Articles by Jody M. Lindwall, CNM, MSN

Breastfeeding feels like it should be a natural harmony between baby and parent—with bodies perfectly designed for this very thing. Anyone who’s been through it, though, can tell you otherwise, likely while rocking a crying newborn and massaging sore breasts and chapped nipples. Why is breastfeeding often so hard? Because it is a learned skill,…

Since the HPV vaccine hit the market in 2006, I’ve noticed a lot of young women are hesitant to get it. The common questions I hear are: “What is HPV?” “What is my actual risk of getting cervical cancer?” and “Is the vaccine safe?” I also counsel mothers who are debating whether to give the…

One of the major responsibilities of parents is to make decisions on behalf of your children. You decide what food you will offer them, what vaccines to give them and when, what movies they should/should not see and even whether they can go over to their friend’s house for the afternoon. Indeed, the list of…

Several months ago I posted about sore nipples, one of the most common complaints of breastfeeding mothers. Another relatively common complaint is breast pain. Breast pain can involve the entire breast or it can be localized to one area. The three primary causes of breast pain are engorgement, plugged ducts and mastitis. Breast Engorgement Engorgement refers…

As a nurse-midwife, I regularly counsel patients on the benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby. I am a huge proponent of breastfeeding. And though I have witnessed the challenges that women sometimes face when breastfeeding, I had always assumed breastfeeding my own child would be easy. After all, I have plenty of knowledge about breastfeeding…