About Me

Some of you may know me from my 26+ years as a pediatric nurse and lactation consultant at Park Ridge Pediatrics. I have helped many mom/baby couplets have successful breastfeeding experiences over the years. It has always been my passion to help families grow together through their first experiences as lactating parents. I believe that it is my duty to promote nature's way of maternal and infant bonding through nutrition thus forming a permanent connection, not only for mom and baby but for all the members of the young family.

I became a Registered Nurse in 1978, and worked in the newborn nursery at Resurrection Hospital for 18 years. I became a certified NICU nurse, working with premature and sick babies. It was there where I learned to help moms promote breastfeeding and milk production, and teach the importance of mother's milk for the growing neonate. 

I am also the mother of 4 beautiful children, all of whom were exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months and continued through 15-17 months as they learned to transition to table foods and self-feeding. I experienced nursing while working, pumping to maintain supply, nursing a sick baby, mastitis, engorgement and nipple pain/excoriation. All of these experiences have helped me to understand what all mothers go through at various times in their lactation journey. Even the process of weaning, though bittersweet, taught me how to gradually 'let go' of my babies and let them soar!

I am starting a new journey as a private IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant). I have retired from office nursing, but wanted to continue supporting and assisting those in need of lactation services. I have been an IBCLC for 6 years now, a CBC (Certified Breastfeeding Counselor) for over 10 years previous to that, and I have the wealth of knowledge and experience to assist you in your lactation journey.

Most women fully intend to breastfeed from the start, only to find out that it is not as easy as the literature describes. Many women have issues, questions, and concerns and are even skeptical that it actually works!

Believe me, I was so naive with my first child! I really thought a newborn would feed for 20 minutes and sleep for 4 hours between feedings - boy, was I wrong! But if you know this going in, you will have the confidence to continue the "The Milky Way" until you and baby are ready to stop.