After a 35-hour all-natural labor, I finally met my baby boy who I named Dawson Knox Gilmore. As an IBCLC, I was prepared to breastfeed-- I was not mentally prepared for the soon ahead challenges I was going to face. In my golden hour, as I was doing skin-to-skin with my son, I was able to latch him on fairly quickly but noticed a sharp pain. Knowing this was not how it was supposed to feel, I did a quick oral assessment once we settled into our postpartum room. There it is was-- I suspected a lip tie and tongue tie. Within 24 hours, I reached out to my doula for a reference to a pediatric dentist. My husband and I found ourselves taking a 10-hour round trip to Pelham, AL, with a 6-day old newborn to have an oral procedure done. Thankfully, the procedure was quick, and I felt well-supported. I will never forget the first latch after his tongue-and-lip-tie release. Ah! The next 4 weeks included daily stretches and finally settling into the breastfeeding journey I prayed for! With the help of seeing not one, but TWO IBCLCs myself, I can say I have nursed my son for 18 months... AND STILL GOING!
I know when I help a mom with her breastfeeding journey, I know I am helping her in one of the most vulnerable times of her life. Being in her shoes humbles me, and it reminds me that the care, education, and support that I can give her as an IBCLC is a relationship she will always remember!
Hospital (Labor and delivery, NICU, PICU, postpartum floor)
WIC clinic (outpatient care)
Private Practice (Home visit and office setting)
My husband and I have been married for over 6 years and we have a 1-year-old son. I am truly grateful for the support that my husband, Zach, has given me through my own breastfeeding journey. We have a fur-baby named Hallie-- our precious goldendoodle who gets up with me in the middle of the night to tend to my son,, for every diaper change, and, of course, to pick up all the scraps off the floor at dinner time from our toddler!
I have a box garden where I grow collards, squash, bell peppers, and other produce to incorporate into our meals at home. I recently found painting as a newer hobby, and realized how therapeutic it is! Most of our evenings and weekends are filled with making memories with close friends and family-- which usually involves watching an FSU football game or playing Monopoly Deal at the dining room table.
I have a Masters Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics that I received from the University of North Florida. I am also a Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist (LD/N) in the State of Florida.
Florida
In my junior year of my undergraduate degree at Florida State University in 'Life Cycle Nutrition' class. Our professor brought in an IBCLC from a local hospital and after hearing her presentation, I knew I wanted to change the lives of mothers and babies as she had done.
I knew if I became an IBCLC, I would have the opportunity to have advanced training and opportunities to help women through their breastfeeding journeys. Starting out as a Certified Lactation Counselor, I gained a foundational understanding of how to help women breastfeed. After seeing the lack of lactation providers in not only my community but country-wide, I decided to take the next step and become an IBCLC.
Follow your mama-gut! People like to tell you their worst-case and best-case scenario of how their pregnancy, labor/delivery, and breastfeeding journey went. All of these events are so specialized to each individual woman, baby, and pregnancy. Educate your self and know that you can be empowered with the knowledge to make informed decisions about you and your families' own health!
