Professional History:
Owner of The Lactation Lady, LLC.

I began my career in the field of maternal/child services as a Labor & Delivery Room nurse in a Single Room Maternity Care (SRMC) unit in a level III neonatal hospital. In this setting my responsibilities included nursing care of the high risk antepartum patient, care of the high risk pregnancies, labor and delivery, operating room circulating nurse, and post partum care of the maternal/child dyad. I have always used a family centered care approach in my nursing career, focusing on the entire family unit.

I have been a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator since 2000 working in hospital setting and in my own private practice. In this capacity, I teach Childbirth Education, Refresher Childbirth, Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC), Infant Care, Sibling Classes, and Breastfeeding Classes. Empowering new families during this exciting time in their lives is a pleasure (I also am a Safe Sitter instructor, working with young adults in an effort to improve babysitting safety).

As an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), I work in the hospital setting, educating, assessing, and assisting new families with their chosen method of infant feeding. As private community member Lactation Consultant, I offer new families education and support services in my office or in the comfort of their own homes, assisting them with their transition into parenthood in order to ensure the success of their breastfeeding experience.

On a Personal Note:

As a mother to three boys, I know that balancing family and work life can be challenging; however, it can be done. Many parents today struggle with finding the best way to parent their children and attachment parenting has always worked best for me.

What is Attachment Parenting?

Many people feel that if you do not breastfeed, babywear (wear/carry your baby), co-sleep, and constantly coddle that you are not using attachment parenting; however, that could not be furthest from the truth. Attachment parenting means something a little different for every parent. For me it meant follow the baby’s lead and to trust my instincts. No one knows more about my children than my husband and I. I also recognize that there are no rules, and we need to find out what works best for us. Intuition and self confidence are the tools needed for attachment parenting.

During the baby years, I knew that I needed to meet all the needs of my little ones; the need for food, comfort, and love. Erick Erickson was the psychoanalyst who defined the eight stages of social-emotional development. In the early months of an infant’s life, they go through the stage “TRUST V MISTRUST”. I interpret this to mean that my goal is to identify myself to my children as a provider. A provider of food, love, and security (Maslow’s basic needs). If my children learn that I will meet their basic needs, I will have laid a good foundation for the rest of their life.

I was not worried about setting bad habits or spoiling my babies. I do not believe babies can be spoiled; nor do I believe babies manipulate. Granted all babies have different personalities, but this is not the same thing.

Every issue you face as a new parent gives you an opportunity to use attachment parenting. You will find your own way to be an attached parent. Let your instinct and love for your children guide you in your parenting journey.

Click here to read “There is No Doctrine for Attachment Parenting: Being AP is a Frame of Mind!” by Diana West

My Passionate Hobby:

RUNNING–I am a new runner; caught the bug in August 2009. I had NEVER run before. In fact, I was pretty sure that I hated running; bamboo under the fingernails was more appealing to me. That being said—-I gave it a try. I started the couch 25K program (incremental running) and I was hooked. I love running outside, I have a love/hate relationship with my treadmill, and I LOVE running with friends.  I have run 4 1/2 Marathons, one Full Marathon in 2012 and numerous other races; I love the training much more than the actually race and I think the “race” part is always debatable with me.

I am a mother of 3 boys, a nurse and lactation consultant, business owner, wife, and I AM A RUNNER! I love sharing my passion of running so much, I became an RRCA certified running coach in 2011.