Hello! My name is Janice Clarke (she/her), Certified Lactation Counselor and founder of JC Lactation Counseling, a private practice breastfeeding consulting service based in the Bronx, New York. My breastfeeding journey began in February 2019 with the birth of my son. I struggled with terrible nipple pain for the first few weeks and I was suffering from postpartum anxiety. I felt lost and guilty. Worst of all, I felt failed by our health care team. However, it wasn’t their fault that they didn’t know how to support me— no one was a lactation specialist. Thankfully, a breastfeeding peer counselor at my local WIC office taught me how to correct my son’s latch. Even though it took over a month to find relief, this simple solution made all the difference for me. What I went through in the early days of my parenthood journey could have been prevented if I had made immediate contact with a lactation professional. As a graduate student in public health, helping new parents succeed in their lactation journey is both a personal and professional commitment. I received formalized training through the Center for Breastfeeding and officially entered the field of lactation consulting in September 2019. I began providing breastfeeding assistance to friends, family members, and to mothers seeking help on social media. My decision to take the next step and open my own private practice in July 2020 stems from the recent events of racial injustice. My goal is to provide representation in an area lacking Black lactation professionals, decrease breastfeeding/chestfeeding disparities, and serve my community by providing culturally competent breastfeeding/chestfeeding support. Speaking of support, join me at the next virtual support group! For more information and registration, please go to https://janiceclarkelc.com/support-group/. Offered twice a month. Thank you :-)

Are you the first one in your family to breastfeed? Are the people around you pushing you to give your baby formula? Is your baby nursing all the time and you're not sure if your baby is getting enough milk? Would you be more comfortable if your lactation professional looked like you? I provide unbiased information and support about nursing directly from the breast/chest as well as information about pumped milk, donor milk, formula, and combination feeding. My goal is to help you by explaining newborn feeding patterns, listening to your concerns, building up your confidence and giving individualized support based on your unique circumstances.