My partner and I have three children and with each child came a different breastfeeding problem. These experiences forever changed me - revealing how difficult breastfeeding can be, how each child is so very different and the pressure and guilt that goes along with it all.
My education began with an honours degree in Anthropology at the University of Toronto followed by a degree in Social Work at York University, graduating magna cum laude. After having children, I became a CAPPA Certified Postpartum Doula helping new families adjust to life with a new baby. My doula work was very rewarding, but I noticed how little support there was for families who choose to breastfeed and how well breastfeeding could go with professional support. With this experience as a doula along with my own as a mother, I sought out training with Dr. Jack Newman through the Lactation Medicine Programme at the International Breastfeeding Centre located at the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic.
Dr. Jack Newman and the staff at the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic have written numerous articles and produced many videos about breastfeeding, which are distributed widely by breastfeeding resource centres and websites. Dr. Jack Newman opened the first hospital breastfeeding clinic in Canada in 1984, speaks regularly about breastfeeding at conferences worldwide and has been a consultant for UNICEF's Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. He is also the co-author of Dr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding with La Leche League Canada's Executive Director, Teresa Pitman, and a video titled Dr. Jack Newman's Visual Guide to Breastfeeding.
After over 90 hours of Lactation specific education and 760 hours of directly supervised, hands-on experience helping families with Dr. Jack Newman and the Lactation Consultants at the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic, I completed the Lactation Medicine Programme. Since then, I have been helping families through my own practice as a Lactation Consultant. My approach during consults is gentle yet clear guidance with a strong focus on the family's individual breastfeeding goals.