The IBCLC Mentor

About The IBCLC Mentor

The Behind the Latch with Margaret Salty is your essential companion for lifelong growth in the field of lactation consulting. Whether you're a student, a newly certified IBCLC, or an experienced consultant, this podcast is designed to support your ongoing journey. Each episode brings you expert interviews, real-world case studies, and the latest research updates—giving you practical insights you can apply directly to your work with breastfeeding families. Hosted by Margaret Salty, an experienced IBCLC, educator, and mentor, this podcast is here to guide you as you build your knowledge, sharpen your skills, and continue to evolve in your practice. The field of lactation is dynamic, and learning never stops. Behind the Latch will help you stay inspired, stay informed, and stay connected to your purpose.

Publisher

Margaret Salty

Category

education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Aug 2024

Latest episode

16 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

129 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Rethinking the Lactating Breast with Dr. Donna Geddes

   What if some of what we still teach about breast anatomy, milk supply, pumping, and milk ejection is based on an outdated understanding of how the lactating breast actually works? In this episode of Behind the Latch, Margaret sits down with internationally recognized human lactation researcher Dr. Donna Geddes to explore what more than two decades of imaging the living, lactating breast has taught us. Dr. Geddes’s groundbreaking ultrasound research challenged anatomical models that had remained largely unchanged for more than 160 years. Her work has helped demonstrate that the lactating breast is far more variable—and far more complex—than the simplified diagrams many clinicians were originally taught. Together, Margaret and Dr. Geddes discuss how these discoveries translate into real clinical practice. Margaret and Dr. Geddes discuss: How Dr. Geddes went from radiography and ultrasound to human lactation research The history behind the traditional anatomical models of the lactating breast What ultrasound revealed that older breast anatomy diagrams got wrong Why the concept of large “lactiferous sinuses” does not match what we see in the living breast How widely milk duct anatomy can vary between individuals Why some people can hand express milk easily while others struggle Whether having fewer lobes necessarily means a person will have low milk production What we currently understand—and still don't understand—about mammary hypoplasia Why breast size alone tells us very little about milk-making capacity Breast changes during pregnancy and what clinicians should be asking about prenatally The relationship between blood flow to the breast and milk production Pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and fetal growth restriction as potential clues to later lactation challenges Metabolic health, inflammation, and their possible relationship to milk production Why identifying risk does not mean predicting failure The importance of anticipatory guidance for families at increased risk for low milk production Why intensive feeding plans such as triple feeding should have clear goals and endpoints What ultrasound has taught us about the milk ejection reflex Why many people do not actually feel their milk ejections Why watching milk flow—or watching the baby—may tell us more than asking whether a parent “felt a letdown” Why some babies choke, sputter, or struggle with fast milk flow The difference between anatomy-driven fast flow and true oversupply Why automatically trying to decrease milk production can sometimes create a new problem How milk storage capacity differs dramatically from one person to another Why frequent feeding does not automatically indicate low milk supply Why infant growth, behavior, milk transfer, maternal experience, and the whole clinical picture matter more than feeding frequency alone Why the right and left breast should not necessarily be expected to function identically How researchers estimate the percentage of available milk removed from the breast Why simply comparing pumping volumes between people can be misleading A Bigger Lesson for Lactation Professionals Throughout the conversation, one theme keeps returning: Human lactation does not fit neatly into a checklist. Breasts vary between people. The two breasts of the same person can behave differently. Milk production is influenced by anatomy, development, metabolic health, blood flow, hormones, inflammation, infant behavior, milk removal, and many other interacting factors. Understanding the science should help us individualize care—not create another rigid set of rules. What’s Coming Next? Dr. Geddes also shares some of the research underway within her team, including work examining: Flange and breast shield sizing Infant body composition Biomarkers associated with low milk production Proteomics and metabolomics Clinical measures that could help identify low milk production earlier Antenatal and early postpartum screening tools Gestational diabetes and lactation outcomes Bundled-care interventions Ultrasound phenotyping AI-supported prediction tools that may eventually help clinicians identify patterns and risk factors The goal is not simply to understand lactation better—it is to translate that science into tools clinicians can actually use. About Dr. Donna Geddes Dr. Donna Geddes is a leading researcher in human lactation based at The University of Western Australia in Perth, Western Australia. Her research has used technologies including ultrasound, Doppler imaging, human milk analysis, and other advanced laboratory techniques to investigate breast anatomy, milk production, milk ejection, infant feeding, and lactation physiology. Her work has played a major role in reshaping our understanding of the anatomy and function of the lactating breast. Learn More Donna Geddes — University of Western Australia profile: UWA Research Profile (https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/persons/donna-geddes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) This is a great primary link because it includes her biography, research projects, publications, affiliations, and other professional links. UWA Centre for Human Lactation Research and Translation: Centre for Human Lactation Research and Translation (https://www.uwa.edu.au/research-uwa/centres/centre-for-human-lactation-research-and-translation?utm_source=chatgpt.com) This is the Centre Dr. Geddes directs and is probably the best link for listeners who want to learn about the broader research program. Geddes Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group: Human Lactation Research Group (https://humanlactationresearchgroup.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) This is especially useful for clinicians because it highlights the group's research and current projects. Professor Donna Geddes website: Professor Donna Geddes (https://profdonnageddes.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Her UWA profile lists this as her personal professional website. Donna Geddes ORCID: Donna Geddes ORCID Profile (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0431-7078?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Useful for listeners who want to track her scholarly publications. ABREAST Conference: ABREAST Conference (https://humanlactationresearchgroup.com/conference/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) This is the conference she mentioned during your interview, featuring lactation research, clinicians, families, and live ultrasound demonstrations. Your Next Steps: Learn with Me: https://margaretsalty.com/courses (https://margaretsalty.com/courses) Read the Blog: https://margaretsalty.com/blog (https://margaretsalty.com/blog) Email Me: hello@margaretsalty.com (mailto:hello@margaretsalty.com) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-salty-drph-ibclc-ches-0133451b/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-salty-drph-ibclc-ches-0133451b/) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaretsalty/ (https://www.instagram.com/margaretsalty/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550829710885 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550829710885) Music: The Magnifiers — "My Time Traveling Machine" (https://open.spotify.com/track/5Q7WMVIaE9Kos3eMHUvvow)

2. 

   8 Jul 2026

   It's Not Magic, It's Skill: Therapeutic Breast Massage with Maya Bolman, IBCLC

   We were taught to keep our hands in our pockets. Maya Bolman was taught the opposite — by her great-aunt, a midwife in Belarus, who could take an engorged, aching breast and leave it soft in an hour. In this episode, I sit down with Maya to talk about the skill most of us were never trained in: what to actually do with our hands. Maya Bolman is an IBCLC in Cleveland, Ohio, with 26 years in hospital lactation care and a second home at Breastfeeding Medicine of Northeast Ohio, where she works alongside Dr. Ann Witt. She's the clinician who named Therapeutic Breast Massage in Lactation (TBML), published the research behind it, and travels the world teaching manual skills to lactation professionals. In this conversation, she breaks down the physiology of engorgement (hint: it's not just milk), why we massage milk down but swelling up, and the deceptively simple technique she calls breast gymnastics. If you've ever felt underprepared the second a parent's breast is hard, painful, and stuck, this one is going to change how you practice. What You'll Learn: Why engorgement is really "lymphodynamic edema" — and why that one distinction changes how you use your hands The moment Maya realized massage therapists move the breast up while lactation consultants are taught to move milk down (and why both are right) What breast gymnastics actually is, why it takes 20 seconds, and why she tells every parent to start it today How to know when you're "done" — the outcome to feel for instead of a number to hit Why the 2022 mastitis protocol's silence on milk expression is, in Maya's words, "a big minus" The difference between overstimulating a working duct and actually moving milk from the one that's stuck Why she calls herself a lactation therapist, not a consultant — and what that reframe unlocks How mindful latching flips the script: the parent doesn't latch the baby, she positions so the baby can latch Where to find milk you're missing (it's closer to the nipple than you were taught) The case for demonstrating instead of explaining — and what mirror neurons have to do with breastfeeding success Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Maya Bolman's website (workshops, free breast gymnastics & massage video, BreastKindness LLC): https://www.mayabolman.com (https://www.mayabolman.com) Bolman, M., Saju, L., Oganesyan, K., Kondrashova, T., & Witt, A. M. (2013). Recapturing the art of therapeutic breast massage during breastfeeding. Journal of Human Lactation, 29(3), 328–331. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334413475527 (https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334413475527) Witt, A. M., Bolman, M., Kredit, S., & Vanic, A. (2016). Therapeutic breast massage in lactation for the management of engorgement, plugged ducts, and mastitis. Journal of Human Lactation, 32(1), 123–131. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334415619439 (https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334415619439) Witt, A. M., Bolman, M., & Kredit, S. (2016). Mothers value and utilize early outpatient education on breast massage and hand expression in their self-management of engorgement. Breastfeeding Medicine, 11(8), 433–439. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2016.0100 (https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2016.0100) Your Next Steps: Learn with Me: https://margaretsalty.com/courses (https://margaretsalty.com/courses) Read the Blog: https://margaretsalty.com/blog (https://margaretsalty.com/blog) Email Me: hello@margaretsalty.com (mailto:hello@margaretsalty.com) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-salty-drph-ibclc-ches-0133451b/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-salty-drph-ibclc-ches-0133451b/) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaretsalty/ (https://www.instagram.com/margaretsalty/) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550829710885 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550829710885) Music: The Magnifiers — "My Time Traveling Machine" (https://open.spotify.com/track/5Q7WMVIaE9Kos3eMHUvvow)

3. 

   2 Jul 2026

   What Counts as Low Milk Supply? Measurement, Biomarkers, and What's Next with Dr. Katie Kivlighan

   Low milk supply might be the most common concern we field—and one of the hardest things in lactation to actually measure. In this episode I sit down with researcher Dr. Katie Kivlighan to separate what we can quantify from what we're guessing at, and to look at the tools and technologies that are about to change how we assess it. Episode Summary "Low milk supply" gets used as a catch-all, but it isn't one thing—and treating it like one thing is part of why families get the wrong support. Dr. Katie Kivlighan, co-author of Measuring Low Milk Supply: Methods and Implications for Lactation Research and Clinical Practice (Journal of Human Lactation, 2026), joins me to walk through the difference between primary, secondary, and perceived low supply, and why our measurement methods have never fully caught up with the problem. We get into what the evidence actually supports right now: test weights, milk transfer, and biomarkers like sodium and conductance—plus the emerging technologies (bioimpedance, at-home milk sodium testing) that could give us objective data we've never had at the bedside. We also talk honestly about the flip side: how devices and social media can feed parental anxiety, how normal infant behavior gets misread as a supply problem, and where clinical judgment still has to lead. If you support families navigating supply concerns, this one is about sharpening how you assess, how you reassure, and how you decide when a number actually matters. What You'll Learn The real difference between primary, secondary, and perceived low milk supply—and why the distinction changes your entire plan of care Why milk supply is so hard to measure accurately, and what that means for how we interpret research What biomarkers like sodium and conductance can (and can't) tell you about secretory activation Where bioimpedance and at-home milk sodium testing are headed, and how to think about them before they land in your practice The infant behaviors that get misread as low supply—so you can spot them and reframe them for families How feeding technology and social media are driving parental anxiety, and your role in cutting through the noise Why milk intake "standards" deserve a second look, and how normal supply variability fits in When to bring in a breastfeeding medicine provider, and how that collaboration strengthens care How to hold objective tools and clinical judgment together instead of letting one override the other Chapters 00:00 — Introduction and Dr. Kivlighan's research background 05:53 — Low milk supply: types and challenges 08:12 — The role of perception in supply concerns 10:31 — Evaluating milk supply: tools and techniques 13:11 — Common misinterpretations of infant behavior 15:46 — How technology feeds parental anxiety 18:16 — Collaborating with lactation professionals 20:40 — Reassessing milk intake standards 26:39 — Understanding milk supply variability 27:20 — Emerging technologies in lactation 32:23 — Bioimpedance and milk measurement innovations 34:58 — Addressing delayed secretory activation 41:27 — The case for comprehensive lactation support 43:02 — Closing thoughts Resources Mentioned Kivlighan, K. T., & Demirci, J. R. (2026). Measuring low milk supply: Methods and implications for lactation research and clinical practice. Journal of Human Lactation, 42(1), 126–134. https://doi.org/10.1177/08903344261426744 Dr. Katie Kivlighan: Faculty page (https://hsc.unm.edu/directory/kivlighan-katie-t.html) Research profile (https://vivo.health.unm.edu/display/n23861) Your Next Steps Learn with Me: https://margaretsalty.com/courses Read the Blog: https://margaretsalty.com/blog Email Me: hello@margaretsalty.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-salty-drph-ibclc-ches-0133451b/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaretsalty/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550829710885 Music: The Magnifiers — "My Time Traveling Machine" (https://open.spotify.com/track/5Q7WMVIaE9Kos3eMHUvvow?si=e38d0c090ff94cab) (https://open.spotify.com/track/5Q7WMVIaE9Kos3eMHUvvow?si=e38d0c090ff94cab)

Who has been a guest on The IBCLC Mentor

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Nicole Longmire
• Rebekah Scroggy
• Nikki Lee
• Susan Howard
• Dr Ariana Komaroff

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

19 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

19 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 56 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

92

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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