If you’re a parent trying to breastfeed — with all the highs and lows that brings — we want to hear your story.
Tag Archives: Breastfeeding
These New Breastfeeding Guidelines Ignore the Reality of Many American Moms
On the heels of Roe being overturned, a formula shortage and the failure to pass the PUMP Act, the recommendation to breastfeed for “two years or beyond” was ill timed.
New Guidelines Encourage Breastfeeding Longer, but Call for More Parental Support
The American Academy of Pediatrics is urging doctors to have “nonjudgmental conversations” with families about their feeding choices.
How Gender Neutral Language Is Shaping the Fight for Abortion Rights
Progressive groups and medical organizations have adopted inclusive language, which has led to terms like “pregnant people” and “chestfeeding.”
Parents of Premature Babies Struggle Amid Formula Shortage
Many newborns who spend time in the NICU rely on specialized formula to thrive. But their parents can’t find it anywhere.
Amid Baby Formula Shortage, N.Y. Moms Are Donating Breast Milk
New York mothers with an excess supply of breast milk are donating to milk banks, as well as through informal channels, to help parents struggling to feed their babies amid the crisis.
Is Sharing Breast Milk Safe?
More families are informally swapping milk during the baby formula shortage. But experts warn there are risks.
The Formula Shortage Has Led to Misguided Calls for Women to Breastfeed
It’s an invention that has saved babies’ lives and given mothers their own lives back. Why are women being shamed for using it?
Why Breastfeeding Isn’t the Answer to the Formula Shortage
The current crisis has exacerbated an already emotionally charged health care issue in the U.S.
Babies Need Nutrition. Don’t Play Politics With the Formula Shortage.
Food-insecure families already know how this feels.
A Baby Formula Shortage Leaves Desperate Parents Searching for Food
Some parents are driving hours at a time in search of supplies. Others are watering down formula or rationing it, hoping for an end to the shortage.
Inside a Maternity Hospital in Ukraine as War Grinds On
As artillery shells fall, pregnant women are delivering prematurely, being shuttled in and out of bomb shelters or having babies in basements without even a midwife to help. Tens of thousands more are displaced.
Breast Milk Jewelry for Mothers Weaning Their Babies
Mothers are memorializing their breastfeeding experiences with stones made from the liquid.
SimpliFed serves up $500,000 pre-seed toward infant nutrition support
Feeding babies can take many different forms, and is also an area where parents can feel less supported as they navigate this new milestone in their lives.
Enter SimpliFed, an Ithaca, New York-based company providing virtual lactation and a baby feeding support platform. The startup announced Friday that it raised $500,000 in pre-seed funding led by Third Culture Capital.

Andrea Ippolito, founder and CEO of SimpliFed. Image Credits: SimpliFed
CEO Andrea Ippolito, a biomedical engineer and mother of two young children, had the idea for SimpliFed three years ago. She struggled with breastfeeding after having her first child and, realizing that she was not alone in this area, set out to figure out a way to get anyone access to information and support for infant feeding.
“Post discharge is when the rubber meets the goal for us,” she told TechCrunch. “This is a huge pain point for Medicaid, and it is not just about increasing access, but providing ongoing support for feeding and the quagmire that is health insurance. We want to help moms reach their infant feeding goals, no matter how they choose to feed, and to figure out what feeding looks like for them.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers nurse for up to six months. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 60% of mothers don’t breastfeed for as long as they intend due to reasons like difficulty lactating or the baby latching, sickness or an unsupportive work environment.
SimpliFed’s platform is a judgement-free zone providing evidence-based information on nutritional health for babies. It isn’t meant to replace typical care that mother and baby will receive before and after delivery, but to provide support when issues arise, Ippolito said. Parents can book a free, initial 15-minute virtual consultation with a lactation expert and then subsequent 60-minute sessions for $100 each. There is also a future membership option for those seeking continuing care.
The new funds will be used to hire additional employees to further develop the telelactation platform and grow the company’s footprint, Ippolito said. The platform is gearing up to go through a clinical study to co-design the program with 1,000 mothers. She also wants to build out relationships with payers and providers toward a longer-term goal of becoming in-network and paid through reimbursement from health plans.
Julien Pham, managing partner at Third Culture Capital, said he met Ippolito at MIT Hacking Medicine a decade ago. A physician by training, he saw first-hand how big of an opportunity it is to demystify providing the best nutrition for babies.
“The U.S. culture has evolved over the years, and millennials are the next-generation moms who have a different ask, and SimpliFed is here at the right time,” Pham said. “Andrea is just a dynamo. We love her energy and how she is at the front line of this as a mother herself — she is most qualified to do this, and we support her.
C.D.C. Recommends Covid Vaccines During Pregnancy
New research shows the shots do not increase risk of miscarriage, the agency said, but the risks of severe disease from a coronavirus infection while pregnant are serious.
Biden Will End Detention for Most Pregnant and Postpartum Undocumented Immigrants
Like the president’s other immigration policies, the protections could disappear under a future administration because they are not being created through legislation.
Covid Vaccines Protect Pregnant Women, Study Confirms
The shots may also have benefits for infants and do not seem to damage the placenta, according to the latest research.
Vaccinated Mothers Are Trying to Give Babies Antibodies via Breast Milk
Multiple studies show that there are antibodies in a vaccinated mother’s milk. This has led some women to try to restart breastfeeding and others to share milk with friends’ children.
In a Changing Military, the Army Eases Its Rules for Women’s Hair
The Army, which is increasingly dependent on female soldiers, has issued new regulations that allow women to wear lipstick and no longer limits their hair to a tight, disciplined bun.
How to Donate Breast Milk
Milk banks are looking for frozen, excess milk. Donating yours can help prevent deaths in N.I.C.U.s
I Miss a Lot of Things About the Office. My Breast Pump Isn’t One.
Working from home has made breastfeeding easier. Let’s hope the flexibility lasts even after the pandemic ends.
U.S. Diet Guidelines Sidestep Scientific Advice to Cut Sugar and Alcohol
The government’s new nutritional recommendations arrive amid a pandemic that has taken a huge toll on American health.
Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women May Opt to Receive the Vaccine
Although no coronavirus vaccine has been studied in these women, many scientists believe the benefits will outweigh any potential risks.
The Wild Ways Parents Preserve Their Kids’ Memories
There’s nothing wrong with collecting belly buttons, teeth and locks of hair. It’s just part of the process.
Ashley Graham Talks Breastfeeding, Postpartum Hair Loss and Her Best Beauty Hack
How the supermodel is adjusting to a new normal beauty routine.
These Everyday Toxins May Be Hurting Pregnant Women and Their Babies
PFAS, industrial chemicals used to waterproof jackets and grease-proof fast-food containers, may disrupt pregnancy with lasting effects.
How Postpartum Breast Cancer Changed My Parenting Plans
Looking after two small kids while going through chemotherapy is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Breastfeeding My Son Was a Long, Hard Journey, but We Took It Together
I nursed for 2 ½ years, doing what was right for my family and ignoring others’ comments.
With Less Breastfeeding Support, Mothers Are Turning to Online Help
The pandemic has resulted in fewer resources for breastfeeding women, but experts say it’s still crucial to seek guidance.
Why Chimp Moms Flock to Caves on the Savanna
When forests and woodlands don’t provide a respite from the heat, these primates find cooling centers in their arid landscape.
Postpartum Body Changes You Should Know About
From separated abs to pelvic floor issues, what to look out for after having a baby.
Feeding a Preemie Means Swallowing Your Pride
My daughter’s health needs changed the way I think about food, control and pleasure.