Better Beginnings: Childbirth Education & Lactation Care

Hurry up, come say hi to me at Traintastic World Breastfeeding Week celebration

It's World Breastfeeding Week and we want to celebrate. How about an awesome new spill proof and a free visit to the amazing . Let's celebrate the moms who work so hard to breastfeed, but also the dads and grandparents and friends and supporters of breastfeeding.

I have been a lactation consultant for 7 years and still can't believe it. 20 years ago I went to a La Leche League meeting and was inspired with how calm and connected the moms and babies were, I wanted the same. I have seen so many things change over the years and trends come and go. Now, every day I get to help families navigate this special time. Helping people be healthier both physically and emotionally, one family at a time. Thank you to all my friend and clients who welcome me into their family.

Happy to some of South Mississippi’s unsung heroes: our International Board Certified Lactation Consultants! IBCLCs offer the specialised clinical experience, education, and commitment to address everything from latching to supply issues. And they make those crucial early hours and weeks of parenthood healthier and happier for new families. Let’s take a moment to celebrate all that these amazing healthcare pros do!

They’re experts. They’re advocates. And they’re more than 37,000 strong. International Board Certified Lactation Consultants are the gold standard in lactation care, making the early days, weeks, and months of parenthood easier, healthier, and happier for families— in South Mississippi, across the country, and around the world. On , let’s take a moment to say thanks for the vital work these highly credentialed professionals do!

We have been walking beside families in the MS Coast for 13 years. And registration is now open for the class starting August 10th. Personalized, small group workshops where ALL your questions are answered along the way. And the best part, your partner is right there with you preparing.

We offer a childbirth class with the focus on providing really useful birth prep information in a format that is NOT BORING. We have taught this class for years and people love it so much they come back two or three times to prepare for the big day. We have a class starting in August and would love to see you. You will NOT REGRET grabbing your partner and forcing him to sit down with you to get ready for this emotionally, physically and spiritually important time for you both. Something as impactful as birth deserves you set aside some time together to prepare.

I will not stop dreaming that all babies have access to breastmilk- particularly in the early days. But we need more milk. If you have extra milk- let's talk. I can get your milk to babies who need it.

You can make a difference for the premature and ill infants in NICUs across our state!
Call us at 601-938-5504 to become a life saving donor!

Looking for an adorable baby for an appointment this week. We can have an official appointment, or just visit and get some photos for my website.

Well, I have really made the rounds the last two days visiting so many people. With the we celebrated by delivering information and goodies to coast hospitals then spreading the word about how birth, breastfeeding and mothering can be better with our services . Then today I was a guest at East Central High school to talk about my work. I am so lucky to have a job that I love and that I get to make the world a little softer and gentler every day.

We are super excited to offer a freebie to our cummunity. This is a little trade. 😘 We give you a free mini session of our birth and breastfeeding classes and you let us take some photos to use on our website. Spread the word to all your pregnant friends. We only have room for 5 families.

B***s & Bottoms luncheon was a success - we believe in building community for our clients, but professionals need community too. Today, old and new friends gathered to share information, laughs and adorable cookies. Thanks for taking time from your day to hang out. (We didn't think to get a photo until half had already left 😖) Becoming Whole Physical Therapy & Pelvic Care
Back In Motion Chiropractic
South Mississippi Midwifery
Labor of Love Midwifery
Hattiesburg Midwifery
Singing River Health System
Merit Health Biloxi
Gulf Coast Breastfeeding Center

I often get the question: "Do you check for tongue tie?" Or "Can you help? We were already checked for ties and they said there were none, so now what." Yes, of course we check for ties, but looking at the tissue is just one small part of the comprehensive holistic approach that we offer. If you are having symptoms and think it could be a tongue or lip tie, a full evaluation is needed. Starting with mom and babies medical history, observe and evaluate feeding, and look and feel inside your baby's mouth - appointments take about 90 minutes. We are experienced and trained to do this. If you have challenges feeding your baby, get help from a professional. Lactation Conultants are baby feeding experts

Birth Class starts Saturday 🗓️ and we have room for you. You will learn more than you expected. How wonderful will it be to feel confident and prepared for each prenatal appointment, labor, birth and life with baby. But what will surprise you most is how much it means to have a community- to meet other families in the same stage of life and a place to talk openly about everything for discharge to ni**le pain. We have worked with dozens of families over the years and no one regrets the investment of time and money. In fact, couples tell us they are sad when class is over. 🥰

🥰 thanks for the kind words. Better Beginnings is all about building confidence for moms through education, support and friendship. We are here to help make your transition to motherhood a joyful one.

📣 Childbirth Class registration open now for families expecting in July, August and September
📣 Small group sessions with people you will love
📣 Fun, interactive sessions with snacks 😍
📣 Every class personalized to support the goals of the attendees.
📣 Link in bio to Register
📣 Trust is, you will be sad when the classes are over (but don't worry, we have meetups afterward to stay connected with your new friends, if you like)

Who's ready for a ? The lovely
Laura and I got together today to plan our lactation consultant+pelvic floor therapy lunch and learn. We decided not to call it T*ts and Tw*ts 😳 but we did laugh really hard at the idea! 🤣. All practitioners that work with pregnancy, birth and postpartum clients , save the date May 6. 🗓️

The middle child was spreading the word what an IBCLC is today at high school. International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

We are so excited about this event from Irth in Pascagoula. All new and expecting parents (birth workers too) are invited. Please spread the word.

2024 Reunion could not have been better. We laughed, ate and shared stories. I certainly didn't mind holding a baby or two so mom could enjoy a plate of food. With more than 12 years of service to families, we continue to evolve and adapt to the needs of our community. We are thankful for every family who trusts us to be part of their village.

Time to register for your childbirth class. Our crunch weekend class starts March 1. This is the class for you if you are expecting in late March-June. We have been teaching for over 10 years on the coast and families LOVE this class. It is a weekend full of baby prep. Where you and your partner focus on the big event together. By Sunday afternoon, you will both have the knowledge and hands on skills to let go of any fears and embrace joy and excitement. Sign up on our website- link in bio.

Linktree: Link everything you are Linktree makes room for all of you. Get everything you create, curate and share, wherever it’s scattered online, and put it back together again in one place – your Linktree – where it can be discovered with ease.

Last night better beginnings My Village had a night out. We laughed, we were vulnerable, we had delicious food, we took turns soothing our youngest baby member and we hugged. This is the kind of support every mother needs and deserves. This is a group of unbelievable kind women with open hearts and minds. Better Beginnings has a lot of good things going on.

😍 These two are madly in love. I had the joy of meeting this family when they were pregnant. At our most recent appointment we discussed starting solids and what will follow later this year, weaning off the bottle. As a lactation consultant, I'm not just here for the sore ni**les -I work with families from pregnancy through weaning.

Today I had that bittersweet 💛 moment when I say goodbye 👋🏻to a family because they no longer need a lactation consultant. (But in truth it may not be goodbye because I will see them around town and at our monthly mom and baby play date 😉).

When I fest met Linda and baby AJ, breastfeeding was painful, baby was fussy and at 2 weeks was not gaining weight as he should. Mom and Dad were worried. Their pediatrician, Dr.Logan, recommended they see a lactation consultant 🥹

With some tips and adjustments, right away mom was able to get a more comfortable latch and feel more confident and relaxed putting AJ to the breast. 👏 We set out a plan to bump up moms milk production ⬆️ and eliminate the pain. 💪💪💪

In cases like this, we follow up regularly to make adjustments to the plan as the situation changes. Over the next 7 weeks we had 5 more appointments. I kept the pediatrician updated and we called in the help of Dr.McMurphy (dentist) and Dr.Mayfield (physical therapist). This family gets all the credit because they did the hard work, but I am so happy they had a team of kind, skilled experts to work together. They felt supported through this challenging time and THAT makes a huge difference.

I am happy to report, Mom is now comfortably feeding baby exclusively at the breast with a big smile.

🎉🥳🎊🍾🎉🥳🎊🍾🎉🥳🎊

I mentioned three care providers here, but we have options in our area. I work with each family as they connect with providers that are the best fit for them.

Every family deserves support and professional care as they face feeding challenges. Yay team!



Singing River Health System McMurphy Pediatric Dentistry

I am so thankful for each of my clients. I learn from each of you. You inspire me. You challenge me to dig deeper and find answers. But the best part for me is this: Every time I step into an appointment, I forget everything else. I am 100% living in the moment. Thank you.

With all the pressure women sometimes feel to breastfeed, it is hard to imagine a time when breastfeeding was NOT encouraged. The women that founded La Leche League followed their instincts and desire to be close to their babies and feed frequently and I am so glad they did. They changed history.

Happy 67 Years, LLLI!🥳

The first rainy, cool day in a long time made for a great day for our first Monthly My Village Play Date. See you in November.

😍 I am just ticked for baby L and his mom. This week at the end of our appointment I said,

"well, I don't think you need a follow up."
And Mom's smile was beaming. 😊

She initially made an appointment because she was determined to breastfeed after struggling with her first child and not reaching her goals. This time around, they were at 6 days and feeling sore, primarily bottle feeding, not pumping much and giving frequent bottles of formula. Mom knew they were headed down a path she had already traveled with her first child. 😫

Through several appointments we worked together on getting a more comfortable latch, using correct pump fl**ge sizes and creating a reasonable pump schedule, and finding the right bottle for baby L. Over the next month, mom's milk production slowly increased and the need for formula decreased. 💪🏆 🎉Her confidence grew and so did baby.

Last week, mom stopped pumping at all and feeds her baby at the breast whenever he shows her any hunger cues. 🥰 She continues to supplement with a couple of bottles a day. At any point on this journey, she could have stopped and switched to formula. She was tired and had to work doubly hard for awhile. But now she has a nearly full milk supply and her baby is thriving. And mom is smiling.

🤗As always, I appreciate the opportunity to be a little part of of her success story. (Shout out to Dr.Logan for encouraging her to see an IBCLC) (also, she had $0 cost for these appointments in her home)

Pacing for Preemies Milk Run, Gulf Coast virtual team. 5k ✅ raising money and awareness for our in Jackson. Milk banks operate all over the country providing lifesaving milk for hospitalized babies (and in cases where the donors are abundant, milk is available outpatient). To operate, the milk bank needs donors. Step 1: call for prescreen. Step 2: go to Labcorp for no cost blood work. Step 3. Pump at least 100oz. Step 4. Drop it off to your nearest drop off location. Iff pumping milk is not possible, cash donations are also needed to keep the non profit running.

Yea, sometimes I weigh baby dolls. I am so thankful that my clients trust me to come to their home and get a little glimpse into their family. Breastfeeding is not as simple as getting milk out of mom and into baby. I partner with my clients as we, together, consider their interconnected physical, emotional and cultural resources and challenges. I consider the whole family and their unique circumstances as we create a plan together to overcome whatever challenge brought you to me. I am so thankful to have my own private practice where I can take the time needed and do this work in the way it needs to be done. So...if there is a little kiddo playing during an appointment, we invite them to join in.

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸Attention Military Families: 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
You are provided with lactation consulting at NO COST to you.
➡️🆓⬅️
Maybe you are having (•)(•) breastfeeding/bottle feeding/pumping/weaning 🧸 challenges or have some questions. But also maybe you just want someone to check in with you regularly to provide support and discuss what's how feeding is going and chat about how to make it work best for your family.
Lactation Consultants can do either and everything in between.

💻 I provide virtual consults if you aren't local to me. Book on my website- link in comments.
🇺🇸

Beautifully said

"I'm the first of my family in a couple generations to breastfeed. My mother hasn't done so, neither has her mother. As my partner and I planned our pregnancy, we knew that breastfeeding was vital to our baby being loaned to us from the Creator.

I've felt it deep inside me. The milk being made was a spiritual process in itself... A sharing of myself after the birth. My body knew,from the beginning, that this babys nourishment will not end after the cutting of the cord. That first sacred food would enter my babys mouth when she was ready, to give her all the nutrients she would need and then some.

This spiritual process led to a beautiful bond with nitanis (my daughter) 17 months later I still nourish her with the milk that she needs. Making it this far has been a blessing, there is no sign of "weaning" her off soon because this is our spiritual connection, she decides when...

This is food sovereignty"

-Jolene Creely of Okanese First Nation, Nehiyaw/Damakota

(📸✏️: EliciaMunro Photography)