When birth planning, many mothers will set expectations for themselves to gauge their breastfeeding journey, which is usually mostly dependent on their exposure to breastfeeding prior to becoming pregnant. These expectations can sometimes work for you or against you. Lower expectations take the pressure off, and setting high expectations can hinder the experience. The trick is to just trust your body and your baby to figure it out along the way. Even in the midst of being given inaccurate information from trained health care providers, being grounded in your own intuitive sense is crucial.On today’s episode we welcome Emily, married for 7 years, mother of three, and breastfeeding counselor with Breastfeeding USA. Emily joins us to share her story of her breastfeeding journey with all three of her children. From expectations before her first child, to standing up for herself and her baby when faced with real medical issues in a hospital setting. Emily has been brave and intuitive in her approach to breastfeeding, and has a wealth of knowledge she so graciously wants to share with other mothers so they can navigate their breastfeeding experience.Tune in to hear advice and experiences from someone who has learned to trust herself and has seen the benefits from doing so.Topics discussed in this episode:

• How working in a daycare shaped Emily’s perception of breastfeeding
• Emily’s expectation of breastfeeding with her first child
• Why Emily introduced formula to her baby
• Nursing through an entire pregnancy
• Incorrect information provided by the hospital regarding tandem nursing
• Emily’s experience joining a breastfeeding group
• Biggest issue Emily dealt with when breastfeeding her second child
• What is Raynaud's Syndrome?
• The importance of trusting your own body
• Emily’s breastfeeding experience with her third child
• Dealing with thrush while breastfeeding

Connect with Emily by joining her BFUSA FB community here!Find the North Dakota Breastfeeding Coalition here. Find the James River Valley Breastfeeding Coalition FB Page here. Head to Apple Podcasts or Spotify for more episodes!  ---   Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/milk-making-minutes/support