Nobody Told Me Breastfeeding Would Be This Hard | The Better Boob (Part 1)

Welcome back to my Build Your Birth Team series, where we're talking about the providers who can support you throughout pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and beyond.

When most people think about building their birth team, they think about their OB, midwife, or doula. But one of the most valuable members of your support team may be someone you don't think about until you're sitting on the couch at 2 a.m., exhausted, emotional, and wondering if your baby is getting enough milk.

In this episode, I'm joined by Courtney, founder of The Better Boob and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), to talk about why lactation support deserves a place on your birth team.

Courtney shares her own breastfeeding struggles, despite being a labor and delivery nurse at the time, and explains why even lactation consultants sometimes need lactation consultants.

We also dive into what an IBCLC actually does, why breastfeeding isn't always intuitive, common pumping mistakes, flange fitting, tongue ties, and why getting support before baby arrives can make a huge difference in your feeding journey.

In this episode, we discuss:

✨ What an IBCLC is and how they're different from other feeding support professionals
✨ Why breastfeeding can be challenging, even for experienced parents
✨ The story behind The Better Boob
✨ Tongue ties, oral function, and feeding challenges
✨ Why lactation consultants assess both parent and baby together
✨ Pumping, flange sizing, and choosing the right pump
✨ Why even lactation consultants sometimes need lactation consultants
✨ The benefits of prenatal lactation consultations
✨ How lactation support fits into your birth and postpartum support team
✨ Setting yourself up for feeding success before baby arrives

And a quick heads up: both Courtney and I had our babies with us during this recording, so if you hear some baby noises in the background, consider them our tiny guest stars for today's episode. 💛

🎙️ Coming in Part 2: We'll continue our Build Your Birth Team conversation by talking about what it actually looks like to work with a lactation consultant after baby arrives, common feeding challenges, how to choose the right lactation consultant for your family, and what to look for when building your feeding support team.

💛 Connect with Courtney & The Better Boob
Instagram: @thebetterboob
Website: www.betterboob.com

💛 Connect with Ally
Instagram: @allythedoula
Website: www.allyravendoula.com

🎓 Birth Partner Bootcamp

Want your partner to feel confident and prepared for labor?

My Birth Partner Bootcamp teaches partners practical comfort measures, labor support techniques, advocacy skills, communication strategies, and what to expect during labor and birth so they can show up feeling informed, empowered, and confident.

Learn more at:
www.allyravendoula.com

Keywords: build your birth team, lactation consultant, IBCLC, breastfeeding support, breastfeeding podcast, pumping, flange fitting, tongue tie, lip tie, prenatal breastfeeding education, lactation support during pregnancy, postpartum support, newborn feeding, breastfeeding help, Raleigh doula, North Carolina pregnancy podcast, Triangle moms, first-time mom, postpartum recovery, birth team, feeding support, The Better Boob, Ally the Doula

Why a Pelvic Floor PT Belongs on Your Birth Team

When most people think about building their birth team, they think about their OB, midwife, or doula.

But what about a pelvic floor physical therapist?

In this episode of Ally the Doula: Your Birth Bestie for Real Talk, I'm joined by Dr. Lauren Davenport, founder of Uplift Pelvic Health & Performance, to talk about why pelvic floor therapy can be such a valuable part of your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey.

Lauren was actually my pelvic floor therapist during my pregnancy with Emmy, so this conversation is especially meaningful to me. We dive into what pelvic floor PT actually is, what appointments look like, and why you don't need to wait until something feels "wrong" before seeking support.

In this episode, we discuss:
✨ What your pelvic floor actually does
✨ Why strength isn't always the goal
✨ How pelvic floor therapy can help prepare you for birth
✨ What an internal pelvic floor exam looks like (and whether you need one)
✨ Why pelvic floor PT isn't just for people with symptoms
✨ How pelvic floor therapists and doulas can work together
✨ What postpartum recovery support can look like
✨ How to choose the right pelvic floor therapist for your birth team
✨ Motherhood, entrepreneurship, and prioritizing your own health

Whether you're trying to conceive, currently pregnant, preparing for birth, or navigating postpartum recovery, this episode is packed with practical information and empowering education.

💛 Connect with Lauren & Uplift Pelvic Health & Performance
Instagram: @upliftpelvicnc
Website: https://upliftpelvicnc.com

Lauren and her team provide pelvic floor physical therapy services in the Charlotte/Huntersville area and also offer virtual support for clients who aren't local.

💛 Connect with Ally
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allythedoula
Website: https://allyravendoula.com

If you're pregnant in Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Wake Forest, Durham, Chapel Hill, or anywhere in the Triangle area of North Carolina and are looking for birth doula support, I'd love to connect with you.

Birth Partner Bootcamp

Want your partner to feel confident and prepared for labor?

My Birth Partner Bootcamp is a self-paced online course designed to help birth partners learn comfort measures, labor support techniques, communication strategies, and what to expect during labor and birth so they can show up feeling confident and empowered.

Learn more at:
https://allyravendoula.com

Keywords: pelvic floor physical therapy, pelvic floor therapist, pregnancy podcast, postpartum recovery, birth preparation, labor preparation, birth team, pelvic health, pregnancy support, Charlotte NC pelvic floor therapist, North Carolina pregnancy podcast, Raleigh doula, pregnancy education, postpartum healing, pelvic floor PT during pregnancy, preparing for labor, childbirth education, first-time mom, motherhood, postpartum support

Oh hi, it’s me… your doula

In this episode, we’re talking all about what a birth doula actually does, what support can really look like during labor, and why doulas are about so much more than just hip squeezes and essential oils.

We’re diving into:
• what a doula is (and what we’re not)
• how doulas support both YOU and your partner
• what it actually looks like to have a doula at your birth
• labor support, position changes, belly mapping, epidurals, and birth preferences
• how doulas help facilitate conversations with providers
• why all doulas have different support styles and price points
• why it’s important to talk to multiple doulas before hiring one
• and why I truly believe doulas become your birth bestie through the process 💛

We also talk about one of the biggest misconceptions about doulas—that we are there to replace your partner. Spoiler alert: absolutely not. A huge part of my role is helping partners feel more confident, informed, involved, and supported throughout labor too.

Whether you’re planning an unmedicated birth, an epidural, an induction, or a cesarean, this episode is for you.

Connect with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allythedoula
Website: https://allyravendoula.com

If you’re pregnant and looking for birth doula support in Raleigh, North Carolina or the surrounding Triangle area, you can learn more about my doula services or schedule a consult through my website.

Birth Partner Bootcamp

I also offer my Birth Partner Bootcamp — an online, self-paced course created specifically for birth partners who want to feel more confident and prepared during labor and birth.

Inside the course, we talk about:
• how to physically support your partner during labor
• comfort measures and coping techniques
• epidurals, inductions, and interventions
• how to advocate and communicate during birth
• what labor actually looks like
• and how partners can feel calm, involved, and empowered throughout the experience

Once purchased, you’ll have lifetime access to the course.

You can find more information at:
https://allyravendoula.com

Keywords:
doula podcast, birth doula, Raleigh doula, North Carolina doula, labor support, birth support, epidural support, unmedicated birth, birth partner support, pregnancy podcast, first time mom, childbirth education, labor positions, hypnobirthing, birth team, pregnancy support, postpartum support, Raleigh NC pregnancy support, Triangle doula