In this heartfelt episode of the Breastfeeding with Confidence Podcast, host Jamie Zaki, IBCLC and mom of five, sits down with Vanessa, a Licensed Professional Counseling Student and Lactation Counselor, to talk about the emotional side of breastfeeding that so many mothers struggle with but few actually discuss out loud.

Together, they dive deep into postpartum depression, unresolved mother wounds, and the grief that can come when breastfeeding doesn’t go as planned. Vanessa shares her own journey through the intersection of motherhood and mental health, reminding moms that breastfeeding doesn’t have to be bad for your mental health—but the key is education, support, and self-compassion.

• How birth interventions and early postpartum experiences shape both breastfeeding success and mental wellbeing

• The emotional layers of breastfeeding grief and how to process them

• How social media and cultural expectations add pressure to new moms

• The connection between unhealed mother wounds and the way we show up as mothers

• Practical ways to protect your mental health while breastfeeding

• Why being “birth to breastfeeding educated” before birth can transform your experience

Vanessa is a Licensed Professional Counseling Student and Lactation Counseling student passionate about helping mothers navigate the complex intersection of mental health and breastfeeding. Through her online platform @MilkandMentalHealth, she shares education, emotional support, and compassionate truth-telling to empower moms to nurture both their babies and themselves.

• Learn more or join Vanessa’s Birth to Boob community: https://birthtoboob.my.canva.site/joinbtb

• Follow Vanessa on Instagram: @milkandmentalhealth | @birthtoboob

• Get the FREE 5 Mistakes that Sabotage Breastfeeding Guide

• rate, review, and share this episode with a mama who needs to hear that she’s not alone—and that it’s possible to breastfeed and protect your mental health.