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Your trusted companion on the journey of nurturing and nourishing your little one. We understand that breastfeeding is a unique experience for every family, filled with joys and challenges alike. Our mission is to provide you with evidence-based information, practical advice, and a supportive community to empower you in your breastfeeding journey.
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Baby feeding impacts the whole family ( . ) ( . ) ( • ) ( • )
Baby feeding impacts the whole family ( . ) ( . ) ( • ) ( • )
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The Leaky Boob
The Leaky Boob is a resource centered around baby and toddler feeding and throughout the entire parenting journey run by a lactation educator and parenting and relationship coach.
Check out our sister podcast: For Tits and Giggles.
Some aren’t going to like this but…![]()
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Nursing for comfort is a valid and good reason to nurse your child. ![]()
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Dismissing comfort as a good reason to continue nursing says a lot more about attitudes around comforting children than it does anything else. ![]()
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This shouldn’t be controversial:![]()
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Comforting children is a GOOD thing. Responding to their bids for connection and offering safe appropriate physical connection is important. ![]()
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In fact, I believe we have a major issue with many adults finding it difficult to manage their emotions because they were denied appropriate connecting help and support in regulating their emotions as children, instead being shutdown and dismissed, even criticized or punished for having difficult feelings and needing comfort at all. ![]()
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Which is why some adults also write off nursing a child for comfort as being unnecessary. ![]()
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Adults that didn’t receive meaningful comfort as children sometimes struggle to receive comfort as adults and feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, and threatened not only when someone offers them care and comfort, but also when they see someone else being offered care and comfort. ![]()
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Like possibly a toddler over 18 months old nursing for comfort and connection. ![]()
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Now, it isn’t true that there’s no nutritional value after 6 months or 12 months or 18 months or 24 months or whatever other arbitrary date put on br3a$tfeeding after a certain point. Milk doesn’t lose nutritional value just because the body has been producing it for 2 years. There are still many nutritions and bioactive components that are good for a child in human milk after these made up deadlines. ![]()
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It IS true that a child no longer should depend solely on human milk for their nutrition after 12 months and increasingly have their nutritional needs met with solid food sources. ![]()
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And… nursing for comfort is a good reason to nurse. It is valid. It is good. ![]()
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Comforting our children is a good thing. ![]()
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If more adults had been comforted as children, maybe there would be more meaningful support for breastfeeding because they would be able to manage their big feelings about seeing something they don’t understand or makes them uncomfortable and not expect others to be as emotionally immature as they are.
Human milk may not be magic but it does adapt its composition based on pathogen exposure and the developing needs and age of the nursling. ![]()
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Two bags of milk pumped just hours apart, one before cold symptoms in began and one after I knew I was getting sick. My milk typically wasn’t very different in color from pumping session to pumping session no matter the time of day but the bag I pumped this time in the morning when I woke up feeling a little sick was more yellow. ![]()
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The more yellow color is likely due to an increase in of immune components in the milk such as leukocytes (white blood cells that help fight infection) present in the milk as well as higher levels of antibidies, immunoglobulin A (IgA). My body was able to adapt to provide my baby this immune protection. This time my baby didn’t get sick (thankfully, he was only a month old and already had health issues) but even when he did later his sickness was less severe and shorter duration than my own.![]()
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Just like a fully functioning mature immune systems doesn’t mean you never get sick, so human milk doesn’t mean babies will never get sick. Every baby is different.
testimonials
"If you've ever had a child or been a parent you know what it means to say that each day is a new experiment. There is so much to figure out, and so many self-proclaimed helpful resources. Fortunately, Jessica Martin-Weber, owner/creator/author of The Leaky Boob, has the answers based on science, best practice, and practical advice stemming from her own experiences raising nine children. TLB is a go-to for all people expecting, lactating, raising children, or counseling any of the aforementioned groups. Want advice on speed dial? Check out TheLeakyBoob.com."
Kim Updegrove, MSN, MPH, APRN, CNM, chairperson and Past President of Human Milk Bank of North America, Executive Director at Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin
"I found TLB and Jessica when I was desperately trying to figure out how to keep breastfeeding my eldest, who my lactation consultant still says had the worst latch she has ever seen. Jessica had created something so special-amazing information, a supportive community amidst the mommy wars, content in many different formats for those of us who need to see/read/hear in different ways, and it is no exaggeration to say that her work was instrumental in not just saving that breastfeeding journey (which would extend through 3 years, 18 months of that tandem nursing) but in setting me up for success and support in future journeys, and truly for motherhood as a whole. The down to earth way she writes makes the information relatable and easy to digest and apply. I am forever grateful."
Dr. Jennifer Stone, PT, DPT, OCS, PHC, TPS, HLC
"The Leaky Boob has met a need in the lactating community since its inception. Jessica’s breastfeeding support group is a true pioneer in the online breastfeeding community, offering families exceptional education and unwavering support long before similar pages emerged. Her transparency, authenticity, and heartfelt encouragement create a safe and empowering space where parents feel heard and guided. It’s a shining example of what real, compassionate leadership looks like!"
CHRISTY JO HENDRICKS IBCLC, RLC, CCCE, CLE©, Doula
Hi there!
Jessica and Jeremy Martin-Weber are the dynamic duo behind The Leaky Boob, a trusted resource dedicated to supporting families on their parenting and breastfeeding journeys. As parents to nine children, they bring a wealth of personal experience, humor, and compassion to their work. Together, they have created a safe, inclusive space where parents can access evidence-based information, practical advice, and a thriving community.
Jessica leads with her passion for normalizing breastfeeding and empowering families, while Jeremy provides a supportive voice for partners and caregivers, fostering collaboration and connection. Their shared mission is to celebrate the uniqueness of every family's story and provide resources to help navigate both the joys and challenges of nurturing little ones.
