Meet Our IBCLCs
North Shore Lactation has a team of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) that are here to provide evidenced-based, compassionate, and comprehensive support to you and your family. Our team is driven to meet you where you are in your own personal feeding journey.
Melissa Block
Melissa is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), Certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C), an administrator for the Chicago Breastfeeding Collective, an accredited Breastfeeding USA Counselor and past Vice President for the Northern Illinois Lactation Consultant Association. She co-founded the North Suburbs chapter of Breastfeeding USA.
After nine successful years in the business world, Melissa found her passion as soon as she started nursing her first-born. Melissa quickly became active with several breastfeeding organizations and started helping dozens of her friends overcome their breastfeeding challenges. At the prompting and encouragement of those friends, Melissa decided to make a career of her passion and sought board certification - the highest achievement in the lactation field.
Melissa is a tethered oral tissues (TOTs) trained IBCLC and a member of The International Affiliation of Tongue-tie Professionals. She has completed extensive education and training on lip ties, tongue ties and buccal ties including the Oral Habilitation of the Breastfeeding Dyad (IBCLC Master Class), Tongue Tie Acaedmy by Dr. Richard Baxter, Untying Ankyloglossia by Bobby Ghaheri, MD and has trained on site with the top release providers in Chicagoland. She confidently supports the dyad throughout the entire process of assessment, treatment and aftercare and partners with qualified providers for frenectomy diagnosis and bodywork.
Melissa cares profoundly about Perinatal Mental Health, screening every patient both prenatally and postnatally. Postpartum depression is the most underdiagnosed obstetric complication in the U.S. and Melissa regulary intercepts this complication, then referring to specialized providers as needed to support a path towards healing.
Melissa frequently speaks and lectures on lactation-related topics. She has also mentored numerous students during their own journey toward becoming an IBCLC.
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Perinatal Mental Health Certified
Certified Lactation Consultant
Northern Illinois Lactation Consultant Association
Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders: Components of Care
Breastfeeding USA Counselor
Sara Pop
Sara Pop is a certified Maternal Newborn Nurse (BSN, RN, RNC-MNN), having specialized her nursing career in working with mothers and infants. Sara has worked as a nurse at Northwestern Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago where she has supported many dyads in the postpartum period, both complicated and uncomplicated. This is where Sara discovered so many mothers with feeding challenges and was motivated to become an advocate for comprehensive lactation care and support. Sara became a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor and then furthered her training by becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (CBC, IBCLC).
Sara now has many years of lactation experience working with dyads both inpatient and outpatient to support breast/chestfeeding. She finds this provides her with a unique perspective in being able to help parents from the beginning through the end of their lactation journey, all while providing general newborn counseling along the way. Sara is certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) and is a strong promoter and advocate for supporting positive mental health for the entire family.
Sara has additional experience in working with mothers who have had breast complications such as breast surgery, hypoplasia, mastitis, severe nipple pain, as well as with infants who were born early and have been in the NICU. Sara has additional certifications and extensive training in ties (tethered oral tissues). She believes assessing infant oral function is crucial as is ruling out any other possible complications that may impact the dyad from meeting their feeding goals.
Sara is an active member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) and the United States Lactation Consultant Association (USLCA). She regularly attends conferences and seminars to stay up to date with the newest, evidence-based lactation practices. Sara teaches lactation workshops for nurses, residents and collaborates with other physicians to promote lactation support.
Sara continues to work both inpatient at Prentice and outpatient at North Shore Lactation. She loves to work with families to provide compassionate, non judgemental lactation support. She would love to support you with achieving your personal feeding goals - whatever they may be!
Jill Aspinwall
Jill Aspinwall has been an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) for 7 years. She has personal experience breastfeeding her own three children for a total of eleven years.
Formerly an OB Tech, Jill assisted on the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative committee at NW Kishwaukee Hospital. She currently provides IBCLC services to parent/baby dyads in postpartum and NICU at Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora, IL.
Jennie Meyer
Jennie Meyer is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and La Leche League Leader. She has previously worked as a Postpartum Doula as well as an Elementary School Teacher.
She has two kids of her own, both of whom were breastfed for a long time, and she has personally experienced the challenges of late preterm babies and readmissions for jaundice related issues. Jennie loves helping families work toward feeding goals step by step, supporting them throughout their journeys!
Lauren Kellner
Lauren is a driven and enthusiastic RN and lnternational Board Certified Lactation Consultant with 8+ years of experience caring for neonates and their families in a hospital and outpatient setting. Lauren builds trust with and empowers families through effective and empathetic communication, with a goal to protect, promote and support breast/chest feeding in every unique situation. She is dedicated to providing the most up-to-date research to families regarding feeding practices and maternal management and care. Lauren is passionate about feeding equity and bodily autonomy for all birthing persons.
Tera Shapiro
Tera Shapiro is a Registered Nurse, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (RN, IBCLC). Tera’s passion for serving women and families was born during her 14 years as a Labor and Delivery nurse.
Tera’s experience breastfeeding her own three children showed her that great support can make all the difference in a breastfeeding journey. She is honored to be able to offer that support with patience and care to help families reach their breastfeeding goals. Tera currently provides outpatient lactation care to families in the Milwaukee area.
Julie Goudzwaard
Julie is an RN/IBCLC and has 15 years experience in pediatrics and Ob/newborn care. She has nursed 4 children in their toddler years and pumped for 1 with special needs (including tube feeding).
Julie has training in tethered oral tissues (TOTs) through the IBCLC Masterclass and is involved in her local breastfeeding coalition. In private practice since 2018, Julie is passionate about coming alongside parents where they are in their journey. She is proud to offer all families kindness, compassion and a listening ear.
Professional Memberships & Associations
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