Julie

Salt Lake City, UT

LGBTQ+ lactation consultant serving all of Salt Lake County

I am so thrilled to be a part of the Breezy Babies team, and look forward to serving diverse families in and around Salt Lake City. I recently became a board certified lactation consultant after completing a 500-hour Lactation Education Resources internship with the University of Utah. During my internship, I worked with families in the Maternal Newborn Care Unit and NICU, as well as in two outpatient clinics.

I was drawn to healthcare from a young age, as my dad was a respiratory therapist. I considered pursuing a healthcare-related degree in college, but ultimately decided to study music and eventually completed a bachelor's degree, master's degree, and doctorate in piano. I currently work part-time as a collaborative pianist at Westminster University.

After the birth of my first son, Rollie, I suffered from severe postpartum mood disorders. I made the difficult decision to cut our breastfeeding journey short for the sake of my own mental health. It was a decision that caused me great sadness and guilt, but ultimately was the best and healthiest choice for both me and Rollie. After making a full recovery, I became incredibly passionate about maternal mental health, and began exploring various options for serving others in the birth and postpartum world. Because I believe that maternal mental health and breastfeeding are strongly connected, I ultimately landed on lactation and decided to begin my journey toward becoming a lactation consultant in 2020. Breastfeeding my second son, Dane, was a very different experience. With appropriate mental health care and the encouragement of a strong support system, I was able to successfully breastfeed Dane for two years.

What I bring to your Lactation journey
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I strive to provide a safe and judgement-free space as well as the most current, evidenced-based, compassionate care for all families. I don't subscribe to a one-size-fits-all approach to breast/chest-feeding, and believe that every family has different needs and that every lactation journey is uniquely beautiful.
I have a special interest in induced lactation and chestfeeding and have experience supporting parents experiencing postpartum mood disorders. I also have experience providing prenatal education as well as supporting first time and seasoned parents and helping with latch, sore nipples and wound care, pumping, engorgement and mastitis care and prevention, low milk supply or oversupply, introduction of solid foods, and weaning plans.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor of Arts in Music with a Spanish Minor from the University of Portland (2004)
Master of Music in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2008)
Doctor of Musical Arts in Collaborative Piano from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2012)
Utah Prenatal Yoga Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training (2017)
ICEA Birth Doula Training (2020)
Lactation Education Resources Certified Breastfeeding Specialist (2023)
Lactation Education Resources Pathway 3 Clinical Internship with the University of Utah (2024)
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (2025)