Hi, I’m Nicole! I’m a mother, LPN, and IBCLC. I worked in a pediatric clinic for over 7 years where I became the nurse manager and found my niche in lactation. As a nurse, I observed a common struggle among new mothers...breastfeeding! Time after time babies would lose weight, families were given formula, and mothers felt defeated because they felt like they had failed. This frequent occurrence ignited my curiosity as to why this happens over and over again. Thus, my journey to further my nursing education in lactation had begun.

After completing my lactation education in conjunction with becoming a mother myself, I realized why women would feel so defeated. Many women struggle with breastfeeding during those first few weeks of postpartum, and why wouldn’t you? You are sleep-deprived, you are both learning a new skill, and your body is healing and changing, not to mention you are adjusting to a new family dynamic. However, you are sent home to figure it out. Women are not provided the proper knowledge and support about breastfeeding during that postpartum period.

Proper breastfeeding support takes time, which is not built into our healthcare system. This is why I made the decision to become an International board-certified lactation consultant and start my own private practice. I want to do my part in filling the gap in our healthcare system by providing essential support to women during that crucial postpartum period. I want mothers to feel empowered and informed about their breastfeeding options.

Breastfeeding is not an all-or-nothing experience. The breastfeeding journey has many different paths. Your experience can include breastfeeding, bottle feeding, supplementation, and or pumping. Whether it’s one or a hybrid of sorts you will have succeeded because “success is in the journey, not the destination.”