From the beginning...
Before Mary had any children, she had breast reduction surgery and was told that she wouldn't be able to breastfeed. Three years later, she gave birth to her first child and after preparing herself for the idea that breastfeeding just wouldn't work out, Mary was beside herself that her baby latched and suckled happily. Within a few weeks, however, it became clear that something was amiss when her baby was still not back to birth weight. At that point, the pediatrician recommended she see an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant). After a half hour or so, the IBCLC told Mary that she had a low milk supply because of her reduction and that she should be offering formula after every feeding. Mary did so, feeling deflated that she had provided sustenance for so long for her baby but that it was just not enough.
Within a week of supplementing with a bottle of formula after every nursing session, the baby would no longer latch on. By the second week, Mary was no longer able to pump any milk at all, even with the hospital-grade pump she had rented. She was crushed, and feeling wholly inadequate. The sting of regret for having had breast surgery before having children was one that she hadn't anticipated. She was now exclusively feeding formula by bottle to her baby, and any time she tried to latch her the baby would begin screaming hysterically. That was the end of their breastfeeding relationship, or so Mary thought.
A few weeks later, while snuggling skin to skin, Mary's then 3-month-old baby did the breast crawl and latched on. It was a fleeting moment, but it happened! Mary and her baby made eye contact, and Mary knew then that they'd get through this. And off she went on her journey to learn all she could about re-lactation, breastfeeding after breast reduction, tongue ties (the issue was only that her baby was tongue tied- the milk supply problems were secondary!), and combating flow preference caused by bottle feeding. The world of care providers who seem like they would rather just come up with a diagnosis that sounds right rather than have an educated discussion about the latest evidence, so that the client can make a truly informed treatment decision, became a source of great concern for her.
Within a week of supplementing with a bottle of formula after every nursing session, the baby would no longer latch on. By the second week, Mary was no longer able to pump any milk at all, even with the hospital-grade pump she had rented. She was crushed, and feeling wholly inadequate. The sting of regret for having had breast surgery before having children was one that she hadn't anticipated. She was now exclusively feeding formula by bottle to her baby, and any time she tried to latch her the baby would begin screaming hysterically. That was the end of their breastfeeding relationship, or so Mary thought.
A few weeks later, while snuggling skin to skin, Mary's then 3-month-old baby did the breast crawl and latched on. It was a fleeting moment, but it happened! Mary and her baby made eye contact, and Mary knew then that they'd get through this. And off she went on her journey to learn all she could about re-lactation, breastfeeding after breast reduction, tongue ties (the issue was only that her baby was tongue tied- the milk supply problems were secondary!), and combating flow preference caused by bottle feeding. The world of care providers who seem like they would rather just come up with a diagnosis that sounds right rather than have an educated discussion about the latest evidence, so that the client can make a truly informed treatment decision, became a source of great concern for her.
To the present...
In 2015, Mary completed birth doula training with Life Cycles Center and co-founded Village- a holistic family center offering doula services, family workshops and events, massage, yoga, and more. Her Breastfeeding Counseling accreditation came from Breastfeeding USA (2016). Her doula training includes both the Life Cycles Birth Doula Training (2015) as well as Postpartum doula training with ProDoula (2016) with certification received from Life Cycles Center in 2016. She has received her certification in Lactation Counseling (CLC) from the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice in early 2017. In October 2017, the Breastfeeding Support Center of WNY was open for business.
Mary lives in the Elmwood Village neighborhood of Buffalo, NY with her two small children, a two middle-aged parrots and a cat who loves being worn in a sling. In the good weather she can be found exploring the forest with her children, running amok at music festivals, and camping whenever time allows. She's also an excellent gluten free, nut free, seed free vegetarian cook.
The early part of Mary's adulthood was spent focusing on both human and non-human welfare issues, and as an activist and documentary filmmaker. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for a 501(c)3 organization in Colorado called Rooster Sanctuary, a safe long-term home for abused and abandoned animals which predominately focuses on rooster (specifically cock-fighter) rescue, but which homes other farmed animals as well, and dabbles in nonprofit grant writing.
Mary is also currently enrolled in a Master's Degree program in Maternal Health and Lactation and is writing her Master's Thesis on the subject of tongue-ties entitled The Truth about TOTs: Unpacking the controversies of diagnostics, treatment and follow-up care of tethered oral tissues. She expects to sit for the International Board Certification exam in Breastfeeding Consultation in the Fall of 2018 and is writing a full curriculum for providers to explain the importance of tongue function assessments and to work towards universal provider competence with regard to suck function in breastfeeding infants.
Mary lives in the Elmwood Village neighborhood of Buffalo, NY with her two small children, a two middle-aged parrots and a cat who loves being worn in a sling. In the good weather she can be found exploring the forest with her children, running amok at music festivals, and camping whenever time allows. She's also an excellent gluten free, nut free, seed free vegetarian cook.
The early part of Mary's adulthood was spent focusing on both human and non-human welfare issues, and as an activist and documentary filmmaker. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for a 501(c)3 organization in Colorado called Rooster Sanctuary, a safe long-term home for abused and abandoned animals which predominately focuses on rooster (specifically cock-fighter) rescue, but which homes other farmed animals as well, and dabbles in nonprofit grant writing.
Mary is also currently enrolled in a Master's Degree program in Maternal Health and Lactation and is writing her Master's Thesis on the subject of tongue-ties entitled The Truth about TOTs: Unpacking the controversies of diagnostics, treatment and follow-up care of tethered oral tissues. She expects to sit for the International Board Certification exam in Breastfeeding Consultation in the Fall of 2018 and is writing a full curriculum for providers to explain the importance of tongue function assessments and to work towards universal provider competence with regard to suck function in breastfeeding infants.
Special experience, training, & education
Mary has been fortunate enough to amass a myriad of experience early on into her career. In addition to her personal experience in breastfeeding after a breast reduction (BFAR), achieving re-lactation (to a full supply), witnessing multiple frenotomy procedures in her children (both of whom were tongue-tied), bringing a baby who is no longer breastfeeding back to the breast after a prolonged period, and eventually tandem nursing both her children through the preschool years (and beyond), Mary has been able to fit in some more professional experiences outside of her formal training.
In December 2014, Mary had the extreme pleasure of shadowing Dr. Jack Newman, pediatrician and IBCLC, of the International Breastfeeding Centre in Toronto, Canada. It was an amazing learning experience and an honor to be able to watch one of the best in the field work at his trade and spend a day learning from Dr. Newman and his fleet of lactation consultants.
In early 2015, Mary cofounded Village, a cooperative group of businesses with a common goal: Supporting growing families both physically and emotionally, and inspiring a fresh sense of community in a hectic and an increasingly isolated world. Services offered include doula services, prenatal and postpartum massage, postpartum emotional support, and more! Due to the demand of Mary's lactation clients, we outgrew the original Village location and the Breastfeeding Support Center of WNY was born. Around this time, Mary also began teaching the breastfeeding education portion for the Buffalo Doula Collective's birth and postpartum doula training curriculum.
In the Springs of 2017 and 2018 Mary attended specialized lectures on Tethered Oral Tissues from world renowned expert on ties, Dr. Larry Kotlow, and other industry leaders. Content included an update on current evidence within multiple fields (dental, lactation, chiropractic, craniosacral, otolaryngology and orthodontic) and extensive education on tongue function, such assessment and diagnostic information about ties of the lip and tongue.
Mary's Master’s Thesis is focused upon the tongue-tied baby and the related health impacts of restricted oral tissues. Studies included three semesters of instruction and clinical supervision of world renowned lactation and craniosacral therapy expert Dr. Alison Hazelbaker.
In the Summer of 2018, Mary attended the inaugural conference for the International Consortium of Oral Ankylofrenula Professionals (ICAP) conference in Toronto, Ontario. Education provided there included three days of intensive programming, covering a wide variety of modalities including Speech and Language Pathology, Craniosacral Therapy and bodywork, Orthodontics, Dentistry, Linguadontics and of course, Lactation Consultation.
In December 2018, Mary successfully completed her Master's degree in Health and Wellness with a specialization in Maternal Health and Lactation and completed her Thesis entitled: The Truth about TOTs: Unpacking the controversies of diagnostics, treatment and impact of tethered oral tissues. As of Jan 1, 2019 she is a credentialed International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, having scored 90% correct on the certifying exam created by the International Board of Lactation Examiners.
Wherever you are within the parenting time frame- from the decision to bring a child into your family all the way through the extreme postpartum period (usually ending with preschool age, when the family naturally transitions to a different season of life), Mary can either provide you with direct, individualized support or refer you to the best and best and brightest local professionals for the job. Mary is happy to support biological mothers and fathers, adoptive mothers and fathers, LBGTQ+ as single parents (we also have a special single parents support group!) through natural birth, surgical birth, birth with or without medication, hospital birth, home birth... and the list goes on. You deserve individualized, evidence-based, sensitive care for you and your growing family.
With Dr. Larry Kotlow in 2018.
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With Dr. Jack Newman in 2014.
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With Dr. Alison Hazelbaker in 2018.
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