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.
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.
Antenatal, Labor & Delivery, NICU, PICU, CICU, ED, and Private Practice
My amazing partner, Nile, our goofball pitbull Beansie, and our chickens!
I am a HUGE musical theatre fan and love to sing. My happy place is Martuni's, a piano bar in San Francisco.
I'm a pediatric speech-language pathologist and have attended 20+ births as a doula.
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.
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.
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.