Lactation & Infant Feeding Support with Marlee
“Meeting with you was definitely the turning point in our breastfeeding journey. Thank you for everything!”
— Rebecca
I’ve been helping parents learn to feed their babies since 2015, and it’s one of my very favorite things to do.
Feeding your newborn can be one of the biggest challenges of early parenting. Whether you are nursing, bottle feeding, exclusively pumping, formula feeding, or some combination, I’m willing to bet you’ve had questions or challenges come up along the way.
As an experienced lactation counselor and postpartum doula, I bring a calm energy, a listening ear, and practical support to new parents during some of the most difficult moments of those early newborn weeks.
Think of me as your baby feeding doula!
During a consult, my focus is on compassionate, comprehensive support and creative problem-solving. I don’t believe in a “cookie cutter” approach, since all of my clients have different goals, needs, and values.
I can help you learn about your feeding options, assist in evaluating what is working and what isn’t, and help you feel heard and supported as you sort through whatever issues may be at hand.
My primary goals are to:
reduce feelings of overwhelm,
help parents understand the “why” behind their challenges, and
co-create a plan for moving forward that feels comfortable and doable.
I often hear from my clients that our time together was a turning point in their feeding journey.
I can't wait to help you and your baby!
“Marlee is an amazing lactation counselor and provided compassionate and patient support through some early breastfeeding challenges. I had a very bad experience with another lactation consultant who was rushed and did not take the time to understand my goals and concerns, and working with Marlee was a total 180. She truly has a magical touch with both babies and parents, and her calm and encouraging demeanor was as helpful as her concrete advice and hands-on support.”
- Dominique
Rates
Marlee’s cozy home office for lactation consults
Hands-On Support
In-Home Lactation Consult (2-3 hours): $225
For families within our Pittsburgh, PA service area
In-Office Lactation Consult (2-3 hours): $175
In Marlee’s home office in Forest Hills (East End)
Virtual Support
Virtual Lactation Consult (1-2 hours): $150
Virtual Lactation Consult (30 minutes): $85
“Marlee’s lactation consultations worked like magic! They helped my wife tremendously and I will be forever thankful.”
— Connor
What my clients say
“After a rough start and some nipple injuries, my baby’s latch needed a lot of help. I was referred to Marlee and I am so happy I was able to work with her.
She made time for us right away, made me feel comfortable and put my mind at ease. Most importantly, she encouraged me and, with the advice she gave me, we were able to significantly improve my baby’s latch and ensured we were able to continue on with breastfeeding.
I would happily recommend Marlee to anyone with questions or in need of help to improve (or stick with) their breastfeeding journey.”
- Kendra
“Marlee is the best. From the first moment you speak with her, regardless of what you’re going through, you will feel so loved and supported. It’s truly a gift to have help like this available for new parents.
I asked Marlee for lactation support when my baby was 4 days old and it was the best decision! As a new mom there are so many questions around breastfeeding, and to have the such loving energy come into my home put me at ease immediately.
Marlee gave me tips, answered all my questions, and validated my breastfeeding struggles. I cannot express the sense of relief I felt after her visit, not to mention all the practical tools and resources she gave me. I was also able to reach out anytime things popped up in the future. I can’t more highly recommend this amazing person!”
- Kristin
“I am a first-time mom and was finding breast feeding challenging so I began my journey looking for lactation support. I initially reached out to the Breastfeeding Center of Pittsburgh… however they were unresponsive to my inquiry. I am happy that they did not respond because I probably wouldn’t have found Marlee… who was at my home within two days of me reaching out to her.
She listened to my concerns and didn’t try to talk over me and give me her personal opinion. She also allowed me to vent which I greatly appreciate.
I also appreciate that Marlee was very respectful of my home and my concerns with limiting outside exposure to my newborn. She wore a mask and washed her hands frequently when handling my baby which is something I greatly appreciate because not everyone does that.
Marlee was also very responsive to my follow up questions and provided detailed answers.
I would definitely recommend Marlee to anyone looking for help in their breast-feeding journey.”
- Ayesha
“The first month with my first child was rough. Nursing was challenging, and despite all my efforts, the best the hospital lactation consultant could offer me was ‘Breastfeeding is not for everyone.’ I was doing two hour cycles of nursing on each side, pumping while my husband gave a bottle of breast milk or formula, and... we were all just exhausted.
Enter Marlee—my hero!! She came to my home when I was a mess, un-showered, and exhausted, and was the most gentle with me. She checked on how I was doing, listened to my birth story, and asked how she could help. Marlee showed me some new cozy ways to safely nurse my newborn! She also showed my husband and I how to use a bottle in a way that would encourage breastfeeding.
I felt so at peace and confident to move forward because of Marlee’s help. My husband also felt really comfortable and confident with helping feed our son after her visit. I really don't know what I would have done without her. I ended up nursing my son for almost 21 months! I applaud Marlee’s gifts and talents, and would absolutely recommend her services to any struggling new parent.”
- Kathleen
“We ended up using formula with my first baby, so when my second was born it was like I was breastfeeding for the first time. There were a lot of challenges. My pediatrician suggested just going back to formula, and both lactation consultants I saw told me the same thing.
Marlee was the only one who was able to help. She was so kind and validating, and really took the time to listen to me. She was at my house for 2 hours - the other people I saw only spent 10 or 15 minutes with me and were so dismissive and discouraging.
With Marlee’s help, I was able to nurse my second baby for 19 months! She is amazing at what she does, a true gem.”
- Aspen
What to expect if we work together
Compassionate support
Finding truly empathetic and trauma-informed support for infant feeding can be so hard. I approach my work with the utmost compassion for both parents and babies.
I strive to be a “soft landing” for my clients. Even if we can’t solve every issue in our time together, I hope you’ll feel well-supported as you continue navigating your path forward.
Individualized care
This is the primary reason people love working with me! It can be VERY hard to find truly individualized care when lactation and infant feeding are involved, and this is a real specialty of mine.
No two babies or parents are the same, so no two lactation visits are the same! I have a flexible approach designed to help YOU, whatever YOUR goals, challenges, and circumstances are.
Commitment to your goals
I spend time getting to know you and your baby, and learning about what your feeding goals/wishes are. I will be as committed to your goals as you are to helping you get there! Many times my clients have encountered ambivalence from other lactation consultants they’ve seen - you won’t find that here!
Education
I love to help parents gain a deeper understanding of the nuts and bolts of feeding a baby. After our time together, my clients almost always feel more confident about a path forward - even if the plan is to keep doing what they’re doing and check in again soon.
Referrals as needed
If I feel that you could benefit from a different kind of service or support than I offer, I will happily offer resources and referrals so you can find the help that will make a difference for you.
No judgment
The end result of working with parents may or may not look like exclusively breastfeeding/chestfeeding, and that is 100% fine with me if that’s what my clients want. I support clients with many different goals and circumstances, and I will never pressure you to choose any certain option.
At the end of the day, my goal for you is to have a plan that feels comfortable and doable in your life.
If you’re struggling and are ready for some relief, help, and encouragement, I’d love to support you!
“My son had a tongue tie so things were really hard from the beginning. We started working with Marlee when he was about three weeks old, and she helped us transition back to nursing at the breast after three weeks of bottle feeding. It took some time but we were eventually able to have the kind of nursing relationship that I had really hoped for. Thanks Marlee!!”
- Tiana
“I hoped that breastfeeding my baby would be easy, but it ended up being really intense for us. Marlee helped me figure out the problems we were having in a way that was so kind and gentle. There were things she told us that our pediatrician and lactation consultant never mentioned, and she ended up being a lot more helpful than anyone else we saw for breastfeeding help.”
- Jordan
Some of the challenges I can help you address:
Pain:
Pain during nursing
Pain during pumping
Difficulty or pain with latching
Cracked and sore nipples
Engorgement
Plugged milk ducts
Milk supply:
Making a plan to help your baby get enough milk while you bring up your supply
Making more milk
Managing an oversupply
Using a pump to support your supply goals (including custom flange fitting using the only evidence-based sizing guidelines, just published in 2024!)
General feeding support:
How to feed a very sleepy baby
Helping your baby learn to latch well
Creating a feeding rhythm that works for your family
Figuring out how often your baby needs to eat
Learning your baby's hunger cues
Addressing tummy problems in babies
Bottle feeding support:
Helping babies learn to eat from a bottle
Gentle bottle feeding that will allow for smooth transitions between nursing and bottles
Helping to identify a different type of bottle that may work better for your baby
Helping you explore other feeding methods (spoon, syringe, SNS, cup, donor milk, formula, etc.)
Transitions:
Guidance for beginning to pump, storing pumped milk, and initiating bottle feeding
Making a plan for pumping and nursing when you go back to work
When and how to start solid foods
And lots more!
Check out this blog post for other situations that can be a great fit for lactation support.
Getting support often marks a turning point in a feeding journey - contact me sooner rather than later!
I am often able to fit in same day or next day requests depending on my schedule.
“I hired Marlee for a lactation consult when my daughter was 5 days old. I really wanted to ensure I had a good latch and that I was doing everything I could to make sure my daughter was gaining enough weight. Marlee showed me multiple techniques to optimize my daughter’s latch as well as offering encouraging support and a listening to ear for all my new mom fears!
I am so grateful for her support! I highly recommend Marlee!”
- Lizzy
Looking for a class before your baby arrives?
Take our online class, The Practical Parent’s Plan for Nursing a Newborn!
We created this engaging, self-paced course to help you understand what to expect from nursing your baby, and how to set yourself up for success (and avoid common pitfalls).
Our clients who have taken this course before birth share that what they learned helped them tremendously!
Or if you’d rather work with me 1:1 to prepare for your lactation experience:
I’d be happy to schedule a virtual visit with you! Rates are the same as for my virtual lactation support, and usually a 2-hour session is a good amount of time to start with so we can discuss your personal situation in detail and make a plan together.
This can be a great option if you have a more complex situation, and I’d love to support you!
FAQs
Are you a lactation consultant?
This term is not trademarked, but is most commonly used in reference to people who hold the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) credential. IBCLCs can provide more medicalized care for you and your baby concerning lactation.
I am not an IBCLC. But I do consult parents regarding lactation, so I do sometimes refer to myself as a lactation consultant. My Pittsburgh lactation support is not a replacement for clinical care from medical providers.
You can learn more about my education and training here.
If it becomes clear while we’re working together that you need additional care outside of what I offer, I will recommend other providers who may be able to augment your care such as a local IBCLC, pediatrician, occupational therapist, speech language pathologist, bodyworker, etc.
I can also assist you in evaluating whether other lactation support you have received has been effective and appropriate for you.
Do you take insurance?
No, I’m not in-network with any insurance companies. Many of my clients use HSA/FSA funds or Carrot for reimbursement.
Can you help me if I’m exclusively pumping?
Yes, of course! Many people experience challenges with pumping and I’m here to help. Here are some of the issues we can address together:
Flange sizing (using the only evidence-based sizing guidelines, just published in 2024!)
Pain or discomfort when pumping
Increasing milk supply
Making a plan for pumping based on your current situation and goals
Avoiding an oversupply from too much pumping
How to handle plugged ducts or mastitis
Pumping while you’re away from your little one
Best practices for storing and using your pumped milk
Do you only work with newborns?
No, I can work with you no matter how old your little one is! Parents of older babies and toddlers often face feeding challenges that can be hard to find support for, and I’m always happy to help address those difficulties. You deserve support, no matter your baby’s age!
How many consults will I need?
It depends! About 2 in 3 of my lactation clients just see me once for their issue, then keep in touch by text or email if they have other quick questions along the way. For more complex issues, multiple visits may be needed.
I also have the privilege of working with repeat clients often! I love seeing clients again down the road when there is something new they want to work on together as their baby grows.
In more complicated situations, some parents choose to see me for multiple consultations or book a postpartum doula package with me so we can keep seeing each other frequently. This can be a great way to keep getting support from your friendly neighborhood lactation professional!
What if I can’t afford your services?
I feel strongly that lactation and infant feeding support should be available to folks who need it regardless of ability to pay (especially for members of oppressed groups). If you are having trouble meeting your basic needs financially and/or if you qualify for Medicaid, SNAP benefits, WIC, or TANF, let me know. I am often able to provide lactation support on a sliding scale, so please reach out!
Advice from Family & Friends
A lot of my clients find that their loved ones and acquaintances have advice to share when it comes to feeding babies.
Sometimes this is exactly what is needed! Receiving wisdom from others who have gone before you can be such a special part of your new parenting experience.
But sometimes this kind of advice - no matter how gently it is meant to sound - can feel critical and overwhelming during the emotional rollercoaster of the early postpartum time.
Sometimes it can feel like everyone has a different opinion about how you should feed your little one, and none of those other opinions match up with what you want to do.
It can help to remember that friends and relatives who are 20+ years older than you raised their babies in a different time. The scientific study of lactation, infant nutrition, gut health, and so many other areas related to feeding babies have come a LONG way in the past couple of decades. Sometimes well-meaning friends and family can give advice that is actually known to be unhealthy or unsafe nowadays. It can be hard to communicate that while those choices may have worked for them and their children, you’re choosing to do things differently.
It’s also important to remember that every parent and baby are different! Something that worked for someone else might not be right for you, just as something that’s really helping you may not be the right fit for someone else. It’s not a matter of whose way of doing things is better, but a matter of which way of doing things is better for YOU.
For compassionate and practical help in dealing with these kinds of situations, I recommend Elizabeth Pantley's article on Handling Unwanted Advice.
Feeding Advice from Pediatricians
Sometimes your baby’s pediatrician can be a wonderful source of help with feeding during the early months of life - but that’s not a guarantee.
Even at pediatric practices in which many doctors have additional lactation training and/or collaborate closely with in-clinic lactation consultants, many of our clients who want to exclusively nurse their babies have still had difficult experiences.
Many parents are surprised to learn that medical school only provides up to 3 hours of lactation and breastfeeding/chestfeeding education per year. (For contrast, our lactation course, The Practical Parent’s Plan for Nursing a Newborn, includes 7+ hours of lactation learning!) Some pediatricians go on to do lots more learning and professional development on the topic of lactation - sometimes even becoming International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) - but that’s pretty rare.
If your pediatrician is providing care for your baby in line with your values and goals as a parent, that’s wonderful! We’re so glad you found a great doctor for your baby who can also support you with high-quality lactation care.
But if you’re feeling unsettled about the feeding advice or information they give you, you’re not alone. Unfortunately this is a very common experience, since many doctors only have a few hours of training on this complex topic.
Scheduling a visit with a lactation professional provides the chance to get support from someone whose primary focus is helping parents and babies navigate feeding challenges. If your pediatrician is truly supportive of lactation and they themselves do not have extensive training and experience providing lactation care, then they will recommend that you pursue further support. Reaching out to a lactation specialist can be a great next step.
Community lactation counselors and consultants are often the most accessible resources for truly personalized help with feeding a baby. My perspective focuses on both parents and babies, allowing my support to really be whole-family care. Pediatricians working in traditional practice models are also often limited in how much help they can give because they don’t have time to learn the details of everything that’s going on at home. Since I can spend several hours with you and don’t have a waiting room full of other families to attend to, we can take our time getting to know each other so I can truly understand your needs and challenges.
Support from a community lactation professional often sparks a turning point in the newborn journey.
If you’re struggling with advice given by your baby’s pediatrician and would like to chat, I’d love to help.