MANITOULIN—One of the most challenging aspects of new motherhood, from both a physical and societal standpoint, can be breastfeeding. Natalie Edward of Manitoulin Family Wellness is hoping to provide services to Island families that can ease that concern.
Ms. Edward has recently completed her certification to become a lactation specialist.
She is no stranger to helping new moms. Before moving to Manitoulin with her husband Louis and family, Ms. Edward was a practicing doula, “a non-medically trained professional who supports, educates, advocates, coaches, and nurtures a birthing person throughout the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey,” according to the Association of Ontario Doulas. She admits that she had to give up the doula moniker, for the most part, as the time constraints with being a rural doula with the closest emergency birthing hospital in Sudbury becoming too much for the busy mother of three.
“So, I decided to look at more prenatal and postnatal support,” she tells The Expositor. “I want to be able to provide families with the availability to get that support with a newborn on the Island.”
Ms. Edwards says she realizes there are other area lactation supports, through Public Health Sudbury and Districts, but hers caters to individual families’ needs and desires.
“I can offer in-home, services, unbiased support,” she explains. “I can help with everything from trouble with breastfeeding to combination feeding to bottle feeding. Every family is different. Everyone needs support in a different way. There is no one size fits all when it comes to these things.”
“Does the baby have good latch? Is baby having enough output (wet diapers)?” Ms. Edward says by way of examples of common lactation questions. “As humans we think we’re just supposed to get this, that it should come naturally, but it takes practice.” She noted the dairy goats on her Manitoulin Farmstead during kidding season. She sometimes provides the kids and their nanny goats with breastfeeding support too as they don’t often catch on right away. “It’s not just us that need help.”
It’s not just lactation support Ms. Edwards offers. She also offers the same post-partum services a doula would. “I can come in and offer an ear to a new parent—compassionate care. I can help set up new baby routines, whether you’re first-time parents or bringing a new addition home, help with meals, even do the laundry if it needs catching up. We all need a little support.”
Ms. Edward is also hoping to expand her scope of support to include regular childhood education classes, prenatal education and she can tailor classes specifically to parents. Deciding whether to have a birth free of medicine or get an epidural? Ms. Edward can walk mothers through the pros and cons and help them come to a conclusion that suits their needs, as an example.
“It’s all about making informed choices,” she adds. “Every baby and family dyad is completely unique. Feeding choices need to reflect that.”
For more information visit NatalieEdward.com or email her at
lactationmanitoulin@gmail.com.
