Each month, Annie and I take a deeper dive into topics and information with an expert to give us more insights on things that we might be incorporating in our clinical practice as well as entrepreneurs and business owners. We're bringing you this snippet today to give you a taste of what these deeper dives are all about.

One more task...and then you'll sit down and enjoy that book in which the bookmark hasn't moved in weeks. Owning a private lactation practice means there will always be tasks that need tending. Granting yourself permission to take a break can be difficult with so many balls in the air. Jabina provided a special lens during this one-hour deeper dive - understanding the demands faced by lactation professionals in private practice and her expertise in the field of mental health. Combining these two gives vital insight into how lactation consultants can say yes to their needs so they can meet the needs of others.

Jabina G. Coleman is a Licensed Social Worker and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She received her bachelors of science for the Pennsylvania State University and her Masters in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice. Jabina has dedicated over a decade to serving women, children, and families throughout the Philadelphia region. Jabina engages with communities through her work as the owner of Life House Lactation & Perinatal Services, LLC, where she provides lactation consultation services and reproductive psychotherapy with a focus on perinatal mental health. She also serves as the co-founder and president of Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color, unifying professionals of color to support communities’ perinatal mental health needs.

Additionally, Jabina is the co-founder of Breastfeeding Awareness & Empowerment (BAE), a grassroots organization created in response to the public outcry surrounding adverse perinatal health outcomes for U.S. black families. Jabina is a dynamic, national speaker spearheading the call to action: Everyone wants to hold the baby, who will hold the mother? Her professional experiences in hospital social work, community organizing and engagement, and private-practice has drawn many to her for mentorship and leadership. Jabina uses her personal and professional experiences to inspire, and promote emotional wellness and balance among her peers.

Jabina’s work has been published in the Clinical Lactation Journal. She is a published author for Breastfeeding and Human Lactation 6th edition and has been featured in multiple media outlets including the Huffington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, WHYY and KYW. Jabina has been honored as a recipient of the United States Breastfeeding Committee Cultural Changemaker Award and was a commencement speaker for the 2011 graduating class at her alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania. Jabina is the mother of two beautiful children, one of which she had the pleasure of breastfeeding for 3.5 years. As evidenced by her work, Jabina’s passion for motherhood and social justice are intertwined - she educates and empowers families along their parenthood journey while dismantling systemic barriers impeding on a culture of health. Jabina is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

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About Us

Leah Jolly is a private practice IBCLC with Bay Area Breastfeeding in Houston, Texas.

Annie Frisbie is a private practice IBCLC serving Queens and Brooklyn in New York City and the creator of the Lactation Consultant Private Practice Toolkit.