I am a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist currently working toward an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification. I lived in Chesapeake, VA my whole life until I came to the area to attend Bridgewater College where I graduated with my degree in Biology. I originally thought I wanted to go into veterinary medicine, but after my oldest sister had her first child and struggled to breastfeed, I began to do research in an effort to try to help her. As the youngest of three daughters, I was never exposed to my mother breastfeeding younger siblings. Through my research to help my sister, I discovered how amazing breastmilk is for the human body and how, even though it is a natural process, many women greatly struggle to breastfeed. I began to wonder if there was a career dedicated to helping mothers in this area, and discovered that I could become an IBCLC! When my husband and I welcomed our daughter in 2023, I struggled as a first time breastfeeding mother. We tried everything from nipple shields and syringe feeding to the SNS system. Due to a decline in my mental health and a struggle to get our daughter to gain weight, I finally decided to exclusively pump and give formula as needed. I firmly believe I was supposed to struggle breastfeeding in order to gain experiential knowledge and empathy to help mothers in the future. Although it was challenging at the time, I am so grateful for these experiences that made me into the provider I am today.
I married my wonderful husband in 2019 and have since welcomed our daughter, as well as our fur babies, Koa (Golden Retriever mix) and Nala (Tabico cat). I have a passion for educating mothers about breastfeeding before their baby is born, and for serving as a reliable support system after the delivery. I am so pleased to be working with Brookhaven to continue to bring quality lactation support to the Valley!
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