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Adara Blake

IBCLC

Year of Certification

2013

Special Interests

NICU, Twins / Multiples
Relactation / Surrogacy 
Adoption

Language Spoken

English
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Please share anything you'd like from your own personal breastfeeding experience.

While I don't have children of my own, I induced lactation in 2021 to provide breast milk for my niece! I was also hoping to do some co-nursing, but unfortunately, that wasn't possible due to the pandemic. Induction was both an incredibly personal experience and an invaluable learning experience as an IBCLC who has supported several families through their inductions.

What excites you most about being an IBCLC?

I really value being able to provide not just clinical support, but emotional support. Providing space for families to process their perinatal experiences, through deep listening, is my favorite thing about being an IBCLC.

In what types of settings have you supported patients in lactation?

Antenatal, Labor & Delivery, NICU, PICU, CICU, ED, and Private Practice

What makes up your family (people & pets)?

My amazing partner, Nile, our goofball pitbull Beansie, and our chickens!

What do you enjoy doing while not at work?

I am a HUGE musical theatre fan and love to sing. My happy place is Martuni's, a piano bar in San Francisco.

Please share any additional education or certifications you have.

I'm a pediatric speech-language pathologist and have attended 20+ births as a doula.

What state do you reside in?

New York

When did you know you wanted to become an IBCLC?

I've always been fascinated with perinatal health, starting with my enthusiastic (so I'm told) presence at my sister's birth center birth when I was 4 years old. I considered becoming a midwife but ended up choosing speech-language pathology as my career. Once I started down the path of feeding and swallowing disorders as my specialty as an undergrad, I realized that becoming an IBCLC would be the perfect way to marry my two interests.

Why did you become an IBCLC?

I believe that milk is magic, and it's truly a pleasure to help people learn about and access that magic! I am also burdened by the extent to which the perinatal healthcare system in the United States disenfranchises birthing people. I strive to be a provider who challenges that paradigm by providing deeply compassionate care.

What do you wish you could tell every parent (that they would actually do) and why?

Take time to plan for the postpartum experience! I see families spending most of their time and energy planning for the birth and choosing which products to buy. I would love to see families learning about what to expect in the postpartum period, and identifying people who can support them with meals, household tasks, and holding the baby so the parent(s) can take advantage of the limited time they'll have for rest and self-care, etc.

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