About this episode

This episode explores the connection between birth, breastfeeding, and the transition into motherhood with midwife and lactation consultant Katie James.

Breastfeeding is often treated as something that starts when your baby arrives. But what happens in birth, the support you receive afterward, and the beliefs you carry into motherhood all shape how that relationship begins. In this episode, I’m joined by midwife and lactation consultant Katie James to explore the connection between birth, breastfeeding, and the transition into motherhood. We talk about how interventions, separation after birth, skin-to-skin contact, and postpartum care can influence feeding in the early days. Katie shares why breastfeeding is more than nutrition. It is a relationship between mother and baby, built through responsiveness and connection. We also look at how formula marketing, social media, and pressure to recover quickly can leave women doubting themselves when feeding doesn’t unfold as expected. Birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum are deeply interconnected. When we miss that, many women blame their bodies. Often what was missing was support, information, and the conditions needed for breastfeeding to establish. Key insights Birth and breastfeeding are linked physically, hormonally, and emotionally Skin-to-skin and postpartum support shape early…

People in this episode

Host: Mandy Cai

Guest: Katie James

Topics covered

• breastfeeding
• birth
• motherhood
• postpartum care
• support
• feeding relationship

Keywords

• breastfeeding
• birth
• motherhood
• postpartum support
• feeding challenges
• skin-to-skin contact
• formula marketing

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• Learning to Listen to Your Body in Motherhood with Vaness Henry · July 20, 2026 · 53 min

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