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 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 specializes in bottle refusal, an area that many parents find themselves navigating during their feeding journey.
Melissa cares profoundly about Perinatal Mental Health, screening every patient both prenatally and postnatally. Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders are 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 Registered Nurse (BSN, RN, RNC-MNN) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with over 10 years of patient care experience. Sara specialized her nursing career in working with mothers and infants at Prentice, a Level III hospital in downtown Chicago. This is where Sara discovered so many parents with feeding challenges and was motivated to become an advocate for comprehensive lactation care and support. Sara continues to work with dyads both inpatient and outpatient and 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 a certified Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) provider and strives to ensure that all families have a personalized feeding plan supportive of mental health. Sara has certifications and extensive training in oral ties (tethered oral tissues) in addition to her years as a dental assistant to an oral surgeon. Sara has specialized experience in working with mothers who have had breast complications such as breast surgery, plugged ducts, mastitis, severe nipple pain, as well as with infants who were born early and have been in the NICU.
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 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 10 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.
Tiffany Hicks
Tiffany is a dedicated Registered Nurse (RN) who is certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing (RNC-MNN) and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with over 6 years of experience in postpartum care. She continues to work as a bedside RN at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital, where she has supported countless new mothers/birthing parents and their newborns in the crucial moments following childbirth.
As a mother of two young children who has also faced personal breastfeeding challenges, Tiffany understands the joys and challenges that come with parenting and has a deep passion for helping others navigate the early stages of parenthood. Her expertise in lactation support, newborn care, and maternal health, combined with her commitment to ongoing professional development, has made her a trusted resource for families during their postpartum journey. With a compassionate and patient-centered approach, she is committed to empowering families with the knowledge and confidence they need to thrive.
Lynn Pistario
Lynn Pistoiro has been working as a Registered Nurse (RN) in maternal and child health settings for over 20 years. Her passion for helping new families through their breastfeeding journey led her to become certified as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2011. Since that time, she’s worked both in inpatient hospital settings and outpatient pediatric and hospital clinics. She is an active member of the United States Lactation Consultant Association, Northern Illinois Lactation Consultant Association and regularly attends conferences to remain up to date in current trends and advances in the field of lactation.
Whether it’s navigating latch challenges, milk supply concerns, pumping routines, or simply needing a listening ear, Lynn creates a safe, calming space where every parent feels seen and heard. With years of experience and a deep belief in meeting families where they are, she supports all feeding choices with kindness and respect. Lynn is available for both at home and virtual visits and looks forward to the journey with you and your little one!
Lauren LeBeau
Lauren LeBeau is a Registered Nurse (MS, RN) and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with over a decade of experience in neonatal and maternal care. Lauren has always had a love for babies which is what led to her becoming a level III NICU RN for over five years. During this time, she developed a passion for breastfeeding and helping new moms establish and reach their individual breastfeeding goals. Lauren prides herself on her ability to establish rapport with patients which she believes is the key to successful outcomes. Her NICU background also fostered her appreciation for education, as she believes educating her patients can empower and provide the tools they need to be successful on their feeding journeys.
Lauren has worked as an IBCLC for 8 years in both clinical and in-home settings and has personal experience breastfeeding her own three children for nine years combined. Her personal breastfeeding journey has facilitated her empathy and compassion to support and encourage other mothers; especially those with oral ties as each of her children have had them. Lauren offers personalized lactation consultations—both in-home and virtual—bringing clinical expertise and compassionate care to every session.
Her goal is to empower parents with confidence and clarity throughout their feeding journey. After working closely with emotionally vulnerable moms in both the NICU and postpartum floors, Lauren knows and values the importance of maternal mental health. Lauren promises to provide emotional support while helping you achieve what you envision your ideal feeding journey to look like, whatever that may be!
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.
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.
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!
Professional Memberships & Associations
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