Hey everyone! My name is Brooke, and I am an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. My husband, John, and I have two children—Madison (born in 2003) and Mackenzie (born in 2005). My breastfeeding journey began when I was a young mom, long before I ever imagined becoming an IBCLC. Unfortunately, I received a lot of incorrect information my first time around. I had no clue what I was doing or where to turn for help. As a result, Madison was supplemented with formula very early on, and we only nursed for about three months before transitioning fully to formula.

 

When I became pregnant again, I knew I wanted a different experience. I wanted to breastfeed exclusively. I read everything I could, leaned on friends who had successfully breastfed their babies (I’m sure they eventually grew tired of my endless questions!), and adopted the mantra, “When you know better, you do better.” Nothing was going to stop me. When my youngest child, Mackenzie, was born, she latched beautifully from the start. We attended La Leche League meetings, I had no supply issues, and she went on to self-wean at 34 months.

 

It was during my breastfeeding journey with Mackenzie that I felt called to help other mothers succeed. I knew breastfeeding was my passion, and I also knew that if I had been given bad information, other parents were receiving it too. In 2010, I became a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor through WIC. In December 2012, I earned my Certified Lactation Counselor credential. During that training, I first heard about the Maternal Child Health: Lactation Consulting Bachelor’s program at Union Institute & University. I knew immediately that becoming an IBCLC was my next step.

 

I was accepted into the program in May 2013. As part of the curriculum, I completed the Advanced Lactation Consultant Certificate and was required to obtain 300 clinical internship hours under the guidance of an IBCLC. I had the privilege of completing those hours with Pat Lindsey, IBCLC, at Sunshine Pediatrics. Pat—who has over 40 years of experience—was an incredible mentor. Although I originally thought I wanted to work in a hospital setting, I quickly fell in love with private practice during my eight months with her.

 

I graduated in April 2016 and became eligible to sit for the IBCLC exam. I took the exam that October and waited the longest two months of my life for the results. In December 2016, I learned that I had passed and was officially certified as an IBCLC. Shortly afterward, Pat retired, and I was honored to step into a position at Sunshine Pediatrics.

 

Outside of working with breastfeeding families, I’ve also been passionate about giving back to the community. In 2013, I joined the board of the local nonprofit GetPUMPed!—a 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing donated breast milk to Central Florida babies who cannot be nursed by their biological mothers due to extraordinary circumstances. I served as Director of Donor Relations for three years before moving into the role of Vice President in 2017. In 2018, I stepped down in order to further my work in lactation full-time.

 

In August 2019, I reached another personal goal and became a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST). Car seat safety has always been incredibly important to me, and now I’m able to merge that passion with the care I provide to families.

 

Family means everything to me, and I deeply understand that what works beautifully for one family may not be the best fit for another. Breastfeeding is not one-size-fits-all. My goal is to help breastfeeding work for you—your baby, your body, your lifestyle, and your goals. I look forward to meeting you and supporting your family during this special chapter in your lives.

 

~ Brooke