Rachel Skybetter knew she was going to breastfeed. She took the classes. She read the books. She had the plan. And then her baby arrived and none of it worked the way she thought it would.
In this episode of Baby Steps, Rachel takes us through her full journey — from finding out she was pregnant to the moment she brought her daughter home and realized breastfeeding wasn't the natural, intuitive thing everyone told her it would be. She talks about the lactation consultant who showed up at her door the next day, removed all the unnecessary gear, and helped her latch her baby in bed with her dog curled up at her feet. That single moment saved her entire breastfeeding journey.
Then came baby number two — a different city, a traumatic birth, a NICU stay, and a C-section recovery with a surgeon's order not to drive for three weeks. This time, she couldn't find anyone to help.
Rachel opens up about what lactation really taught her — not just about feeding, but about understanding her own body, building a deeper connection with her baby, and learning to trust herself as a mother. She shares the advice that mattered, the pressure she felt to get it "right," and why that experience ultimately led her to leave a 15-year corporate career to become a board-certified lactation consultant herself — so no other mom would have to figure it out alone.
Whether you're planning to breastfeed, pumping, supplementing, or still figuring it out — this episode is a reminder that asking for help isn't failure. It's the whole point.