Katie The Traveling Lactation Consultant

Being born is quite difficult and traumatic, even in the best of situations.  It's hard- on both the parent and newborn.  Chiropractic care helps get the dyad moving and feeling better, and this means breastfeeding better as well.  Katie Oshita and Dr Rachel Kuperus discuss what skilled bodywork looks like for a newborn (**hint- it's not 5-10 min visits**) and how this helps with tongue tie, torticollis and feeding challenges.  Supporting dyads through skilled bodywork and lactation leads to easier breastfeeding and calmer, happier families.

Podcast Guest: Dr. Rachael Kuperus graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 2009 with both a Bachelors of Science and a Doctor of Chiropractic degree.  She is Board certified by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and the Kentucky Board of Chiropractic Examiners.  While all Chiropractors learn about pediatrics in Chiropractic school, Dr. Rachael was not satisfied with one class.  She pursued a Board Certification in Pediatrics after chiropractic school.  She spent 3 years studying pediatrics and maternal care while working at a non-profit to provide chiropractic to complicated pediatric and maternal chiropractic cases.  She holds a Diplomate in Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (DICCP) through the International Chiropractic Association and Palmer College. Dr Rachael is a published author in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, and regularly lectures to other chiropractors on topics of pediatrics and maternal care.

In 2012, Dr. Rachael opened Kuperus Family Chiropractic with a mission to provide chiropractic care for all members of the family. She has adjusted babies a few hours old, those in their 90s, pregnant women and everyone in between. She has additional training in Webster and Bagnell techniques for pregnant patients.

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 24 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  While Katie sees clients locally in western WA, Katie is also a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com 

Year 3 for podcasting is done!  This year saw the end of constant traveling and instead a focus on international virtual travel.  The recordings were with 10 IBCLC's, 4 Release providers, 4 Bodyworkers, 6 solo recordings, and 2 other providers.  They spanned 6 countries-  Ireland, Lithuania, Spain, Australia, Germany and Canada.  Discussing and learning with providers across the globe helps to understand better lactation, tongue tie and the needs of families everywhere.   

Katie Oshita also discusses the end to the year-long Holistic Lactation Residency by Jennifer Tow.  Watching amazing providers in Connecticut- Dr Sharon Vallone, Dr Lenny Kundel and Dr Michael Geis- work together to support optimal function.  Learning new holistic modalities and how to view health and wellness differently.

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 24 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  While Katie sees clients locally in western WA, Katie is also a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com 

Having a bodyworker with hands on during a release isn't popular, but it has profound results.  Dr Michael Geis, an Osteopath trained in Osteopathic Manual Manipulation and Cranial Techniques and has chosen to specialize in oral ties after dealing with his own ties and those of his kids.  During the residency in CT for the Holistic Lactation course, Katie Oshita was able to watch Dr Geis guide an adult release with Dr Kundel.  In this episode Katie and Dr Geis discuss but how a guided release can dramatically improve outcomes and how important buccal ties are.

Podcast Guest:  Dr. Geis is a traditional Osteopathic Physician specializing in Neuromuscular Medicine (NMM) and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM). He graduated as a member of the Psi Sigma Alpha National Osteopathic Honor Society with honors from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2011. During his time in medical school, Dr. Geis was awarded an academic teaching fellowship with an extra one year focus on Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and was the recipient of the Stanley Schiowitz Award for Excellence in Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Geis completed his residency training and was the Chief Resident at one of the top programs in the country for NMM/OMM at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, NY.  Dr Geis practices at Integrative Family Medicine of CT in Stamford, CT.

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 24 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  While Katie sees clients locally in western WA, Katie is also a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com 

In this episode Katie Oshita talks about how people aren’t healthy anymore- fertility rates are on the decline, pregnant patients are less healthy, children aren't healthy in their childhood anymore.  Airway and  movement dysfunction (snoo, swaddle, containers, then kids and adults sitting and not outside).  There are toxins all around us- mold, Lyme, plastics, chemicals, VOC's.  Our food is less nutritious due to less minerals in soil.  

So what can you do about it- go back in time and use things that work- home remedies, homeopathy, nature, holistic modalities such as EFT, red light, movement, acupuncture/pressure and much more.  Listen as Katie discusses not only the state of health in this country but what she sees in her own family and private practice.

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 24 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  While Katie sees clients locally in western WA, Katie is also a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine and holistic practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com 

OT and Lactation can have a very complementary relationship however, sadly it's frequently a complicated relationship instead.  In this episode Katie Oshita and Nat Udwin discuss how IBCLCs and OTs can not only support each other but support families for better results.  OT is all about skills to "do your job" which can mean work skills for an adult, but for a baby their job is eat, sleep, poop, exist comfortably.  In their OT practice, Nat sees a lot of fussy babies, with sleep, feeding breathing and regulation difficulties.  There can be delayed milestones, impaired reflex expression/integration, and asymmetry.  Nat sees many clients virtually, teaching parents how to use play and movement to help their child thrive.   Working together with an IBCLC and OT isn't always necessary but when there are issues needing more support, the results are astounding.

Podcast Guest: Nat (Natalie Udwin) is an infant development, airway and reflexive feeding specialist AKA pediatric OT.  On IG, most people know them as "Nat The Baby OT".  Nat's home base is in Atlanta, GA but they also work virtually with families all over the world.   Nat has a B.A. in Studio Art from Whitman College, an M.S. in OT from Milligan College and has been an OT for 12 years.  They have specialized in infant development for 7 years now.  Nat has a 4 year old son named Ari and enjoys anything in or on water, hiking, traveling, abstract painting and drawing and is definitely happiest outdoors.  

Sometime around 2015, Nat's eyes were opened to the world of reflex integration, which completely transformed their practice.  Finally, Nat was seeing skills were sticking and carrying over to other aspects of daily life that just weren't happening before for their patients.  It was the "foundational" approach to therapy that Nat had been trying to figure out for years.  After a couple of years of learning to integrate or inhibit retained reflexes, Nat began to ask WHY.  Why were all of these kids retaining these reflexes from infancy into childhood?  What was happening developmentally to change their trajectory?  Nat needed to know.  

So . . . Nat dove headfirst into infant development courses.  They quickly learned about the importance of human connection and emotional regulation in early infancy, as well as the developmental importance of strong breathing and oral motor skills to support a lifetime of healthy growth.  It was now all starting to make sense.  The next step was to start working with infants, and to put all of this new knowledge to the test.  Nat, alongside some incredible mentors and colleagues, has spent the past 7 years mastering their understanding of infant development to not only become an infant development specialist, but to create what is now the foundation of a holistic airway focused practice for children of all ages.  

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 24 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  While Katie sees clients locally in western WA, Katie is also a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com 

Tongue tie is not a US phenomenon.  Tongue ties have been known about and treated for hundreds of years, but in the last decade the field has dramatically expanded.  Part of that is more recognition, part is epigenetic changes causing more tongue ties, more vaulted palates, more narrow jaws than ever before.

In this episdoe Katie Oshita and Dr Shereen Lim discuss tongue tie climates both in the US and in Australia where Dr Lim practices in Perth, in Western Australia.   Dr Lim promarily sees infants, though does work with tied humans of all ages.  Both Katie and Dr Lim are passionate aobut educating parents and providers alike for things can can both positively and negatively effect oral development such as pacifiers, solid foods and chewing, and nasal breathing.  Listen here for more about the collaborative team approach across the globe.

Podcast Guest: Dr Shereen Lim is a Perth based dentist with a post graduate diploma in dental sleep medicine from the University of Western Australia.  She has been involved in the team management of snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea since 2011.  Dr Lim is dedicated to promoting airway health from infancy as an alternative approach to minimize the development of these problems, and is author of the book “Breathe, Sleep, Thrive: Discover How Airway Health Can Unlock Your Child’s Greater Health, Learning and Potential.” Her work in private practice is restricted to tongue tie management from infancy to adulthood, early interceptive orthodontics and myofunctional therapy.

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 24 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  While Katie sees clients locally in western WA, Katie is also a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com 

Most families in the US do some form of combination feeding, using bottles and frequently breast pumps.  The sheer volume of new pumps, bottles, and other feeding supplies is enough to overwhelm most IBCLC's.  To stay current on new equipment means either many hours researching, or taking a course from someone who did all the research and work already.  Jeanette Mesite Frem is known in the world of lactation to be that person.  Jeanette has spent years specializing in all things pumping and bottle feeding, has nearly every breast pump and bottle, and can explain all the pros and cons of each!  Listen as Katie Oshita and Jeanette Mesite Frem discuss Jeanett'es deep dive into pumping, her soon-to-be-released study on flange fitting, and what the FITS acronym means in the lactation world.

Podcast guest: Jeanette Mesite Frem, MHS, IBCLC, RLC, CCE is an experienced childbirth educator, IBCLC-lactation consultant and retired birth doula. She started her career working with families while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa in the early 90s. She loved that work so much she went on to receive a public health masters degree from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, focusing her studies on nutrition for maternal and child health. Her two children were breastfed for more than 2 years each and Jeanette has experience pumping at work for both children and has supported thousands of families with feeding and pumping over the last 20 years.

Jeanette provides prenatal childbirth and breastfeeding classes at her office in Northborough, Massachusetts, as well as providing virtual and office feeding consultations. She also enjoys leading workshops and speaking at conferences for lactation and perinatal health professionals and mentoring those who work with families. If you have questions, feel free to email [email protected].

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 22 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  Katie is a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com 

Every professional specializes overtime.  Sometimes it's an instant pull and choice, other times it's a slow process where you learn more and more about an area and become an expert about it.  For Amber Ginn, it was much more instantaneous.  As a teen mother, Amber Ginn is acutely aware of the challenges and special needs supporting a teen mother with feeding her baby.  In this episode, Katie and Amber discuss challenging parts of supporting these parents- from insurance/Medicaid hurdles to empowering teen parents to make their own feeding choices instead of being told what to do.  Listen here to learn more about supporting teen and young parents.

Podcast Guest:  Amber Ginn, IBCLC, IYCFS. Amber is based in the Triad of N and has been supporting families since 2019. Amber takes a whole-woman view of the mama she works with and supports them in meeting whatever their breastfeeding goals may be. Amber had my first child as a teen, and as such developed a keen interest in all things birth and breastfeeding. After a semester of nursing school out of high school, Amber decided the allopathic medical system was not a place she wanted to be. Amber studied to become a doula and breastfeeding counselor and moved to Puerto Rico for a year. During her time in Puerto Rico, she studied via pathway 3 to become an IBCLC. Amber worked full-time with a nonprofit providing breastfeeding support and worked with hundreds of amazing families. After returning to the states and settling back in the Triad, Amber started my private practice with the focus on holistic and ancestral health. Amber believe all mamas can meet their goals when provided with support and empowered with information. Amber offers in-home visits in the Triad and virtual visits to mamas across the US and accepts insurance as well. For teen mamas, Amber works on a sliding scale to make care as accessible as possible.  Mamas can reach me via my socials @nourishedrootslactation or via my website.

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 22 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  Katie is a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com 

In this episode Katie Oshita discusses some of the healing and holistic modalities that she is learning through the Holistic Lactation residency course she is taking.  Comparing and contrasting allopathic/mainstream "normal" interventions such as antibiotics, swaddling, pacifiers, formula,  bottles and prescription medications with natural/holistic options such as homeopathy and cell salts, EFT, home remedies and herbs Katie discusses how these choices effect our wellness.  Stop living just surviving and seek out true wellness, to thrive.

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 22 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  Katie is a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com 

In this episode, Katie Oshita and Gina Nigro discuss lactation support and tongue tie in both the US and Spain.  In both locations, there are a lot of differences in the care available, and many similarities.  Both parts of the world have many confusing options when trying to find a "breastfeeding expert".  Listen as Katie and Gina discuss ways to support clients, encourage community and educate providers about the importance of expert lactation support.

Podcast Guest: Gina Nigro is a bilingual (English/Spanish) lactation consultant (IBCLC) that has been assisting breastfeeding mothers for over 25 years, and now through telehealth all over the world.

Like many new mothers, when Gina had her first baby, she was overwhelmed by conflicting information: at the hospital, at the pediatrician, and from well-meaning friends and family.

Gina’s realization that she would have missed out on experiencing breastfeeding had it not been for the quality support she finally received, led her to want to “pay it forward” and help others. She first trained as a volunteer breastfeeding counselor in Houston, Texas, then as a birth doula in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and finally sat for the exam to become an IBCLC in Seville, Spain. She is currently living in Oropesa del Mar in Spain.

Gina believes that all mothers deserve quality emotional and educational support so they can have a fulfilling experience breastfeeding their babies. It shouldn’t be just a matter of good luck. She's dedicated to giving mothers effective guidance and caring support with real results. Her greatest satisfaction is the joy of seeing that look on both mothers’ and babies’ faces that says: Just what I always wanted.

Podcast host: Katie Oshita, RN, BSN, IBCLC has over 22 years of experience working in Maternal-Infant Medicine.  Katie is a telehealth lactation consultant believing that clients anywhere in the world deserve the best care possible for their needs.  Being an expert on TOTs, Katie helps families everywhere navigate breastfeeding struggles, especially when related to tongue tie or low supply.  Katie is also passionate about finding the root cause of symptoms, using Functional Medicine practices to help client not just survive, but truly thrive. Email [email protected] or www.cuddlesandmilk.com