The Lactation Dietitian

04/27/2026

Did you know that 20% of those with food allergies face food insecurity?

While volunteering at my local food pantry last week, I noticed several allergen- friendly items, which was great! However, it’s not the norm to have this many and most of these were just singletons.

Pictured:
✅ pea-protein milk
✅ muffins
✅ graham crackers
✅ vegan cupcakes
✅ 365 brand vegan mayo
✅ carrot muffins and an assortment of their breads

So, I’m joining forces with to help raise money to fill pantries across the country with allergen-friendly and gluten-free options for those in need! Use the link in my bio to donate!

https://foodiversity.org/donate

04/23/2026

when you don’t have the systems and infrastructure in place to support public health, specific interventions only go so far.

04/16/2026

I had a great day in Springfield yesterday with
for advocacy day!

It was very busy in the capital building, with this being a deadline week. Unfortunately, the three bills we were advocating for had not passed out of committee, but it was still important to be there to represent the profession and advocate for food and nutrition policy.

The three bills included mandating allergen labeling at all restaurants in Illinois, extending the telehealth coverage past 2028, and extending SNAP benefits to humanitarian immigrants.

I was grateful for the opportunity to lead a small group of nutrition students and show them that when it comes to advocating at the capital flexibility is key! Sessions run over, committee meetings get canceled, and if you want a chance to speak with your legislator sometimes you have to do it on the run, literally!

Thanks to the IAND public policy team for planning a great event!

04/09/2026

Something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately…
Once you’ve worked inside the healthcare system for a while, it’s hard not to want to change the system.
For example:

~When a gestational diabetes client has her endocrinologist appointment canceled for being a few minutes late because she relies on public transportation.

~When a hypoallergenic formula isn’t covered by insurance, and the infant continues to be ill on a standard formula.

~When a lactating person is denied paid breaks at work to pump milk so they wean earlier than they intended.

~When a family can’t afford more than one epinephrine for their child so they go without one at school.

These are policy failures not failures or “noncompliance” of the individuals. Good policy creates easier and more affordable access to care.

And it’s frustrating that it doesn’t matter how great I am at educating or counseling, these aren’t problems I can’t fix from within the system.

How do other clinicians feel about this?



lactationsupport

02/06/2026

02/05/2026

Oh wait….

01/31/2026

"This is my minister, Rev. Eric Severson of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Midland, speaking at yesterday’s rally in response to what’s happening in Minneapolis.

He had just returned from the front lines, answering a call for religious leaders to be present.

The story that has stayed with me most was about an organizer who arrived late because they were delayed from delivering breastmilk to a family with a newborn. The baby was hungry. The mother had been abducted by ICE.

I can’t stop thinking about that moment: a volunteer walking through the cold with a bottle of milk. A woman who expressed her own milk for a child that wasn’t hers. A family receiving it with gratitude. A baby finally fed.

And I can’t stop thinking about the baby’s mother, somewhere in a cell, miles and miles away, her body still painfully producing the food meant for her child that she was taken from.

We are told this is about the 'worst of the worst.' We are told that it is about public safety. And yet, there is a new mother who can’t hold and feed her baby. A baby who had to be fed by a stranger’s kindness.

My heart keeps breaking." -- Sarah Schulz

----

--> With the Senate voting this week on DHS funding, it's critical to keep the pressure on: Here's how to take action.

For Senators: Demand no DHS funding until ICE and Border Patrol are reined in and an independent investigation is launched into their widespread abuses. You can call (202) 224-3121 or use the action alert at https://5calls.org/issue/dhs-budget-ice-defund/

For Representatives: Call (202) 224-3121 and demand real oversight of these lawless agencies -- and the launch of an independent investigation into the activities of ICE and the killings of American citizens by DHS agents.

--> To help immigrants who have been arrested or detained, you can support the critical work of the National Immigrant Justice Center at https://immigrantjustice.org/ways-to-help/

--> If you're looking for ways to take action and counter ICE overreach, supporting civil rights organizations like the ACLU that challenge their tactics in the courts has emerged as one of the most successful means of constraining ICE's rapidly expanding enforcement powers -- learn more at https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights/immigrants-rights-and-detention

----

For children's books that encourage empathy and understanding of Mighty Girl immigrants of the past and present, visit our blog post, "A New Land, A New Life: 25 Mighty Girl Books About the Immigrant Experience" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=12855

For books for children and teens about the importance of standing up for truth, decency, and justice, even in dark times, visit our blog post, "Dissent Is Patriotic: 50 Books About Women Who Fought for Change," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14364

For books for tweens and teens about girls living under real-life authoritarian regimes throughout history that will help them appreciate how precious democracy truly is, visit our blog post "The Fragility of Freedom: Mighty Girl Books About Life Under Authoritarianism" at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=32426

To stay connected with A Mighty Girl, you can sign-up for A Mighty Girl's free email newsletter at https://www.amightygirl.com/forms/newsletter

12/19/2025

Attending any get-together that involves food can provoke anxiety for those avoiding allergens, and the holidays are no exception!

❓Will the restaurant accommodate my needs?
❓Does Aunt Sally rub her turkey skin with butter?
❓Will people be offended if I ask what’s in their dishes?
❓Should I just stay home?

Here are four tips to managing these situations with less stress and more cheer!
➡️When possible, host the gathering at your home! This way you are in control and have full knowledge of what’s being served.
➡️If you are not hosting, it’s all about communication! Call the restaurant, catering company or person hosting the party and politely ask about what’s being served. Explain that you are dealing with food allergies. Most people will want to accommodate you and will graciously share the ingredients in their dishes.
➡️Have options available if they offer to accommodate your allergy. For instance, be able to provide them with a substitute for butter and cream in the mashed potatoes.
➡️Offer to bring your own safe food or a dish to share. Ideally I would suggest bringing something filling such as a casserole as this may end up being the only safe dish for you. Oh and bring a safe dessert too! If nothing else you can still enjoy a glass of wine and a treat!

Keep in mind there will be people who don’t understand what you are doing. You may face comments such as:
〰️A little butter won’t hurt!
〰️Just pump and dump and you’ll be fine!
〰️You’re being a rude guest!

How you handle these types of comments is entirely up to you. You can try to educate and explain yourself or you can ignore and keep doing you.

Lastly, don’t stay home! You can still enjoy the season without the food. Eat before hand if necessary and go and have a good time!

12/15/2025

You can’t claim to care about children’s health when you won’t do anything to stop them from being shot.
I said what I said.

12/05/2025

Part 2 of the series of what may be contributing to the development of food allergies takes us to the Diet Diversity Hypothesis.

This hypothesis, primarily researched by Carina Venter, PhD, RD, proposes that exposure to a wide variety of food and food groups can help promote a healthy gut microbiome and improve tolerance.

Studies suggest this exposure is important both antenatally and during infancy.

Remember - correlation does not equal causation!
Stay tuned for part 3!
Questions?