The Crunchy-Ish Midwife

06/17/2026

As a midwife (and a mom) I’ve never fit well with either the “crunchy crowd” or the “normal people”.

I’ve always felt like it’s stifling to try to adhere to the “rules” of either camp. As the years have gone by, raising my family & sitting with families throughout pregnancy & new motherhood I would watch & friends breathe such a sigh of relief when I said things out loud like - “Sometimes they just need some ibuprofen” or “A juicy burger, fries & a root beer might be exactly what your preggo self needs . (and also let’s look at your labs & get a good solid nutrition plan going to help you feel your best)

Look I’m always going to reach for my tinctures, homeopathy, & wellness modality toolbox FIRST but we live in the 21st century and I’m not going to live in fear of modern medicine when it’s called for.

No one knows what’s best for your family besides YOU mama. Not me, not your mom, not the loudest voice on the internet. You are the expert on your people end of story.

You deserve providers who respect your choices, your questions & your decisions ..especially the ones they’d make differently. A guide who will show you all the options (crunchy & clinical ) and trust you to make the best choice. Being treated with respect isn’t a reward for agreeing with their suggestions.

Medicine or intervention isn’t the enemy. Fear mongering, coercion & shaming parents is whether that’s from a medical perspective or a crunchy one.

Living in fear of every single “toxic” thing puts us in constant fight or flight. Chronic stress floods your system with cortisol, tanks your sleep, raises your blood pressure & that takes a toll on your body !

We can be informed without being afraid. We can be choosy without being rigid. The middle ground where you get to decide what feels best, what you can afford, what is most important to YOU is a really good place to raise a family.

What “crunchy” things have you let go of for your own sanity’s sake ? I can’t wait to hear yours 👇🏻

follow Ana Stephens • Midwife | Natural Pregnancy & Postpartum for daily education & encouragement from the mind of a midwife + the heart of a mama 🫶🏻

06/15/2026

06/03/2026

Most parents think newborns need several ounces of milk at each feeding.

But on day one…

Your baby’s stomach only holds about a teaspoon.

About 5–7 mL.

That’s exactly why your body produces small amounts of colostrum in the first few days of life perfectly matched to your baby’s tiny stomach.

As your baby grows, their stomach capacity grows too:

Day 1 → 5–7 mL
Day 3 → 20–30 mL
1 Week → 40–60 mL
1 Month → 80–150 mL

According to current IBCLC guidelines, most breastfed babies take in about 25–30 oz of milk over a 24-hour period once milk supply is established.

Social media loves to show us pitchers of milk and huge freezer drawers over flowing with bags of frozen milk. These images coupled with the fact that you feel like you JUST FED THEM & now they’re hungry AGAIN can make you feel like your body isn’t making enough.

Since their stomachs are so small, and they are growing SO MUCH in the first few weeks they se to empty almost as fast as they fill.

THIS IS SO NORMAL

The reality is newborn babies thrive with:
• frequent feeds
• a responsive milk supply
• a mother who trusts the process

Your baby’s stomach is sooo small.
Your milk is perfectly designed for it.

And most of the time…
Their little body + your body is doing exactly what it was all made to do.

A rhythm of feeding .. emptying and feeding again .

In month 1 if you feel like all you do is nurse them, this is SO NORMAL!!

Follow for education from the mind of a midwife + the heart of a mama 🤍

newborn stomach size | newborn feeding amounts | colostrum benefits | breastfeeding education | newborn feeding schedule | how much milk newborn needs | breastfeeding support | lactation education | breastfeeding tips for new moms | IBCLC guidance | newborn feeding expectations | breastfeeding myths | cluster feeding newborn | newborn stomach

06/03/2026

It’s hard .
You’re doing it . I see you . You’ve got this ❤️🫶🏻

I bet there’s a mama in your life who needs to hear this . Make her day and send her a little love note DM along with this post. She will appreciate it more than you know💖

follow for daily education and encouragement from the mind of a Midwife and the heart of a mama 🫶🏻

06/02/2026

Let’s talk about night ✌🏻.

Day one with a newborn is honestly a mind trick. They come out sleepy, snuggly, barely making a peep, and you’re sitting there like wait…we got a chill one?? Heck ya! You’re texting your mom group like “she’s literally an angel.”
Anddddd then night two hits and it’s like someone swapped your baby out.

Suddenly this child will NOT unlatch. Will not be put down. Will not stop fussing. You’re in the dark at 2am with your b**b out, baby screaming, googling “is it normal for a newborn to nurse for 4 hours straight” and quietly wondering if you’re cut out for this.

You are I promise.

Here’s what’s happening: for nine months your baby lived in a 98.6 degree water hot tub where they never knew hunger, cold, or being more than half an inch from your heartbeat. Now everything is loud, bright, dry, and FAR. The only way they know how to feel okay again is to be ON you. Sucking, snuggling, sucking some more.
This is Second Night Syndrome and it’s SO normal it has an official name. That marathon cluster feed is literally nature’s design baby telling your body “make more milk” and your body listening.

What actually helps:

Sleep when baby sleeps. This may not be helpful in the weeks to come but right now it’s your life line . There’s LITERALLY nothing else you need to do right now except eat, drink, nurse babe, repeat. (Someone else should be on diaper duty.)
If you’re still in the hospital USE your nurses. Hand that baby over for 30 minutes and close your eyes. That’s what they’re there for.

If you’re at home .. tag team. You feed, your support person does diapers, burps, swaddle changes. You just grew and birthed a human. ITS OK TO NEED HELP.

Keep that baby WARM. Skin to skin for the first 72 hours regulates their whole nervous system. The AC that feels nice to you feels like the arctic to a brand new earthside baby.
You’re not doing anything wrong. You’re just figuring each other out in real time and that is allowed to be hard.

The sun WILL come up. YOUVE GOT THIS !!
Follow for more real, honest postpartum talk from a midwife / mama