The Evolve Lactation Podcast

Evolve Lactation PodcastEpisode: You're Not Supposed to Figure This Out Alone (Introducing Evolve Lactation Circle)

https://evolvelactationcircle-d4073296.circle.so/evolve

In this solo episode, Christine introduces Evolve Lactation Circle, a new private working space built for lactation professionals. She talks through the isolation so many people in this field feel, why resource libraries alone haven't been enough, and what she's building instead: a space centered on connection, direct access, and honest conversation.

In this episode:

Why lactation career coaching keeps surfacing the same questions, year after year

The difference...

In this conversation with Gretchen Becker Crabb, I asked her what she believes is the opportunity we have when we first meet someone who is really struggling with breastfeeding.

Gretchen, who is an OTR/L and CLC, shares in this episode about how she thinks of the dyad and the breastfeeding relationship and applies her expertise in sensory integration to her work with families.

Keep this Conversation Going

Gretchen - on IG at @gretchencrabbtherapy

website:  gretchencrabbtherapy.comFacebook:  Gretchen Becker Crabb

And here is the link to NBO tr...

Evolve Lactation Media is an independent platform for lactation knowledge — rigorous, accessible, and free of commercial influence. We publish, we teach, and we examine the forces that shape lactation care — for clinicians, public health professionals, and families.

We connect breastfeeding to its full context — scientific, cultural, political — because the conditions that determine whether an individual breastfeeds are never purely clinical.

What Happened?

“Boutique” formula manufacturer Bobbie made 2 major announcements this week:

* they published their own code of ethics in marketing; it starts by minimizing the WHO Code and contains...

When I asked my friend and colleague Fleur Bickford to come on the podcast, I should have known she would arrive with an outline and a comprehensive plan for teaching.

Fleur’s expertise in trauma-informed care is deep on so many levels.

Fleur Bickford is a Registered Nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with a background in labour and delivery, postpartum care and healthcare education. She currently serves as Director of Educational Programming for GOLD Learning. Drawing on her years of clinical experience and a deep commitment to evidence-based, person centred and trauma‑info...

I made a whole thing and I wanted to tell you about it. That’s the Episode in a nutshell.

What you’re hearing is Section 12 of my 12-part series The Guide for The Emerging Lactation Consultant.

To get the whole guide and companion workbook, click and subscribe here: https://ibclcinca.substack.com/p/emerginglactationconsultant1

Keep this Conversation Going on LinkedIn

Olena - https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-dobczansky-msn-rnc-mnn-ibclc-c-onqs-lcce-878b8263/

Christine - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinestaricka/

If you liked this podcast, plea...

Things We Talked About in the Episode

The movie Christine & her husband were watching

Evolve Lactation Guide for Emerging Lactation Consultants - https://evolvelactation.org

Annie Frisbee's Email and Resources - https://paperlesslactation.com/about/

Understanding Insurance Policies in Healthcare - https://www.healthaffairs.org

Nestle/Helaina Partnership

Momcozy Education Event

Keep this Conversation Going on LinkedIn

Olena - https://www.linkedin.com/in/olena-dobczansky-msn-rnc-mnn-ibclc-c-onqs-lcce-878b8263/

Christine - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinestaricka/

*I am in no way affiliated with the IBCLC Commission or IBLCE (other than actively holding the IBCLC credential) and do not purport to speak on their behalf. You can find information about the IBCLC credential at www.ibclc-commission.org.

It may be helpful to consider the process of becoming an IBCLC© in terms of “hard and soft skills.” *

Preparing to actually be a board-certified lactation consultant takes so much more than just meeting the requirements to sit for and pass the exam. Think of the requirements as the “hard skills”: the lactation-specific education, the health sc...

The Hidden Power of Hand Expression in Breastfeeding Success

Olena Dobczansky and Christine Staricka are back sharing practical insights from how to normalize hand expression for both professionals and parents to the urgent need for clear language and community-based support that honor the embodied experience of breastfeeding. We break down how current marketing, technology, and policy choices often undermine natural breastfeeding processes. Maternal and infant health suffer when we neglect simple, free, effective tools like hand expression and skin-to-skin that can profoundly impact long-term breastfeeding outcomes. This episode reinforces the importance of manual techniques rooted in intuition...

What the IBCLC Actually Is and Why It Matters

In this episode, Christine Staricka IBCLC discusses the significance of IBCLC Day and the unique role of IBCLCs in supporting breastfeeding. She emphasizes the professional achievement represented by the IBCLC credential, the extensive training required, and the challenges faced in the lactation field, including the influence of commercialism and the emotional labor involved. Christine calls for systemic change and encourages IBCLCs to engage actively with the community to foster a supportive environment for breastfeeding families.

https://ibclcinca.substack.com/about - Join Evolve Lactation Pros

Dr Ferreira was not able to join us Live this morning, but Olena Dobczansky was in the chat with us.

Kelly Durbin's book, Protecting Your Potential for Breastfeeding

In this conversation, Christine and Kelly Durbin discuss the multifaceted challenges and opportunities surrounding breastfeeding. They emphasize the importance of data in understanding breastfeeding trends, the need for improved education and community support, and the role of lactation consultants in protecting breastfeeding potential. They also address the decline of community support post-pandemic and the necessity of reframing breastfeeding education to better prepare parents. The conversation highlights the ethical considerations in lactation support and the importance of fostering a supportive environment for breastfeeding families.

...

We have thoughts.

From the recent NYT opinion piece on marriage equality and formula feeding to the difference between an AI chatbot answer and lactation care from a qualified healthcare practitioner, we need to talk about what is going on in the infant feeding world.

Let’s get into it.

https://ibclcinca.substack.com/about - Join Evolve Lactation Pros

http://www.thefirst100hours.com - Book & Free Guide

Evolve Lactation Pros is building a space where practitioners can admit uncertainty, examine their assumptions, make mistakes, and grow - to...

As we prepare for 2026, we encourage you to let go of outdated practices and embrace new opportunities for growth and community support.

https://ibclcinca.substack.com/about - Join Evolve Lactation Pros

http://www.thefirst100hours.com - Book & Free Guide

I thought I would start off the year with an episode building on one of Evolve Lactation’s 3 Pillars: Physiologically-Grounded Practice. But don’t worry: there’s also some Sustainable Ethics in here!

In fact, this episode is part of the 3rd Pillar as well. Putting this information out is...

In this 2025 wrap-up episode of the Evolve Lactation Podcast, hosts Christine Staricka and Olena Dobczansky reflect on the significant events and themes of 2025, emphasizing personal growth, the importance of foundational knowledge in lactation, and the ethical responsibilities of lactation consultants. We discuss the impact of commercialism on breastfeeding narratives, the need to influence other clinicians, and the power of personal experiences in shaping the conversation around lactation. As we prepare for 2026, we encourage you to let go of outdated practices and embrace new opportunities for growth and community support.

Evolve Lactation Pros is building a space where...

In this episode, I discuss the importance of building trust through active listening in lactation consulting, the role of personal experiences in professional practice, and the need to identify and address hidden biases that can affect clinical decisions. I also talk about my upcoming workshop aimed at helping lactation professionals examine their beliefs and improve their practice.

Takeaways

Building a relationship with clients requires active listening.

Sharing personal stories can sometimes detract from client focus.

Trust is built through understanding and listening, not just sharing experiences.

Practitioners...

This conversation delves into the critical role of pain in lactation, emphasizing how it affects hormonal balance and milk production. Christine Staricka, IBCLC explains that pain is not just a symptom but a significant factor that can disrupt the breastfeeding process, impacting both the mother and the baby.

Takeaways

Pain isn't neutral.

Pain indicates that there's a problem.

In lactation, pain can disrupt the release of oxytocin.

Pain disrupts the hormonal milieu during breastfeeding.

Pain disrupts the milk ejection reflex.

The...

In this episode, I share what I’ve been building for 2026 - Evolve Lactation Pros, a membership that address what lactation professionals actually need beyond clinical skills and business tactics.

We talk about the gap in our training around processing our own experiences, the three pillars of advancing professionalism (sustainable ethics, physiologically-grounded practice, and public health integration), and why examining our own biases is essential work that no one else is providing.

Plus, I introduce the first workshop coming to members: Lactation Practice Without Fear - helping you identify the hidden assumptions that can shape yo...

In the latest episode of my Perinatal Professionals series, I explore the unique challenges faced by late preterm newborns, particularly in relation to breastfeeding and parental support. I review the characteristics of late preterm infants, the importance of understanding their developmental needs, and the critical role of professional support in improving breastfeeding outcomes. This episode emphasizes the need for parents to be informed about their baby's vulnerabilities and the implications for feeding and care.

You can learn more and enroll in the First 100 Hours Masterclass right here.

Takeaways:

Late...

In this coaching call, Evolve Lactation Community member Kristen Navia and I discuss the cyclical nature of doula and lactation work, strategies for utilizing downtime for business growth, and the importance of community support. Kristen shares her insights on preparing for the IBCLC exam, the emotional rewards of supporting families, and the unique challenges faced in lactation consulting. Our conversation emphasizes the integration of doula and lactation roles and the significance of feedback, relationships, and community in building a successful practice.

You can learn more and enroll in the First 100 Hours Masterclass right here.

Welcome to the Perinatal Professionals Series as presented on the Evolve Lactation Podcast! This series provides access to strategic, evidence-based lactation education for perinatal professionals who are ready to level up their breastfeeding support skills and knowledge.

Follow, Rate, and Review the Evolve Lactation Podcast right here!

Evolve Lactation with Christine Staricka is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this episode of the Evolve Lactation podcast, I talk about the various barriers to breastfeeding, differentiating between societal, physiological, and clinical...

Welcome to the Perinatal Professionals Series as presented on the Evolve Lactation Podcast! This series provides access to strategic, evidence-based lactation education for perinatal professionals who are ready to level up their breastfeeding support skills and knowledge.

Follow, Rate, and Review the Evolve Lactation Podcast right here!

Evolve Lactation with Christine Staricka is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Summary

In this episode, I share insights about the essential practices that empower new parents to provide their...

Welcome to the Perinatal Professionals Series as presented on the Evolve Lactation Podcast! This series provides access to strategic, evidence-based lactation education for perinatal professionals who are ready to level up their breastfeeding support skills and knowledge.

Follow, Rate, and Review the Evolve Lactation Podcast right here!

Evolve Lactation with Christine Staricka is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Summary

In this episode, I share insights about the essential practices that empower new parents to provide their...

Welcome to the Perinatal Professionals Series as presented on the Evolve Lactation Podcast! This series provides access to strategic, evidence-based lactation education for perinatal professionals who are ready to level up their breastfeeding support skills and knowledge.

Follow, Rate, and Review the Evolve Lactation Podcast right here!

Evolve Lactation with Christine Staricka is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Summary

In this episode, I share insights about the essential practices that empower new parents to provide their...

Welcome to the Perinatal Professionals Series as presented on the Evolve Lactation Podcast! This series provides access to strategic, evidence-based lactation education for perinatal professionals who are ready to level up their breastfeeding support skills and knowledge.

Follow, Rate, and Review the Evolve Lactation Podcast right here!

Evolve Lactation with Christine Staricka is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Summary

In this episode, I explore the critical importance of exclusive human...

If you’re thinking “I don’t know what a Rogerian ontology is,” fear not. I didn’t know either until my very special guest, Olena Dobczansky explained it all to me in this episode of the Evolve Lactation Podcast.

Yes, that’s right: the podcast is back! I’m very excited to launch Season 4 with this amazing episode.

If you like to talk about, study, read about, and generally think about breastfeeding, this episode is for you!

Settle in and listen, and when you’re done, if you want to share your feedb...

Join me for my next live video in the app

Hi friend, I’m Christine, an IBCLC in California. Here, on my Substack, I share what I’ve picked up over my 23+ years working and volunteering in lactation care & support. I write and record a podcast about my personal stories of motherhood, my professional insights from teaching and coaching hundreds of aspiring and current lactation care providers, and things I think can help you on your journey to making breastfeeding and lactation better for others.

Come on in, sit a while and read or listen, and join me in musing about how we can change the...

It started with a Reel on Instagram.

Then it became a plan for a conversation about the differences and the shared mission of hospital-based IBCLCs and private practice IBCLCs.

On this episode of the Evolve Lactation Podcast, I am joined by Nicole Longmire, MPH, IBCLC, PMH-C and LeeAnn Contreras, BSN, RN, IBCLC for an enlightening and empowering conversation about this challenging topic.

Buckle up as we take you through the bumpy journey of a family from pregnancy to labor & birth through the earliest days of lactation and on to the rest...

Closing the Gap: Ensuring Breastfeeding Support for All - this is the theme of World Breastfeeding Week this year.

Evolve Lactation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

I recently wrote a book that captures the essence of how to ensure this support in the critical first week of breastfeeding.

When mothers don’t get the support they need right from the start, it dramatically decreases the chances that they will continue breastfeeding, ESPECIALLY in developed countries.

Th...

Thank you for reading Evolve Lactation with Christine Staricka IBCLC. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Happy IBCLC Appreciation Day! In celebration, I have a really special episode of the podcast for you.

I am so excited to share with you my conversation with my dear friend and fellow IBCLC, Adrienne Guirguis. I cannot begin to count up how much I have learned from Adrienne over the years.

She is everything you want your IBCLC to be: brilliant, compassionate, humble, confident, open-minded and accepting. She is a...

If my sisters have struggled with milk production, will I have a problem?

Join me in the Lactation Consultant's Inbox as I discuss a question about the link between milk production and genetics. We'll talk about why getting advice from a trusted, professional source is crucial because family and friends might unknowingly share misinformation. It's important to work with a professional to assess personal risk factors and learn specific information about milk production when you are planning to breastfeed.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone else who needs to hear it...

Why hire a lactation consultant if you can just look up breastfeeding information online?

Join me in the Lactation Consultant's Inbox as I discuss why people still need lactation consultants despite the abundance of information on the internet. We'll talk about the ways people access information and how they have changed significantly with the internet, compared to the early 2000s when they relied on books, magazines, and healthcare providers. We'll discuss the importance of understanding these changes to market lactation consulting services in today's information-rich environment effectively.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it...

Evolve Lactation with Christine Staricka IBCLC is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

As healthcare workers, we should not be creating drama in the first days of breastfeeding.

When you’re a parent in the throes of learning to breastfeed your new baby, it’s normal to have questions, doubts, concerns, and anxieties.

But if you’re a healthcare worker, you should have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of human lactation; you should be able to avoid...

I wrote a book about early lactation care, but not everyone is going to like it. 

Many health care providers are going to have a hard time with this approach, even though it’s entirely evidence-based. 

Join me on this episode of the Evolve Lactation Podcast where I read a chapter from my new book, Evolving the Modern Breastfeeding Experience: Holistic Lactation Care in the First 100 Hours. 

The book is available now at this link. 

You may also be interested in this free guide to the 3 Best Questi...

Thank you for reading Evolve Lactation with Christine Staricka IBCLC. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Hold on to your hats - this is a long, amazing, wide-ranging conversation!

I’ve been following the blooming IBCLC career of Nicole Longmire (@MotheringNurtured on IG) for several years now on social media.

Last week I reached out to her to praise her for a post she made that really resonated with me, and before I knew it, we were each in front of our podcasting microphones, pressing record.

...

My day-to-day work revolves around supporting the current and the aspiring lactation care provider with the resources they need to continue learning, to practice evidence-informed lactation care, and to treat people with kindness and compassion in their contacts with them for the purposes of lactation support. I am immersed in the world of lactation care and the universe of lactation supporters every single day. I am fully committed and I don’t intend to retire anytime soon.

That’s why I read that New York Times article with alarm. There are some very damaging tropes bein...

In this talk, I discuss the challenges of talking about formula as a lactation care provider and provides ideas to stay inspired and ready to discuss formula with clients. I share my own experiences with infant feeding so that you know my context and emphasize the importance of understanding where clients are coming from when discussing formula. I also provide guidance on how to approach conversations about formula, including assessing the need for formula, exploring clients' concerns and preferences, and reminding them that formula can be a temporary tool if necessary. I highlight the role of lactation care providers...

Thank you for reading Evolve Lactation with Christine Staricka IBCLC. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Why am I so serious about my work? How can we emphasize the importance of uncomplicating breastfeeding for individuals and on a population level?

In this new episode of the Evolve Lactation Podcast, I’ll discuss the need for over-education and continuous learning in the field of lactation care. I’ve got some encouragement for aspiring lactation care providers to seek out local connections, observe experienced practitioners, and engage in rich lear...

In this episode I discuss my holistic approach to building resilience in your lactation career, why it's important, and how Evolve Lactation can help.

We review 5 strategies for thriving in your lactation career:

- prioritizing your own physical and emotional health

- writing and re-assessing your practice philosophy

- uncovering your own biases

- being intentional in choosing your continuing education

- nurturing your connections and community

Evolve Lactation is where current and aspiring lactation care providers find the inspiration, resources, and connections they need...

Welcome to my IBCLC© Day 2023 Series! Each day I’ll share with you one piece of insight about our work. (If you’re too excited and you just want to read them all now, go here and download the whole list)

Let me know in the comments if you agree, disagree, never thought about it this way, or whatever you’re feeling!

1. Even when you are an IBCLC, you won't know the answer to every question your client or patient asks.

Really - you won't. They will have questions you could never have imagine...