Sharen Medrano, IBCLC, MPA
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
ph: 347-306-3595
ibclc
About Me
My interest in the field of breastfeeding began when I was pregnant with my son, Colin. Coming from a family where breastfeeding was not the norm and having met mothers who had a difficult time nursing their babies, I tried to become as informed as possible. I read nursing books and attended meetings hosted by breastfeeding moms.
Despite my preparation, I experienced several challenges in the early weeks. Determined to make breastfeeding work, I sought the expertise of a Lactation Consultant who helped turn things around.
Identifying a need for more education and support, and having enjoyed my nursing experience, I decided to pursue a more fulfilling career in the field.
I received my training, to become an LC, on the Labor and Delivery floor of Jacobi Medical Center. I worked alongside an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who has helped nursing moms for over twenty-five years. During my time there, I had the opportunity to work with hundreds of mothers and the privilege to witness several births.
I also worked as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor at the Ryan-Nena Center on the Lower East Side, where I taught the prenatal breastfeeding class, assessed mothers and their babies in the support group, and provided continuous help throughout their breastfeeding experience.
(Sharen runs the weekly Breastfeeding Group at the Yummy Mummy Store, blogs for the store and teaches a prenatal class at the 92nd Y, while she maintains her private practice).
"If a multinational company developed a product that was a nutritionally balanced and delicious food, a wonder drug that both prevented and treated disease, cost almost nothing to produce and could be delivered in quantities controlled by the consumers' needs, the very announcement of their find would send their shares rocketing to the top of the stock market. The scientists who developed the product would win prizes and the wealth and influence of everyone involved would increase dramatically. Women have been producing such a miraculous substance, breastmilk, since the beginning of human existence."
~Gabrielle Palmer
Boob Scoop!
Mothers often wonder how they will ever get to pump enough milk to fill up 8oz bottles, especially when returning to work. The reality is that most breastfeeding mothers won't ever pump that amount, so go ahead and sigh in relief. The reason for this is that after the first month, milk volume stays about the same, increasing somewhat during times of growth spurts, but instead changes in composition. The change in composition is the key element. Unique to breastmilk is the fact that it changes according to a baby's age. Remarkable, right? So although your baby is getting about the same in volume, from the end of month 1- 6, your breastmilk is continuously adjusting in composition to meet her growing and developmental needs. This is also great news for protecting a baby's size by providing her with the right amount of food, without overstretching her belly. This is part of the reason why breastfed babies are at a lower risk for obesity throughout their childhood and later on in life.
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Contact Information:
ibclc@nycbreastfeeding.com
Phone: 347-306-3595
Sharen's 20 month old daughter, Mia, continues to happily nurse and enjoys working with mom at the Tuesday afternoon group at the
Yummy Mummy Store.
Copyright 2010 Sharen Medrano, IBCLC. All rights reserved.
ph: 347-306-3595
ibclc
