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Ever wish someone would tell you the truth about breastfeeding without the guilt or the gadgets? We bring on Samantha, a seasoned NICU nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, to cut through the noise and give you a clear path forward—whether you’re nursing, pumping, combo feeding, or bottle feeding from day one.

We start with the realities most classes skip: colostrum is enough for many newborns, full milk often takes five to seven days, and supply typically regulates around six to eight weeks. Samantha shares what successful latch actually looks like, why positioning changes everything, and how to listen for swallows so you know milk is moving. She explains how inconsistent pumping, poorly fitted flanges, or relying on wearables without proper setup can invite clogs and mastitis—and how to avoid those traps with simple, consistent routines.

Funding cuts and mixed hospital advice make support feel out of reach, so we break down practical, affordable ways to get help. You’ll hear why a single, trusted guide can beat a dozen conflicting opinions, why prenatal education is the highest ROI investment you can make, and how to advocate for your plan when policies or timelines get in the way. We also tackle the hot topics: oversupply isn’t the goal, pumping is breastfeeding, nipple confusion is often overstated, and having donor milk or a small formula backup can protect both intake and your mental health. Hydration, nutrition, and rest matter more than your app’s timer—and any amount of your milk is a win.

Leave with five grounded basics that move the needle: get support early, prioritise positioning, master an effective latch, follow baby-led cues over rigid timing, and simplify your tools. If you’re ready to trade stress for support and perfectionism for progress, this conversation will help you build a feeding plan that fits your life.

If this episode helps you breathe a little easier, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more parents can find real, judgement-free support.

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🎙 Thanks for Tuning into Tend & Befriend!

🌿 Learn More & Work With Me:
💻 Visit Website for my birth course, resources, and to book a session with me.

📲 Stay Connected:
📷 Instagram: @deborahthedoula
📘 Facebook: @deborahthedoula

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🔗 Find all links here: Our website

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What if the first, fiercest lesson in personal power began in the birth room? We sit with Kelly—licensed paramedic, yoga teacher, Reiki master, and now a doula in our agency—to trace how frontline medicine led her to a calling rooted in consent, breath, and presence. From the shift that happens when someone teaches you to ask for what you want, to the quiet courage of doing less and holding more, this conversation maps a humane way through complex systems.

Kelly shares the pivotal moments that shaped her practice: staying seven hours beyond a hospital shift to support a labouring patient, discovering that breathwork is the most reliable tool in a chaotic room, and learning that real advocacy means keeping the birthing person in charge even when plans change. We unpack informed consent as a living process, not a form; radical self-responsibility as a compass; and how a doula collective expands support, creates safety nets, and brings better referrals to families who need them. The stories are grounded and specific—home birth in Ecuador, partners who become surprising anchors, debriefs that turn hard nights into wisdom.

If you’re feeling nervous, unsure, or lost in the system, this one aims to bring you back to centre. You’ll hear how to set boundaries without burning bridges, use breath to regulate pain and panic, and build a plan flexible enough to meet real life. We also talk honestly about doula self-care—eating, writing, moving, and leaning on a team—so we can show up steady for you.

Want to connect with Kelly or our agency for birth or postpartum support? Tap the links in the show notes, find Kelly at the Voyage Collective on Instagram, or reach us at Deborah the Doula. If this resonated, subscribe, share it with someone expecting, and leave a review to help others find the support they deserve.

Support the show

🎙 Thanks for Tuning into Tend & Befriend!

🌿 Learn More & Work With Me:
💻 Visit Website for my birth course, resources, and to book a session with me.

📲 Stay Connected:
📷 Instagram: @deborahthedoula
📘 Facebook: @deborahthedoula

💡 Loved this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs it!

🔗 Find all links here: Our website

I hope to talk to you soon!!

Send us a text

Contact Natalie Evans through Instagram @pure.essence.doulacare

Check out the linktree!!

Support the show

🎙 Thanks for Tuning into Tend & Befriend!

🌿 Learn More & Work With Me:
💻 Visit Website for my birth course, resources, and to book a session with me.

📲 Stay Connected:
📷 Instagram: @deborahthedoula
📘 Facebook: @deborahthedoula

💡 Loved this episode? Subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs it!

🔗 Find all links here: Our website

I hope to talk to you soon!!