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LISA BLOOM IBCLC, CHC
Lactation Consultant & Health Coach
I answer to a lot of different names - although my favorite lately has been GRANDMA as shouted by my two year old granddaughter, followed by a big hug! I am also a runner, biker, mom, daughter, sister, friend, yogi, cook, website builder, etc. I live in Chattanooga, was born and raised in Michigan, and have experienced many places in between!
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My Parenting Journey
​Yep those are my two kiddos smiling in the pictures above (or maybe below if you are on a mobile phone.) Laughing, and happy, and well-fed. That wasn't the case most of the time with my first. She was fussy, and demanding and wanted to be attached...all...the...time. Her dad was out of the country and I was going crazy because I didn't know what to do with this baby. I was not (and still am not) in possession of the "baby magic touch". When she cried, my toolbox contained one item - breastfeeding. It made her stop crying (most of the time), until her belly was overfull. Then she would cry because she spit up or because she pooped or because I didn't hold her exactly the right way, and bounce the way she expected based on the music that she preferred that was or was not playing at the time! It was maddening, frustrating and just a tad bit overwhelming. I cried when she cried, I slept when she slept (attached to my breast - I didn't dare move!)
Twenty-one months later, along came my son. I continued breastfeeding my daughter throughout my pregnancy and then tandem nursed. They were like night and day. My son was laid back, and often fell asleep in random places without me. To me, this was a miracle. It may have been more of a second child thing but he helped me realize that babies come out with personality. I adapted my parenting style to accommodate those differences. I continued to breastfed both of my kids until they were 3 1/2 years old. Not because I had any profound reason, more because I needed my get-them-to-sleep/stop-crying/bribery tool.
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Breastfeeding saved my children's lives. Not because human milk gave them this kicking immune system (it did), but the act of breastfeeding made me a semi-peaceful mama. As they got older, I developed other tools, but in the midst of chaos it was still my go-to. The hormones of breastfeeding activated some very dormant "love my baby" vibe that helped me to overcome an aversion to all things baby prior to getting pregnant.
All this makes me different from the typical lactation consultant. I have been led on this path to help other mamas who may be feeling that they don't fit, that they aren't good mamas. We all mama differently - what worked for me/your neighbor/your mama may not work for you. My job is to help you figure out what does work for you, in the unique craziness that is your life. And give you support and guidance to be the mama you are meant to be, in all the joy and tears you get to experience.
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​I look forward to partnering with you in your parenting journey!
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Musings
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Normal people can do extraordinary things. I started up the first milk depot in Knoxville, and was #2 in volume for Tennessee my first year of operation beating out several large hospitals. In my 50s, I have run a few 10Ks, a 1/2 marathon, sprint triathlon and a 50K, most of those after recovery from a heart attack.
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Friends make a difference. For years I have been a part of a book club called Armchair Travelers. While a book brings us together, it is the friendships that support each other when life happens.
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If it doesn't exist, create it. Sometimes what I want doesn't exist, like when I wanted a group to run and/or walk with me before yoga classes. Instead of wishing for someone else to create what I wanted, I started it myself.
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Self-care is not optional. I have had to prioritize taking care of my own needs which became so apparent when I broke my ankle. My energy is not infinite. Sleep is my super-power and lack of it my kryptonite. I don't work crazy hours, or sacrifice too much for my business because I cannot be helpful if I am drained.