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Right when your milk lets down — right at that moment — a wave of dread, sadness, or anxiety washes over you. It lasts about sixty seconds. Then it's gone. And you have no idea why it keeps happening, and nobody has ever mentioned it to you, and you're starting to wonder if you hate breastfeeding. You don't. You might have D-MER. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, explains Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex: what it is, why it happens, the dopamine mechanism behind it, why it's so underdiagnosed, how to tell it apart from postpartum depression, and what actually helps. Recent research suggests up to one in five breastfeeding people may experience it. You are not alone. Keywords: DMER, D-MER, dysphoric milk ejection reflex, breastfeeding, lactation, IBCLC, milk letdown, postpartum mental health. Linktree: linktr.ee/drrobinsonibclcVirtual Consult & The Supportive Partner: ashleyrobinsonibclc.comFirstDays app: firstdaysapps.com

Someone in your mom group swears by lactation cookies. Your postpartum doula mentioned fenugreek. Your mother-in-law is ordering you a special tea. And you're wondering — does any of this actually work? In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, breaks down the evidence on lactation cookies, galactagogue supplements, and herbal teas: what a 2023 randomized controlled trial actually found, why so many people swear by things that don't hold up in research, what galactagogues can and can't do, and what actually matters for your milk supply. Evidence-based, myth-busting, and not here to take your cookies — just your misconceptions. Keywords: lactation cookies, galactagogues, breastfeeding supplements, milk supply, IBCLC, lactation, fenugreek, breastfeeding. Linktree: linktr.ee/drrobinsonibclc Virtual consult & The Supportive Partner: ashleyrobinsonibclc.com FirstDays app: firstdaysapps.com

Everyone warns you about low milk supply. Nobody warns you about what happens when you have too much. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, covers hyperlactation — oversupply of breast milk — a common and frequently misdiagnosed condition that can make breastfeeding miserable for both parent and baby. She walks through what oversupply actually looks like (hint: it's not just leaking everywhere), why babies with hyperlactation are so often misdiagnosed with colic, reflux, or milk protein allergy, and what the evidence says about managing it — including the block feeding approach from ABM Clinical Protocol #32. If breastfeeding feels like drowning instead of flowing, or your baby comes off the breast gagging and screaming, this episode will finally give you the language for what's happening. Keywords: breastfeeding, IBCLC, lactation, oversupply, hyperlactation, block feeding, overactive letdown, breastfeeding problems. linktr.ee/drrobinsonibclc Book a virtual consult: ashleyrobinsonibclc.com FirstDays App: firstdaysapps.com

It is the most common question in every lactation consultation, every new parent support group, and every 2am internet spiral: is my breastfed baby getting enough milk? In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, cuts through the noise and gives you the actual clinical answer — what matters, what doesn't, and why the 7% weight loss rule you've been given may be doing more harm than good. She walks through the real markers of breastfeeding adequacy, explains the Newborn Weight Tool (NEWT) and what it means for supplementation decisions, and breaks down what your baby's diapers are telling you that your scale isn't. If you've ever stared at a baby who just nursed for 45 minutes and still wondered if it was enough — this episode is for you. Keywords: breastfeeding, IBCLC, lactation, newborn weight loss, breastfeeding adequacy, supplementation, NEWT tool. Check Me Out HERE Book a virtual consult FirstDays App Need more podcasts? Check out Public Health in 5!

Breastfeeding and Postpartum Anxiety: What Nobody Talks About" Everyone talks about postpartum depression. Far fewer people talk about postpartum anxiety — and almost nobody talks about what happens when postpartum anxiety and breastfeeding collide. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, takes a deep, honest look at postpartum anxiety in breastfeeding parents — what it looks like, how it differs from typical new-parent worry, and why it is so often missed and underdiagnosed. She covers the complicated relationship between breastfeeding and anxiety, including how breastfeeding can both support and worsen mental health depending on the context. She also introduces D-MER — dysphoric milk ejection reflex — a physiological phenomenon that causes a sudden wave of negative emotions at letdown, and why it is so frequently misunderstood. Plus: the overlap between anxiety and low supply fears, and when and how to seek help. 🔗 linktr.ee/drrobinsonibclc Book a virtual consult: ashleyrobinsonibclc.com The Supportive Partner — available on Amazon FirstDays App: firstdaysapps.com

You woke up at 3am with a hard lump, a fever, and seventeen browser tabs open — and none of them agree on what you're supposed to do. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, breaks down the mastitis spectrum using ABM Clinical Protocol #36 (Revised 2022): what's actually happening in your breast, why aggressive massage and force-pumping can make things worse, and exactly what the evidence says to do for blocked ducts, blebs, inflammatory mastitis, bacterial mastitis, and abscess. She also covers emerging evidence on photobiomodulation (low-level laser therapy) for recurrent breast inflammation — and when to call your doctor vs. manage at home. Keywords: breastfeeding, IBCLC, lactation, mastitis, blocked duct, bleb, breast inflammation, ABM protocol. linktr.ee/drrobinsonibclc Book a virtual consult: ashleyrobinsonibclc.com FirstDays App: firstdaysapps.com

Going back to work while breastfeeding is one of the most logistically overwhelming transitions a new parent faces. And most of the advice out there? Either too vague to be useful, or so overwhelming it makes you want to cry. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, breasks it all down: how to build a pumping schedule that actually protects your supply, what your legal rights are at work, how to talk to your employer about pumping time and space, how to store milk safely, and how to keep your supply up when you're spending eights hours a day away from your baby. This episode is the pumping-at-work guild you wish someone had handed you at your baby shower. LinkTree: Click here Book a virtual consult HERE The Supportive Partner found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or my website: www.ashleyrobinsonibclc.com FirstDays: The baby tracking app build by an IBCLC. Available NOW on the Apple App Store!! Check it out here www.firstdaysapps.com

You've heard the warning. Don't give your breastfed baby a bottle — they'll get nipple confused and forget how to breastfeed. But what if that's not exactly what's happening? In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, breaks down why nipple confusion is a misleading term — and why flow preference is the more accurate, more actionable diagnosis. She covers why not all bottles are created equal, what paced bottle feeding actually looks like, and exactly how to introduce a bottle without threatening your breastfeeding relationship. Plus — what to do if flow preference has already set in and you're trying to get back to the breast. Your baby isn't confused. They're rational. And now you'll know what to do about it. 🔗 linktr.ee/drrobinsonibclc Book a virtual consult HERE The Supportive Partner — available on Amazon, B&N, and anywhere you find books!

Nobody told you the milk might take longer to come in. Nobody told you that the golden hour might look different than you planned. Nobody told you that major abdominal surgery and the hormonal cascade of birth are deeply connected — and that bypassing one affects the other. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson — IBCLC, doctor of public health, and certified labor doula — gets personal about her own cesarean section experience and breaks down everything you need to know about breastfeeding after a cesarean. We cover the hormonal biology behind delayed milk coming in, how to advocate for skin-to-skin in the OR, what your support person and doula can do in that operating room, and a practical preparation checklist for planned cesarean families. And for the parent whose cesarean section was not the plan — this episode has a segment just for you. Because your birth was not a failure. And your breastfeeding story is not over. 🌟 Also — big news! I have been a little MIA from the podcast lately because I have been building something I am incredibly excited about. It is called FirstDays — a baby tracking app designed specifically with breastfeeding families in mind. Track feeds, diapers, sleep, and growth all in one place, built by an IBCLC who actually understands what matters in those early days. Available now on the Apple App Store. 🔗 linktr.ee/drrobinsonibclc 📍 Book a virtual consult: ashleyrobinsonibclc.com 📱 FirstDays App: firstdaysapps.com 📖 The Supportive Partner — available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and anywhere you buy books.

You told your provider something was wrong. The latch hurt. The baby wasn't gaining. Every feed was a battle. And you were told — the tongue looks fine. Just keep trying. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, gets personal about tongue tie — one of the most dismissed and misunderstood diagnoses in infant feeding. We cover what tongue tie actually is (including the posterior ties that get missed on a visual check), how it affects breastfeeding for both parent and baby, why it is undertreated far more often than it is overtreated, and what the research says about frenectomy and feeding outcomes. Plus — the red flags that tell you something is actually wrong, and exactly how to advocate for a proper assessment when your gut is telling you to push back. Your instincts are data. This episode will help you use them. 🔗 Linktree 📍 Book a virtual consult: ashleyrobinsonibclc.com 📖 The Supportive Partner — available HERE

You finished pumping. You looked at the bottles. Your stomach dropped. Sound familiar? In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, breaks down why your pump output is one of the most misunderstood numbers in breastfeeding — and why it is almost never the full story. We bust three of the biggest pumping myths that are driving unnecessary panic, including why low pump output does not equal low supply, why what you pump is not what your baby gets, and why flange size might be the most overlooked variable in your entire pumping setup. Plus — the real indicators of milk supply that actually matter, and evidence-based tips to get more out of every session. The pump is not your report card. This episode will remind you why. 🔗 https://linktr.ee/drrobinsonibclc 📍 Book a virtual consult: ashleyrobinsonibclc.com 📖 The Supportive Partner — available HERE

It's 7pm. You just fed your baby. Again. For what feels like the forty-seventh time today. And someone — maybe your mother-in-law, maybe a random stranger on the internet — looks at you and says, "maybe you just don't have enough milk." In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson, IBCLC, breaks down exactly what cluster feeding is, why it happens, and why it is almost never a supply problem. We cover the biology behind evening cluster feeding, what the research actually says, how to tell normal cluster feeding from a genuine red flag, and how to survive the witching hour without undermining your breastfeeding journey. Your baby is not telling you that you're failing. They're telling you the system is working. This episode will help you believe it. 🔗 https://linktr.ee/drrobinsonibclc 📍 Book a virtual consult: ashleyrobinsonibclc.com 📖 The Supportive Partner — available HERE

Baby weight gain is one of the biggest sources of anxiety in the newborn period. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson breaks down what normal weight changes look like, why babies lose weight after birth, how IV fluids and growth charts can be misleading, and what true red flags actually are. You will learn how feeding patterns, latch, and milk transfer affect growth, when to seek support, and how to protect breastfeeding without unnecessary stress. Evidence based guidance to help you understand your baby’s growth with confidence. Work with me at www.ashleyrobinsonibclc.com.Get my book The Supportive Partner at https://a.co/d/cLURvL5.

Illness hits hard during winter. Parents get sick. Babies get sick. Feeding gets complicated. In this episode, Dr. Ashley Robinson explains how to breastfeed safely during sick season. You learn how your milk protects your baby, how to keep your supply steady, which medications are safe, how to manage feeds when your baby is sick, and what to do when the whole house is down. Evidence based guidance that keeps feeding on track. Work with me at www.ashleyrobinsonibclc.com.Get my book The Supportive Partner at https://a.co/d/cLURvL5.

Breastfeeding guilt is common and intense. Many parents picture an effortless journey, then face pain, low supply, latching problems, or medical barriers. This episode breaks down why grief shows up, how shame grows, and why your feeding plan does not define your worth. You learn how mixed feeding fits into a successful feeding journey and why breastfeeding is not all or nothing. You also learn how pressure from family, society, and healthcare systems shapes how you see yourself. You can work with me at www.ashleyrobinsonibclc.com. You can get my book The Supportive Partner at https://a.co/d/cLURvL5.