Learning to Trust Your Baby with Jennifer Davidson
Jennifer Davidson is a pediatric nurse and lactation consultant at a progressive pediatric practice in Santa Monica, CA.
After years of working with mamas and babies, Jennifer recognized a consistent need to provide her clients with essential tools to enable them to trust their bodies, trust their babies, and trust themselves. Especially during the early weeks of motherhood.
She decided to create a documentary addressing these and many other issues facing mothers in the 21st century.
She is a mama of 2 boys and resides in Woodland Hills, CA.
The Unspoken Topic
- A mother and baby together are essential and they can be trusted.
What We Cover
- The true definition of nursing.
- Why the mom-baby connection is important and how to cultivate it.
- Understanding the hurdles in order for you to trust your instincts.
Take a Listen >>
Key Takeaways
- When we try to do the “right” thing, the message sent to the mother is that she doesn’t know what to do. Rather, remember that the mother and baby being together is the most important thing.
- When a baby is skin to sin with his mama, it ignites a ton of instinctual behaviors like being able to crawl to the nipple immediately after birth.
- Creating a secured attachment in the first 6 weeks of the baby’s life is essential for the baby to feel confident and secure throughout his life.
- That bonding time creates the baby’s subconscious, which is why it’s so important to do .
- A baby learns through all his senses: smell, touch, by looking into his eyes.
- During the first 3 years of a baby’s life, they operate from their right brain. They naturally begin to break away from mom and gain independence. They will get there eventually. No need to push so early.
Actionable Solutions
How to Learn to Trust Yourself and Baby
Know the hurdles to overcome so you can build trust within yourself.
- HURDLE 1: Your baby needs to get on a schedule. By doing this, you miss out on learning to read your baby’s cues. (After you establish your baby is healthy and strong. This step is important.)
- HURDLE 2: Babies should sleep through the night. It normal for babies to wake often for comfort or hunger. The only reason to fix this hurdle is if it’s not working for you, your marriage or your situation.
- HURDLE 3: Don’t use your breast as a pacifier. The truth is, our breast have superpowers! No reason not to utilize it!
- HURDLE 4: Don’t hold baby too much because you’re going to spoil them. Actually, the more you hold them and nurture them, the more confident they become.
- HURDLE 5: Babies need to learn to self-soothe. Science says they need the loving arms of mother, father, partner.
- HURDLE 6: Mothers shouldn’t feed their babies in public. Feed them when they are hungry! Regardless of where you are.
- HURDLE 7: Don’t let your baby sleep with you because you will kill your baby. This hurdle is one that truly doesn’t allow a mother to trust herself. Learn the safe ways to do so, if this is something you want to do.
- Come back to the knowledge that we are social mammals. Ask yourself, “what would a mammal do?
- Get a lactation consultant early on to make sure you are off to a great start.
How to Bond With Baby If You Are Not Breastfeeding
- Take the same 6 weeks to connect with your baby by doing skin to skin contact.
- Take a bottle to your breast and feed your child that way. Make eye contact with them while you are feeding them.
- Hold them, tell them you love them often.
Hardest Decision To Make as a Mom
- Leaving her baby at home when she was working at Children’s Hospital. She eventually found a job in a pediatrician’s office that had hours that were more manageable.
A-Ha Moment About Parenting
- Formula companies have done a really good job of creating mommy wars between each other.
Most Excited About
- She has started a nonprofit called The Milky Way Foundation and is working on another documentary. She is also working on a breastfeeding art project to normalize breastfeeding in public.
Jennifer’s Gift
Nursing goes beyond breastfeeding. It’s about creating the secured attachment through bonding that really counts. Jennifer is offering our listeners her famous nursing class so you can learn how to bond with your babies that will set them up for life!
To grab Jennifer’s gift, add your email below and we’ll send it on over. You’ll be opting into both of our email lists so you can receive even more goodies!
Mama Has a Minute
- Favorite form of self-care: Yoga and trail running.
- Best parenting advice ever received: You know your baby better than anyone else. There is no other mommy-baby couple just like you. Trust yourselves.
- Share your favorite parenting hack: Baby wearing.
- Recommend one product your children cannot live without: Baby wearing.
- Share your favorite book and why: Unlatched by Jennifer Greyson because it’s a heartfelt book with amazing research and personal journey. It also normalized breastfeeding.
- What motherhood means to you: Motherhood is the most essential time for a mom and baby. We become incredibly empowered as women and children. We both become healthy beings because of our connection.
Freebies From Us
- Join our Facebook Community
- If you’re living in Tantrumville with your toddler, you definitely need the Top 5 Tips to Hitting The Pause Button on Temper Tantrum
- Download our FREE Worried Mama’s Guide to Baby Milestones
- FREE Masterclass on getting rid of mom guilt when it coems to your finances.
- Learn to become an even more mindful mama without having to go to a yoga class or spend 30 minutes meditating with this free guide.
Action Steps For *You*
- Have a question or topic you’d like to cover? Let us know!
- Subscribe to our podcast to never miss an episode on iTunes or Stitcher.
- Love what you hear? Leave us a comment + review on iTunes! (WE LOVE YOU!!!)
