Allow Me To Introduce Myself!

My name is Tami Schlosser. I've been with my wonderful husband Ryan for 16 years, and I'm a very attached mama to 2 wonderful children, Thomas, age 11 and Gracie, age 6.

My Experience As A Breastfeeding Mom
I know what it is to meet a breastfeeding challenge. With my first child, help in the hospital was non-existent. I went home with a 2 day old non-nursing baby boy, and was a first time scared mama. How did we get through? We muddled. We worked, and stayed in bed, and tried and tried to figure it out. Finally, on day 3, after a couple hours of napping for me, and a new resolve to make it work, we made it. He nursed, at age 3 days. He nursed until he was 22 1/2 months old. Then came baby #2. I was an experienced breastfeeding mama by now. I had all the tools. I was educated. And then my beautiful daughter was born tongue tied, meaning, her tongue was tied tightly to the floor of her mouth by a very short frenulum, and she was unable to latch with any success. So, she grabbed mama with her gums, clamped down, and went to town. OUCH! 2 days later, after a trip to the Naturopathic Physician, and a little clip clip to her frenulum, she was a successful nurser! She nursed for the last time on her 5th birthday, April 9, 2007.

My Professional Lactation Experience and Training
I was trained as a Lactation Specialist and Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) in early 2002 through the professional perinatal educational program offered by Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland Washington (near Seattle). The instructors there were amazing, adding expert knowledge to my layman's mother-to-mother service base that was already passionate and active! I then began working through The Andaluz Waterbirth Center (Where Gracie was born) in Tualitin Oregon, teaching their group classes, and doing all of their in-home visits for their clients. In 2004 we moved to Dallas, Texas, where I again started working with new moms, only this time, not affiliated with a birthing center but on my own. In 2005 we moved here to Las Vegas, and I started out once again, through the support of the local LLL, The Breastfeeding Task Force Of Nevada, pediatrician and hospital referrals, and word of mouth. In March 2007 I received a new certification, Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), through Healthy Children and The Center For Breastfeeding. Just one more important step towards my ultimate goal, my IBCLC.