised with some of the unexpected outcomes of her release. Listen as Katie Oshita and Dr Maggie discuss Katie's r…

Katie Oshita and McKale Fleming were both IBCLC's traveling the country in an RV. McKale has an integrative health coaching lactation practice with bodywork and traveled all over the south bringing expert care to families in need. Listen as they discuss the importance of bodywork and its many different methods, and how the team supports tongue tie …

In this episode, Katie Oshita discusses the all important phrase of "timing of release" and what it means. Why does it matter when the tongue tie release is done? What is meant by pre-release and post-release therapy? What is the difference between active wound care and oral exercises or oral habilitation? And rhythmic movements? Listen as Katie ad…

In this podcast episode, Katie Oshita and Avery young discuss the blinding focus on tongue tie and oral function that is leaving many families in worse shape after support. First by not know know to immediately stop breastfeeding pain, too many families are rushed to release by providers- Avery Young strives to change this by teaching other IBCLC's…

Telehealth is all the rage now since Covid, but there are practitioners who have been using telehealth for much longer. Jennifer Tow, BFS, MA, IBCLC, LMT, CSOM has been seeing clients across the globe for more than a decade, using video visits as a way to bring expert care to families anywhere. Jennifer is also the creator of the IBCLC Master Class…

Katie Oshita and Bryna Hayden discuss how Bryna got started working with infant reflexes, why understanding and working with reflexes is important and how every IBCLC should start learning more and observing babies reflexes. Bryna has a deep science background, uses that to study neurobehavior and babies. They discuss how a hyper focus on problems,…