They are so important while breastfeeding! These tiny bumps that surround your nipple on your areola are called Montgomery glands or tubercles. Some moms have said they thought they were pimples on their areola. Truth be told – they are one of the essentials ways a mom’s body communicates with her baby.
In many ways the breast is like a tree with roots growing deep from inside the mother. These roots are formed by her blood vessels bringing rich nutrients to her milk cells and by the milk ducts that fill her breast. When the milk is made and brought out of the breast as the baby feeds, the milk brings that nutrient-dense, nurturing, living food for baby to grow their beautiful “leaves” of development and life. Montgomery glands are part of the root system. They serve 3 major functions that we know of. Since we are always discovering additional things about lactation and how women’s bodies make milk, I love to preface things that I write with that consideration. We must never underestimate the importance of any specific part of breastfeeding or function of our body. It has an important purpose, even if we don’t understand fully how or why.
When a baby latches to the breast, the Montgomery glands on the mother’s areola make contact with the baby’s saliva. This is where the fascinating communication begins. These glands or tubercles actually take in small amount of the baby’s saliva and use it to asses for baby’s needs. If the baby has been recently exposed to an illness or been putting every they can grab into their mouth – the mother’s body quickly gets to work building antibodies to help her baby fight these pathogens. In the hospital setting with our premie NICU babies it is common practice in many places to teach mother to swab her areola with a used baby’s oral care swab. This assists that mom’s body to make specific milk that mirrors her fragile baby’s needs. This is one of the reasons why latching directly at the breast has such great benefits. If you’re a pumping mom, consider doing orals swabs on your Montgomery glands to target your baby’s needs.
Another important role Montgomery glands play in breastfeeding is that they excrete a fluid onto the areola and nipple. This fluid is antimicrobial and covers the surface of the nipple keeping it clean for baby. That’s why I don’t recommend moms to wash their nipples with any soaps or apply lotions. We don’t want to disturb that system already in place to protect our babies. Many of the nipple creams or balms that women use actually do disrupt this system. If you have cracked, irritated or damaged nipples your first line of treatment should always be your own milk. Usually I see nipple damage occur in the first few days after birth, when colostrum (the first thick milk) is present. This early milk does wonders for skin and should be your first nipple balm. Express a few drops of colostrum and rub it across your damaged area on your nipple. Allow it to air dry and repeat several times a day. *** If you are having pain with latching or pumping and it is causing damage, call your lactation consultant! Getting pumping assistance or changing positioning or latch is the only way to prevent further damage.
Also, the Montgomery glands help to lubricant the nipple. The same fluid they secrete mixes with the babies saliva to allow the baby’s lips and mouth to glide comfortably as the baby suckles. While there shouldn’t be a lot of movement of the baby’s lips when they nurse, the nipple is stretched and expands in baby’s mouth. The friction can occur as baby is latching on and pulling/tugging on the nipple. If you don’t swipe away this fluid with soaps or creams then moms can a less chance of nipple adhesions or “skid marks.” Again, if you are experiencing these painful problems, reach out to your local lactation consultant for help with positioning! When a mother is an exclusive pumper she does not have the full lubricant since her baby’s saliva is not mixing with the gland’s fluid. Many pumping moms use a lubricating spray or oil to help decrease friction in their flange. Make sure you use a food grade oil like coconut oil or olive oil. And don’t use it excessively – only enough to slightly moisten your areola not enough to drip any oil into your milk.
Remember when you latch your baby that there is communication happening between your body and baby even without you saying a word. Your body knows how to make the milk your baby needs even if it’s only a small amount of breastmilk a day. The older toddler who may only nurse a few times a day still receives benefits from breastmilk. Because those Montgomery glands are still hard at work building antibodies for the child as they are exposed to more and more in their little world. Our body just packs those antibodies into smaller amounts of milk. Mama’s milk has magic and knows exactly what baby needs.
Before I got pregnant with Audrey, I went through a personal health journey and learned a lot about how God designed our bodies to function. How that design works best and is how our bodies can thrive. This is true for childbirth and as I began looking into natural birth vs induction/medicated birth I realized there are many studies that link certain postpartum and hormonal health problems to specific birth practices. I had struggled postpartum after my last two babies and wanted to try to decrease the stress on my body with the next baby.
I quickly found many women talking about the emotional and spiritual benefits of natural labor. I watched “The Business of Being Born,” a documentary on the history of obstetrics and the forgotten importance and beauty of natural birth. It blew my mind. I remember crying at how beautiful birth can be. And by how much more there seemed to be to birth than I had experienced. With my first to two babies, I had been induced and had an epidural. They were very pleasant births with no pain or trauma. But they felt passive. I felt like a spectator to my own labor and delivery.
After we found out we were expecting Audrey, I started researching birthing practices, techniques and read several books. Ina May Gaskin’s book, the Bradley method, and the Evidence Based Birth podcast gave me a lot of useful information. They made birth sound like such a natural human experience and normal function of the female body. It was not something to fear – it was as natural as walking or digestion! I loved the app “Christian Hypno-birthing,” as it taught me that the mental and physical intensity of labor was an important opportunity to draw close to my Heavenly Father. It was an opportunity to worship, depend and feel sustained by God in a way I had never felt before. This idea fascinated me the most. This way of viewing labor was never talked about in the obstetrics areas I worked in. The desire to birth without pain medicine could have nothing to do with pain relief, but actually about the significance of the sensations and chance to be present with your body as it goes through such an amazing journey.
I had a friend who said her favorite moment during labor was calling out to God for strength and then feeling Him physically sustain her. Often as Christians we are faced with challenges that cause us to beg God to sustain us. Usually mentally and spiritually. But to physically feel as though your body can not go on – then feel His powerful strength pulse through you, meeting the next contraction and feeling stronger than before… what a joy to feel His closeness and faithfulness in this way. I wanted this. I had faith that He would sustain me too. I didn’t fear labor because He had taught me that He is good and sufficient for anything that comes across my path. Birth, a beautiful and sacred event is an opportunity to grow in my love and dependence of Him.
Throughout my pregnancy I meditated often on God’s perfect wisdom and power over my body and growing baby. I felt held and sustained even through those stages. I began to dilate earlier with Audrey. At 36 weeks I was 3cm and considered the possibility of her arriving early. I nested and prepped our home quickly. At 37 weeks I was 4cm, and at 38 & 39 weeks I was 4-5. I tried just about everything to put myself into labor, thinking that surely being so dilated I would respond to long walks, deep cleaning my house, mowing our grass and squats. But it was not time yet. My obstetrician, who I love and trust so, was going out of town for a week. He was very supportive of my birth plans and of my decision to birth without an epidural. Since I had given birth so quickly with my last babies and was dilated, he said he thought my labor would be short and sweet – perfect for natural birth. I felt very safe under his care and knew I didn’t want to go into labor while he was gone. So I gave up trying to start labor at home. Of course this was what my body needed to relax enough and rest for contractions to begin.
The morning of July 1st I woke up having some contractions. I had been having stronger ones off and on for a couple of weeks, so ignored them. I was heading into work that morning for some meetings (I am a lactation consultant at the Women’s Hospital I gave birth at.) When I was in the shower I noticed my surges were strong and that they were not getting farther apart. I thought for a moment, “Maybe this is real labor? Should I clean my house before I go to work?” I quickly decided this was just another false alarm and left the house. As I was driving to work, my surges got stronger and I noticed they were closer together. I called Jordan who was at work and told him. He was not surprised and agreed that it was probably not actually labor. But we decided I should start timing them. I was shocked to realize they were 6 minutes apart.
When I arrived at work and to my meeting, I mentioned to my boss, almost joking that I might be in labor. She had many years of experience as an L&D nurse, so I wanted her opinion. She assured me that I would know when it was the real thing. So we went along with our meetings and I kept timing my contractions on my phone under the table as we talked. During the surges I soon realized I couldn’t really talk or form a thought during its intensity, but I was able to sit, breath and listen normally. After an hour or so, my surges were about 3 minutes apart. I decided I needed to alert Jordan and my mom. This was probably turning into something. Could it be labor? My sweet friend Shelley, who was planning to be with me during labor, was in the meeting with me. She noticed that my breathing had changed and my face looked flushed. She went to our office and brought in my birthing ball for me to sit on for the remainder of the meeting because I still was not convinced this was labor. My OB was supposed to be getting home from vacation that day. I think I was in denial and was subconsciously hoping I would wait until he arrived.
Another 45 minutes passed. My contractions were a minute and a half apart. I began involuntarily moaning very soft and low with the contractions. At this point Shelley and my boss insisted I check in. They walked me around to the admissions desk and my coworker Maegan got my bags from my car. Jordan was close by at work and made it to the hospital quickly. They admitted me about 1:30pm. My labor and delivery nurse Reagan, was such a God-send. She prayed over us first thing and I knew she going to be a comfort during labor. She told me she would check in on me and do whatever I needed, but she would not do cervical checks until I was ready. Her view of natural birth and her experience knowing the way labor looks for a mom going natural was great. She knew I needed to move around a lot, take a shower if needed and not have lots of interruptions. I changed into a gown and had the wireless monitor attached to my belly. It took about 15 minutes to calibrate and adhere to my skin, so I had to lay on my back for a bit. Every time I would lay on my back during labor, the intensity and pressure in my back would increase. It made them significantly more painful.
For the first hour or two I tried to stay active and on my feet. I walked around the room, sat on the birthing ball, swayed/slow danced with Jordan, squatted, got on all fours, and leaned over the bed. Jordan was constantly there, meeting each contraction with me. He kept me positive – when I would comment on what I was feeling, back pain, pelvic pressure, nausea…etc he would reply positively and assure me that was a good sign that labor was progressing. Mentally this helped me so much. Instead of “Aw, I’m sorry you’re hurting. It’ll be ok,” which I think would have made me pity myself, he pushed me to welcome the intensity and get excited that my body was moving through the labor process well. I felt so in the zone that honestly I didn’t notice when people came in or out of the room. I felt like my mind and body were in sync and focused on birth.
After a while I started getting tired. I realized I had been vocalizing with each contraction. I was intentionally trying to use only low tones, which can help open and prevent your cervix/perineum from being tense and tight. I decided I needed to let my body rest some and vocalizing was requiring more energy. I had been using the Christian Hypnobirthing app during my pregnancy to prepare for birth. I listened to a few of the tracks and was able to slow my breathing down, feel calm and focused. The tracks have guided breathing exercises and meditation – the message being that God made my body to birth my baby and I can trust His design, His will and His loving hands holding us both. They reminded me that my strength comes from an all-powerful God and He can give me what I need to birth my baby. The tracks were so helpful keeping my heart engaged with the big picture and my goals. I wasn’t just a mom waiting for my baby to arrive, I was a portal. My body had grown this life and was the doorway for my child into this earthly life. It’s such a holy calling and sacred duty as a mother. I wanted to be mentally present, mindfully aware of this as I was giving birth to my Audrey. Jordan noticed that while I was calm, meditating and worshipping God for His design and faithfulness, my contractions seemed stronger and closer. My body, mind and spirit were in unison.
Another hour passed and I started to hit transition. I vomited a few times. It was not uncomfortable or miserable though, it felt like a release. I asked my nurse to check me around this time and I was 8cm. I was feeling so weary and started to waver emotionally. My nurse told me my water bag was very thick and she thought it would be a couple more hours. I was very discouraged my this. I began to hit a wall. I asked the nurse about an epidural, which she told me I could have if I really wanted it. I don’t remember Jordan’s exact words, but he leaned close and whispered in my ear. He reminded me of why I had said I didn’t want an epidural and that it was a good sign I was having this wave of doubt. He reminded me it was a sign I was getting really close. Most women have a big wave of doubt around transition – right before they start pushing. The contractions got a lot more intense and I began praying aloud with each surge. “God please help me! I need you. Please give me strength. Jesus please hear me. Help me through this.” My body felt weak. I remember thinking, I feel wobbly on my feet. I had been standing beside the bed and leaning over it for a while. But with every surge, my body kept going. I felt my strength restored and my Heavenly Father holding me.
I started moving around the room and bed pretty continuously. My contractions were close together. My prayers got louder. My nurse grabbed my hands and bent down to make eye contact with me. She told me “Your body was meant to do this.” I remember feeling like it wasn’t just her reminding me of this, it was the Holy Spirit through her. I had been trusting Him through my pregnancy and mentally preparing to trust His design through labor. Now it was time to truly put my faith to the test. This was such an intense and beautiful lesson in trusting Him and learning of His sufficiency. Another 30 minutes or so passed and I decided it was time to break my water. I was ready to start pushing. This part of labor had been most intimidating to me. I thought the stretching and intense pressure would be the most painful part of birth. I had begun squatting on the bed with the squat bar that attaches to the hospital bed. The doctor came in and said he would break my water if I was sure I wanted him too. When I laid back for him to break my water, I started talking to Audrey. I told her I was ready to hold her and it was time to finally be born. I had been talking to her for weeks telling her I was ready if she was. I sat up and grabbed the squat bar. The doctor said call me when you’re ready to push. He got to the door and I exclaimed, “I’m pushing!!” My nurse checked me and Audrey was crowning. The most surprising thing was that her head descending did not hurt. The contractions in my abdomen did, but my perineum stretching and opening did not. I felt her coming and felt my body starting to push so I tried to focus my strength down there to increase the pressure. It felt so involuntary. I pushed one time and her head and body delivered all at once. The doctor who had just been in the doorway was rushing to get his gloves on, but she was too fast and she landed in the bed. We lifted her up quickly and realized I had a very short umbilical cord. She would not reach to my chest. My delayed cord clamping goal was cut short and was only about a minute and thirty seconds. She waited to breath and then her breathing was fast for a bit. I knew all she needed was to lay on mama’s chest and my body would regulate her. She laid on my chest for the first 2 hours. She latched well and fed.
The bliss in those first moments were so much clearer and focused than my other babies. I think the pain meds had clouded some of my memories with them. With Audrey I soaked in every smell, touch and sensation. I felt her heart beating against mine. Natural birth can be such a worshipful experience. It was for me. I marveled at His glory expressed in the way He designed my body and in the purity and magnificence of my baby’s face. I saw a new refreshed view of the gospel as I felt my inadequacy and called out to my Father, my only hope and salvation. I felt His hand sustain me, lift me and bring such joy through the pain. I realized this was a lesson that really applied to all of my life, not just childbirth. He was good. He was in control. And that’s my greatest comfort. His gifts are expressions of His majesty. It’s my role to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. I felt this deeply through childbirth.
Throughout my pregnancy I sang this song to Audrey. I played it through labor and sang it to her when I held her for the first time. It’s truly my prayer for my babies.
Over the past few years, the Lord has taught me some beautiful things about Himself. Motherhood has an interesting way of giving new perspectives on things. There are many life events or challenges that cause us to ask big questions, to doubt or fear. Its not only moms who are given glimpses of our Father’s love in the mother-child relationship. As a child ourselves we can see a unique ways our parents point us to the Lord by simply providing for us and loving us. I experienced some dark times as a new mama navigating postpartum anxiety and depression. There were many times I felt overwhelmed by how out of control I felt. That no matter what I did this tiny person was unpredictable and constantly needy. I didn’t have all the answers and no longer had freedom to do whatever I need or wanted. Dying to self became necessary. It’s a big life change for parents. But it can bring growth or despair for Christians. Thankfully the Lord can turn our despair into growth. Most of us, whether mothers or not, have been through trials that test us and bring temptation to doubt. If my worst nightmare comes true will I survive, will Christ still be with me? Will he really be enough?
My mind was so quick to imagine scenarios of my child being attacked, or dropped or forgotten. Sleep was scarce and rest was nonexistent. I struggled to figure out how I would mother my baby and what was the “right way” to mother my baby. Was I doing enough? Was I doing too much? I felt my weakness, failures and insufficiencies in a whole new light. There were months that went by where I felt I was stuck there. Despairing in my lack of ability to be my definition of supermom and a good wife and homemaker. But as His child our Father did not leave me there. He brought me to reality. Not that my weakness wasn’t realistic. But realistically why was a daughter of the King, an inheritor of the Kingdom, a ransomed soul living as though she was abandoned. We all can lie to ourselves and think our problems are too big or complex. That for some reason this particular trial is just too unusual and not something our Father could or would want to deal with. This lie steals so much joy and starves our souls.
I learned the truth through a humbling experience. I have always been scared of bugs. They are too unpredictable. You don’t always know where they are, or if they are poisonous. This fear was only emphasized when I had babies who could also be attacked. One afternoon after a panic attack that came after killing several wasps on our back porch, I prayed and asked the Lord to give me peace and calm my mind. I was immediately struck with the words Jesus spoke over the stormy sea. “Peace be still.” I was frustrated by this because I didn’t feel like the storm in my head was listening. Then I realized He wasn’t talking to the storm. He was talking to my heart. He doesn’t always stop the difficultly we are facing when we pray for help. He does promise to strengthen us and nurture us. I also felt a deep understanding that He is never surprised by the storm. It’s exactly where it’s supposed to be. Not one raindrop or gust of wind or insect or blade or grass or hair on our baby’s head is misplaced by even a millimeter. It’s perfectly placed by a loving Father. Guided by His hand. As mothers we can focus on how seemingly fragile and vulnerable our children’s lives are. Being a nurse I had textbooks full of issues that my mind got to play with and worry about my child experiencing. But the truth is they are kept by a love stronger and more constant than mine. Not one aspect of my baby’s life is out of His control. When we live in this mindfulness – this is where peace and rest are found. This is where our hearts and minds have space for joy and thanksgiving. For worship. We must set our minds on the reality that each moment is held by our wise and loving Father – each cell of our bodies. Each atom in its place. All existing for a singular purpose. To glorify our King. The beauty and creation around us is meant to to be noticed by His children. With a deep understanding that it is for us to mindfully acknowledge as revelation of His goodness and power. If we are His redeemed, this mindset can only bring worship and love for our Savior. He has given us a every atom around us, every breath to feel His love in. His grace and provision in everything around us. Somehow during the storm we can feel the most peaceful, sustained and calmed.
Not only are we comforted by Him during trials, we are nurtured and nourished. We find a never ending bounty in Christ that satisfies our every need. I think we get to see a wonderful reflection of this in the mother and child. I remember the first few nights as a mother hearing my baby cry out in the night for me. That frantic, needy cry. How scary all these new experiences must be for them. Each one must seem like a such a huge storm to them. For the first time feeling cold, pain, silence, even the loudness of their own cry must be a stunning sound ringing in their head. But there is one constant – mother. Her voice, smell, heartbeat and warmth are a familiar comfort that so often instantly brings baby back to remember oh yes. I’m ok. She is here. With those frantic cries in the night when we go to our babies pull them close to ourselves and replenish their hunger, comfort them with our love – you know the scene. That instant hush that babies have when food is in their mouth and their hands clasp around it and eyes close. In this act we get to take part of a glorious picture of the child of God being drawn to the Father, fed, sustained and comforted by His love. And when others watch a mother comfort her child, they witness a glimpse of what it would be like to have our Father bring them as His child from a frantic, sorrowful state to peace and fullness.
All of us, mothers or not, will be called to go through storms. The deep waters may seem too great. But we know we are held fast by someone who holds every atom in place. And our cries may not always be answered by the removal of the storm. But we will always find peace in Christ. We will always find Him faithful to fill us when we are empty. That is very difficult for me to remember. I get determined to be and do enough. I want to be strong enough, wise enough, cute enough, servant hearted enough so that my life runs smoothly and everyone praises me for how great I am. What a silly expectation! What a prideful heart! The Lord kindly reminds me over and over that it is not in my strength or my enoughness that I receive the Peal of greatest price. It is in my weakness and my emptiness that the Lord chooses to fill and strengthen me. So when I feel overwhelmed and out of control – or everything I’ve tried to discipline my child has failed or when I didn’t treat my husband in a loving way. The answer isn’t to try harder next time. I can’t will or plan or discipline myself into being a perfect mom or wife or friend. I must empty myself. I must humble myself. I must see my need and go to my Father who is not only wise and powerful and merciful. He is wisdom. He is power. He is mercy. We have the very source if these attributes as our Father. We must not try to fill ourselves up when we are literally offered God Himself. And He holds us in His perfect will. I pray we can live in this mindfulness and it drive our hearts to continually worship our Father. “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Isaiah 43
Thank you for visiting – I hope you’ll stay! I’m Anna Chamblee, RN, IBCLC. As a lactation counselor, I work with moms struggling to find the best way to feed their babies and educate families on the benefit of breastfeeding that extends far beyond nutrition. My goal for Nurturing Mother is for women to find support, learning, and empowerment in how to care for your child and yourself.
Many women don’t realize that they are already equipped by design to meet the needs of and care for their baby, simply by being a woman. And that our body is equipped to care and heal itself if we listen and respond carefully. I want to educate and encourage. I want my daughter, as well as your children, not to be confused or scared of their bodies, but to know the instincts and signs of illness and wellness.
Women have the sacred job and terrifying duty to grow and sustain new life. Motherhood is hard and brings challenges we never expect. But we have each other – the beautiful band of mothers who should support and love one another. My dream is to nurture all mothers and empower them to nurture their own children.
Nurturing Home 