Despite breastfeeding successfully in the hospital, new mom Cheryl Kurn Sacks soon found that she had many questions and needed additional support to be successful in breastfeeding her new baby, Emma, once home.
Cheryl, a Manalapan resident, found some challenges with breastfeeding, such as getting Emma to latch correctly. And since she was breastfeeding exclusively, she also had questions on nursing frequency, pumping and storage of breast milk, and production levels.
“I knew going into this I would need patience and I’d have to work at it,” says Cheryl, after seeing others stop breastfeeding when encountering difficulties.
Determined to make it work, she turned to lactation consultant Lysanne Loucel, MBA, IBCLC, who had visited Cheryl daily immediately following her delivery at CentraState’s First Impressions Maternity Center.
Lysanne, an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant with 20 years of experience, assists mothers with all breastfeeding concerns through CentraState’s Lactation Center, established in 2014. Community residents can take advantage of this service regardless of where they delivered or whether they’ve had prior children.
“Lysanne was very warm, inviting, and easy to talk to,” says Cheryl. “I always walked away with greater confidence and the answers I was looking for.”
Lysanne returns all calls within 24 hours and sometimes recommends that new mothers make an appointment with her at the Lactation Center based on need.
“We go over questions and concerns from A to Z,” says Lysanne. “I try to give moms tangible methods to quantify and qualify how well they are doing. It‘s very rare that I can’t find something in my toolbox to make breastfeeding successful.”
When Cheryl learned that Lysanne also led the Mom and Baby Support Group, she began going to the Friday meetings and soon found them to be a place for both friendship and support from other new moms as well.
“It was great to hear from other moms that your baby is not the only one who isn’t sleeping, or that the issues you’re encountering are normal, while having guidance from a clinician,” she says.
In addition, Cheryl has found that she looks forward to getting out of the house for meetings and being able to comfortably breastfeed and bond with her baby among other new moms.
Emma is now eating solid foods and beginning to explore the world. Cheryl credits her success and confidence as a mom to the support she has received at CentraState’s First Impressions Maternity Center.
“As crazy as things get during the week, I know that I have the opportunity to regroup every Friday,” adds Cheryl. “I’m still breastfeeding, and Lysanne has been an integral part through it all.”
To schedule an appointment at the Lactation Center at CentraState, please call 732-303-5258. The free Mom and Baby Support Group meets every Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Star and Barry Tobias Health Awareness Center. Registration is not required and babies are welcome.