In this episode of Behind the Latch, Margaret Salty interviews Dr. Jess Daigle, pediatric hospitalist, NICU physician, founder of Tiny Steps NICU Grad Care, and NICU mom. Drawing from both her professional expertise and personal experience, Dr. Daigle shares how her own NICU journey shaped her passion for supporting families through the vulnerable transition from hospital to home.

Together, they explore the emotional landscape of NICU parenting, the unique lactation challenges that arise in this setting, and how IBCLCs can play a transformative role in bridging gaps between families and the medical team. Dr. Daigle offers practical insights for improving interdisciplinary collaboration, building trust with families, and approaching care with cultural humility and genuine curiosity.

They discuss:

• The emotional toll of the NICU experience for parents, including grief, loss of control, and isolation—and how lactation consultants can approach families with sensitivity.
• How inconsistent messaging across NICU teams can confuse families, and why standardized feeding pathways and shared language are essential.
• The IBCLC’s role in educating and empowering families—especially around premature infant feeding skills, confidence-building, and preparing for discharge.
• Practical strategies for integrating lactation consultants into the NICU care team, moving from “guest” status to core collaborators.
• The importance of recognizing breastfeeding as medicine and addressing the dyad holistically, rather than through siloed disciplines.
• How cultural humility, curiosity, and individualized support can create more equitable and compassionate care for families from diverse backgrounds.
• Dr. Daigle’s vision for systemic change: embedding lactation education early in medical and allied health training to build a unified, dyad-focused model of care
• chat-with-dr-jess-daigle

👩‍⚕️ Guest Info

Dr. Jess Daigle, MD, FAAP

🌐 Instagram: @momandme_md

💼 LinkedIn: Jess Daigle, MD

Anchored in Hope

📝 Connect with Margaret

📧 Email: [email protected]

📸 Instagram: @margaretsalty

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🎙 Hosted by: Margaret Salty

🎧 Guest: Dr. Jess Daigle

🎵 Music by: The Magnifiers, My Time Traveling Machine

#BehindTheLatch #NICU #IBCLC #LactationConsultant #BreastfeedingSupport #MaternalHealth #LactationEducation #FamilyCenteredCare #CulturalHumility #NICUGradCare

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