Photos taken by Katrena Wize Artography
We are excited to celebrate Tiffany Slade! Tiffany is the founder and owner of Birthing Boldly, LLC. She has always had a passion for working with birthing people and babies prenatally and during their postpartum period. Tiffany is a IBCLC (Lactation Consultant), Nurse Tech, Lactation Educator, Full Spectrum Holistic Fertility, Birth and Postpartum Doula as well as a placenta encapsulator. She is also a certified Virtual Doula and certified in CPR.
Tiffany has worked for Women’s Hospital of Greensboro and gained experience working in Mother/Baby and Central Nursery in addition to floating within Labor and Delivery and the Pediatric and Women’s unit. Her Lactation experience includes working with women in her local community through Public Health and in her private practice. This passion has helped her develop Birthing Boldly, LLC.
What are some of the benefits of breastfeeding/chestfeeding?
Breastfeeding/Chestfeeding has many benefits for the lactating parent and baby. Benefits for the nursing parent can include a reduce risk of getting breast/ovarian cancer, hemorrhaging and can cause an increase in hormones that can help bring on a positive mood.
It also allows the parent and baby to create a healthy bond and the parent to learn baby’s feeding cues.
*Interesting fact: Nursing individuals uterus will go back to pre-pregnancy size due to breastfeeding/chestfeeding. Parents giving formula (not nursing) uterus will never go completely back to its original size! The benefits for babies include a lower infant mortality rate, reduce risk for childhood cancers, allergies, diabetes, obesity, SIDS and other common illnesses. There has also been studies showing babies who receive breastmilk have improved brain function and fewer speech and orthodontic issues.
Why are black IBCLC’s important for our community?
It is important for parents to receive education and help from people who look like them and can relate to their life situations. It allows families to open up fully to their IBCLC and no barriers are in place to impede education. When families feel misunderstood or judged they become closed off and decide not to receive the needed help or discontinue nursing.
Were you supported during your lactation journey?
If so who inspired and supported you? I was the first person in my immediate family to nurse, so I had no help. While my family didn’t understand my choice, they were supportive. But with that support was a lack of knowledge. I struggled with sore/cracked nipples in the beginning. Still having no clue how to fix the problem, I began to research and read more but I was determined not to quit. Fast forward to today, I nursed my first for 1.5yr, second 3yrs and still nursing my 2yr old while currently pregnant. I will add since nursing all my children and bringing more awareness to my family they are more open and encourage other people to nurse their babies.
I feel I could’ve benefited from a black IBCLC, the knowledge, and seeing someone like me doing what I wanted to do would have been even more encouraging.
What services do you offer and how are they making a positive impact for your clients?
We offer lactation consultations, fertility, birth and postpartum doula services as well as nutrition counseling and mental health therapy. We also have a variety of classes geared to families and birth tub/breast pump rentals. Our services has made a positive impact for many families who are unable to get the help they need whether its financial or lack of support in our community. We provide scholarships for families in need along with our new teen program geared to providing free prenatal/postpartum education and doula services to expecting parents.