Congratulations on the birth of you little one!
As an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Registered Nurse having worked with thousands of new parents, I am super excited to offer a unique and comprehensive program designed to set you up for success with the next phase of your parenting journey–breastfeeding.
Although physiologically, mother’s bodies are designed to breastfeed after the birth of their baby, it isn’t always an easy process. Many things can get in the way, including birth interventions, hospital policies and conflicting advice and information. I believe the most important part of the breastfeeding journey is the connection between mom and baby. Mom and baby often need a “nervous system reset” after birth. If mom feels stressed, baby will feel that tension too. Techniques like “skin to skin” and the “breast crawl” can help reestablish the natural instincts that baby needs to breastfeed well.
When those simple tools don’t work, the baby often reveals to me an underlying stress story, or holding tension in the body that may be contributing to difficulties with breastfeeding. I use a gentle, non-invasive approach that starts right where you and baby are at in the moment. Together we create a plan that builds on your strengths in order to grow your breastfeeding success.
What is included in the program?
The Breastfeeding Success Program includes
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6 individualized sessions for you and your baby (the ideal sequence of sessions is typically: one prenatal, one in the first week of baby’s life, one in the second week, then every other week until the baby is 2 months old). The program can be renewed as needed.
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Sessions include: breastfeeding education and support for sore nipples, low milk supply, over milk supply, engorgement, poor latch, positioning, assessment and guidance for oral restrictions, birth repatterning for unexpected interventions that could be causing tension in the body of mom and baby, Somatic tools to help with stress and trauma from birth imprints and gentle non-invasive Biodynamic CranioSacral Therapy (BCST) as needed to reduce tension and support the nervous system.
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Breastfeeding Care Plans after each visit with links and attachment to resources unique to your concerns
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Private email support during our time together
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Weekly Mother Wisdom Support Group (alternates in person with online)
Who is this for?
If breastfeeding is not working (ongoing nipple or breast pain, low milk supply, fussy baby) these comprehensive tools can help decipher what is really going on and create the subtle shift needed to get you on the path to breastfeeding success.
Moms who aren’t just looking for a temporary solution
Mothers who want to understand their baby better
Mothers who are ready to look at their challenges around birth, pregnancy and newborn period with learning in mind
Have a deeper understanding of your baby and their soul purpose. Yes! We can get information on this early in life so you can be the advocate and guide your baby needs you to be!
Interested in your Breastfeeding Success?
Let’s get started!
Once coverage is verified (usually within 24 hours during the work week) I will send you a welcome letter with a scheduling link and intake forms. I look forward to working with you on your journey to Breastfeeding Success.
If your insurance is not part of The Lactation Network, I will create a Superbill for you to submit to your insurance. I also accept Health Spending Account or Flex Spending Account payments.
Testimonials
She shows empathy and care in addressing both the physical and emotional sides to motherhood.
“Susan has been so helpful as I navigate breastfeeding for the first time. A week after my son was born, I found myself in tears during one feeding because of nipple pain. I reached out to Susan, and she was so helpful in assessing my son’s latch, checking that he was getting enough milk, and giving tips on how to heal my nipples. She was very gentle and reassuring with me and my baby. A week later, I was no longer in any pain. Recently, I developed a clogged milk duct in one breast. Susan was very promptly available to answer my questions and teach me how to care for the issue and help to prevent it in the future. She shows empathy and care in addressing both the physical and emotional sides to motherhood. I am thankful to have her along for this exciting new journey.”
–Sarah Faulds
There was SO much more to breastfeeding than mechanics!
“Susan’s work is profound. I started working with her when I was 6-months pregnant. I knew the mechanics of breastfeeding, but, Susan worked on my emotional response and connection to my baby. I was able to go into nursing with a lighter heart, and baby was a natural.”
–Lacey, mother of two
FAQs
Why do I need 6 sessions?
This program is a commitment to you and your baby. When we work together over time, the challenges from conception, pregnancy, birth and post birth are addressed in a priority based sequence. This allows you to connect more deeply with your baby, unwind lingering tension in you and your baby, unlocking more and more of your inherent knowing as a new mom. Moms and babies enrolled in this program note more ease and success with breastfeeding, infant growth, improved sleep, more periods of calm and connection, more ease in the body as tension diminishes and more coordinated developmental movement of the baby. By the end of the program, parents understanding of their baby’s cues and communication is greatly improved, decreasing tension and stress in the family.
My sessions are always priority based and I am careful to not overtreat. With babies, “less is more” and it is important to allow time in-between sessions for baby to acclimate to the changes in their own time. Moms and babies with more complicated beginnings may need more than 6 sessions to address all parts of the story.
What are Somatic Tools?
“Soma” means body and the somatic tools I use in each visit with you and your baby are from my extensive training with Ray Castellino and his 2 ½ year course in Pre and Perinatal Somatic Psychology. These tools help us feel more grounded and centered and IN our body. Sometimes when we are exhausted and stressed, we either “check out” or (disassociate) or become hypervigilant and remain in stress mode. Ongoing chronic stress is what leads to fatigue, illness and burn out.
The Somatic Tools I teach to my clients are easy to learn and help remind the body that in this moment, you are safe and supported. As the client becomes more aware of their own body’s ability to feel safe and calm, they notice that their baby becomes more settled and calm as well, making for a more relaxed home.
What is BCST?
Biodynamic CranioSacral Therapy (BCST) is a gentle touch therapy that involves deep listening on the part of the practitioner in order to create a healthier relational field. BCST not only resets the nervous system into a more coherent and balanced state but also realigns the soft tissues of the body, decreasing tension, pain and restriction.
Both CranioSacral Therapy (CST) and BCST work at the subtle energy level of the body, using gentle touch to enlist the body’s innate intelligence to open, soften and allow for realignment of soft and bony tissues of the body.
The beauty of Biodynamic CST is that the practitioner, rather than focusing on the diagnosis or “problem” in the body, recognizes the inherent intelligence of the client’s body and focuses on the health within. We all carry a “blueprint” of health in our bodies and our “imprints” or symptoms, inform the blueprint. The focus of BCST is to hold the challenges with love and acceptance, to acknowledge the brilliance of our story that allowed us to survive. I often say to my infant clients (and their adults as well), “You are here!” “You made it!” Honoring their transitional journey from within to the world on the outside.
Do you only offer BCST for babies?
BCST can be done on babies, children and adults of all ages. And the best outcomes with feeding challenges happen when both mom and baby receive regular BCST sessions. Often, Dads and partners request sessions as well which greatly benefit the entire family.
Do you have to be a breastfeeding parent to receive BCST?
I love offering BCST to everyone!! We all need some TLC in today’s fast and frenetic world. BCST is a great way to bring your nervous system back into balance so you can keep on being an amazing human!
For first time CranioSacral Therapy clients, I recommend starting out with the Nervous System Reset package–3 session package of BCST to allow the body to relax and unwind more quickly with each progressive session.