Episode 8
Maternal Health & Breastfeeding: A Functional Medicine Approach with an IBCLC
The Functional Nurse Podcast - Nursing in Functional Medicine · Brigitte Sager, NP
May 3, 202358m 7s
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (mcdn.podbean.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
Sponsored by the Institute for Functional Nursing — Learn more at www.fxnursing.com
What if many breastfeeding challenges aren’t just about latch or milk supply—but about maternal health and root causes?
In this episode of The Functional Nurse Podcast, Brigitte Sager, DNP, IFMCP, interviews Katie Oshita, RN, IBCLC, lactation consultant and functional medicine nurse. Together, they explore how a functional medicine approach to lactation transforms outcomes for both mothers and babies.
Katie shares how her transition from hospital-based maternal-infant nursing to private practice allowed her to look upstream—addressing the ecosystem of mother and baby rather than isolated symptoms.
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
- Why many “breast milk allergies” and infant gut symptoms are rooted in maternal physiology
- How stress, thyroid health, hormone balance, and nutrient status affect milk production
- Why elimination diets can provide clues, but don’t create full healing on their own
- The role of mitochondrial health and toxin exposure in maternal recovery
- How asking better questions (“When were you last well?”) changes care plans
- Why education, empowerment, and nursing scope are central in perinatal functional care