The Breastfeeding Clinic: 
Your Partner from Pregnancy to Parenting
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The Breastfeeding Clinic is managed by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) Nona D. Andaya-Castillo, IBCLC and Elvira L. Henares-Esguerra, MD, FPDS, FABM, IBCLC, RPh. Dr. Elvira is also a Fellow of the international medical group Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. They are both internationally trained and accredited experts since 2004. 
 
They were breastfeeding mothers who believe and practiced exclusive breastfeeding beyond 2 years complemented with indigenous foods from 6 months onwards.

The clinic provides services from pregnancy and natural birthing to breastfeeding, natural fertility management and natural healing. The professional fees support scholarships and advocacy projects of Children for Breastfeeding, Inc. and Nurturers of the Earth.

Since 1996, Nona has helped and supported more than a thousand mothers to sustain breastfeeding beyond two years. In 2001, she met Elvira who was determined to breastfeed her third child. Nona was able to help Elvira reach her goals and in return, Elvira decided to support Nona’s advocacies. 

Family Counselling (Home or Hospital Visit) 

The consultation lasts from 4 to 6 hours to be able to observe at least 2 breastfeeding sessions. We teach the following skills to the parents and/or the breastfeeding team in between the feedings:

• comfortable breastfeeding positions: lying on your back, side-lying, sitting position
  
• relaxation techniques
  
• breastmilk hand expression and preservation
• how to use a baby sling
  
• basic infant care
  
• breast and back massage
  
• maternal nutrition

The consultation will also focus on building a family support for the breastfeeding mother, how significant persons in life can support her to reach her breastfeeding goals.

Be empowered! Click here to register for our free class online or our actual Parenting Classes! 

Parenting Classes Topics include:

• Natural Birthing (maternal nutrition, relaxation techniques, pregnancy exercises, the birthing process)
  
• Infant and Young Child Feeding and Care (breastfeeding, preparing babyfoods with cooking demo, what’s wrong with non-human milk? bathing,cord care, how to use a baby sling, infant massage and exercises, elimination communication)

• Massage (to soothe pregnancy related pains, to facilitate labor, relieve postpartum discomforts like edema and gas pains, facilitate breastfeeding and enhance couple intimacy)
  
• Natural Family Planning (achieve or postpone pregnancy the natural way)
  
• Early Child Education (how to deal with children, how to choose books and toys, discipline with love)

In 2004, the two passed the international accreditation for Lactation Consultancy, a profession that is already a standard part of the healthcare team in all European hospitals and in many developed countries like the USA, Canada and Australia. The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) is a group that is recognized by the US National Commission on Certifying Agencies since 1988.

You need to consult an IBCLC if:

1. You are pregnant and you want to avoid breastfeeding problems after you give birth. 
   
2. You are scheduled for a cesarean delivery and you were told by your doctor that it would be hard for you to breastfeed right after delivery. 
   
3. You just gave birth and you experience pain or discomfort while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding need not be painful. Pain may be a result of poor attachment or other problems like tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) that may lead to more breastfeeding problems.  
   
4. The reliable indicators show that your baby is not getting enough. Click here to read more
   
5. Your doctor has advised you to use formula (either because you or your baby is sick, baby is not gaining weight, etc.)  
   
6. You will be away from your child (e.g. you are going back to work, travelling out-of-town or abroad, you need to be hospitalized and the doctor advised you not to bring the baby to the hospital or the baby was hospitalized and the doctor told you to stop breastfeeding) and you want to sustain your breastmilk production and continue to breastfeed when you are reunited with your child.

Click here to read more about IBCLCs
Clinical Competencies of an IBCLC
Click here to read more about Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine