Katie Klompton

Pumping essentials I wish someone would have told me about when I first started my pumping journey. Without them, I would have never continued to pump.

Clogged milk ducts HURT and caused me a lot of anxiety at the start of my breastfeeding journey. Not only was I on constant call to feed my little one, sleep deprived, and hangry, I now found myself having to deal with a hot and painful boob. When looking up solutions to the problem, it seemed like the research and people were all over the place - “Put heat on the clog.” // “DON’T put heat on the clog.” I was overwhelmed and still in pain. After much research, trial and error, consulting my Midwife and naturopathic doctor, I have come up with a list of NATURAL products I wish I was recommended even before my first clog happened. (Side note - contrary to popular belief clogged milk ducts are not actually a clog. It’s inflammation and most of the recommendations out their don’t treat inflammation, making the “clog” worse. Depending on the severity of the clog, these products could take a few hours to days to clear it up. Also, it’s important to note that, your baby is fantastic at sucking out clogs.)

This holiday season feels extra special — it’s my first Christmas as both a play therapist and a new mom. As I’ve been searching for gifts for my own little one (who’s right in that curious 6–12 month stage), I’ve found myself naturally slipping into “therapist mode” — thinking about toys that spark joy and support development. The following are toys that I’ve found help babies explore, build new skills, and make the most of those magical first-year moments. I know my little one is going to love these and I hope yours does too!

Let’s face it, there is and will never be an “ultimate parenting” manual. No one, absolutely no one knows how to be a parent. But I do know that I want to parent differently than my parents did for me. So, being the book worm that I am, I read all the parenting books. Here are my top favs!