Approach to Lactation

Apart from the birthing process, feeling confident about feeding your baby is at the forefront of every new parent's mind during pregnancy. Concerns such as how to establish a successful lactation relationship, adequate milk transfer and comfortable latch can be anxiety-producing during the immediate postpartum period. For some new parents, securing human donor milk from the community or milk bank or understanding supplemental feeding using mixed breastmilk/formula strategies and how much a neonate should be fed at different stages of life are also important questions. As your provider, I am with you for all of these questions, concerns and milestones.

Early in pregnancy your body prepares for milk production to ensure proper nutrition and immune benefits for your baby. Your baby is also born with an innate instinct to nurse and regulate bodily functions at your chest. Each individual pregnancy, your body makes milk that is tailored specifically for the baby you are growing. Evidence has shown that breastmilk, rich in nutrients, immunologic and antimicrobial properties, has positive long-lasting effects on your baby’s health. Sometimes the process doesn’t feel as seamless as one wold hope and can often be an emotional and unexpected journey. A successful lactation experience may look extremely different with each parent/baby dyad and with each subsequent birth. I aim to meet you where you are at and provide evidence-based information to help create a plan that is the right fit for you. and your family. 

As a new parent, finding a lactation specialist may be a frustrating experience since most physicians are not experts in lactation anatomy and physiology or the intricacies of establishing a lactation relationship. Oftentimes, conflicting views among care providers in the hospital, birth center, or even after a home birth can leave parents feeling confused. As your primary provider, my lactation services are built into our postpartum visits and I rarely have to refer families to other specialists during their time in my care.