We were thrilled to interview Heather Elkins, an Internationally Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) at RootLove Lactation Services, LLCand boost the wonderful work she does for her clients.
WishGarden Herbs: Why do you think lactation consultants are so important today?
Heather Elkins: I believe lactation consultants are so important today because our society has suffered a significant loss of cultural knowledge when it comes to breastfeeding. We no longer often witness our family, friends and community members breastfeeding as an everyday way of feeding a child. We are also unable to regularly seek their expert advice if lactation problems or questions arise. I am very proud to provide individualized lactation education and support, but I am equally proud to support the growth of peer-to-peer lactation support networks in our community because I believe this is where the real shift towards recovery of the loss takes place. of cultural knowledge.
WGH: How did you get into this type of work?
HE: When my son was born nine years ago, I left full-time law practice, but I knew I still wanted to do something outside the home. I struggled with breastfeeding my son in the early days of his life and received crucial breastfeeding support, which allowed me to successfully breastfeed him for over two years. To fund this, I began volunteering with Boulder County’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC), providing breastfeeding counseling to participants. I quickly discovered that I had a passion for this work and took the Certified Lactation Consultant (CLC) training to increase my knowledge. Ultimately, I took the substantial courses and training to become an Internationally Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). I opened my private practice, RootLove Lactation Services, in January 2019. It has been a long but rewarding journey to get where I am today.
WGH: What role have herbs and other supplements played in your practice?
HE: While it is beyond my practice as an IBCLC to specifically recommend herbs or other supplements, many lactating parents I work with come to my practice wanting to use herbs to help with challenges such as clogged ducts or low milk supply, or are curious to the potential benefit of herbs to ease their lactation journey. That’s why I often share information with my clients about the traditional role of herbs in supporting lactation, such as Goat Rue to stimulate milk supply (always in combination with good milk drainage), Calendula for its fungal normalizing and healing properties, and WishGarden’s Happy Canal Tincture for healthy milk ducts.
Clients are often impressed with the beneficial effects that herbs have in supporting their lactation needs. It is also important to remember that while herbs can be powerful tools, working with a lactation consultant such as an IBCLC to get to the root cause of lactation/lactation problems is often crucial to ensuring successful results. Because many herbs are powerful medications, people should always check with their healthcare provider before using an herbal supplement to ensure it is the right choice for their individual medical history.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
Read further