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Jessica graduated with her nursing degree in 2003 knowing she wanted to work with babies. After working in the NICU at Memorial Hermann Children’s Hospital for almost 2 years, she and her husband had their first child and through her breastfeeding experience with her, her passion for breastfeeding began. She stayed at home with their first child and then went on to have another daughter 19mo later. Just as she found out she was pregnant with their third child, she returned to work as a RN, at St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital, in the NICU. After cross-training to the postpartum unit, Jessica found joy in helping moms and well-babies just beginning their breastfeeding journey. This is when the path to becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant truly began. This path would hold many obstacles and life events halting her progress, and even pauses in working in the nursing world to open and run a CrossFit gym with her husband, also a RN, in 2011. Then in 2015, after a 3-year stint away from the hospital, Jessica returned to St. Luke’s, but as a Postpartum Nurse, in order to begin accumulating the required contact hours for the IBCLC exam. About 6 months later, she was given the opportunity to work on their lactation team, while she continued to accumulate contact hours. She also ran their weekly breastfeeding support group for the almost 5 years she was there as well as teaching the monthly prenatal breastfeeding class. During her time at St. Luke’s she had child #5 and #6, boys that were both tongue and lip tied. She truly believes that she was given these experiences so she can better serve those mommas and babies facing similar challenges in their breastfeeding journey. Being a homeschooling mom with 4 schooling and 2 littles, she decided once again to leave the nursing world in March of 2020, just before the COVID shutdown. But God had other plans, and out of the blue, just a few months after leaving the hospital, she was offered the opportunity to do what she has always dreamed of; `working with moms and babies on a more personal basis, through private practice with Bayou City Breastfeeding Lactation Consultants as well as working on the lactation team at the office of Dr. James, Liu, ENT, who specializes in diagnosing and treating oral restrictions. In her role at the office, she provides pre and post-frenotomy support for families dealing with feeding problems caused by lip and tongue-ties, something she knows personally from having had children with oral restrictions. Jessica strives to pursue advanced training in lactation to provide the best support possible for families dealing with complex lactation and infant feeding issues.

“I have had a heart for helping others from a very young age. Over my years of being a RN, and then becoming a mother, God has molded me for this time; where I can connect with other moms and offer them expertise, understanding, empathy and grace, something all of us moms need daily. I am so privileged to get to live out my passion; helping to increase each mother’s confidence in their ability to care for their baby, through feeding, however they chose to feed them.”

Jessica graduated with her nursing degree in 2003 knowing she wanted to work with babies. After w... Read More

In 2010, when Karen initially graduated from nursing school, she knew she wanted to work with mothers and babies. After graduation, she started her career in Labor & Delivery at Women’s Hospital of Texas. She enjoyed working with new and expectant mothers and found it to be tremendously satisfying. She decided to further her nursing education and returned to school at Texas Tech University, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2011.

After the birth of her first child, she had a difficult breastfeeding experience which resulted in her becoming passionate about breastfeeding and breastfeeding support. She realized soon after that she had a calling to become a Lactation Consultant.

Karen began to pursue her dream of becoming a Lactation Consultant in 2013 while working in the Family Birthing Center at St. Luke’s The Woodlands. She was inspired and encouraged by their lactation consultant to start her training towards becoming an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). In her role at St. Luke’s, she took on many projects such as the Skin to Skin Initiative and also started teaching prenatal classes to the community.

In 2015, Karen passed the boards to become an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and took a position as the Lactation Educator at St. Luke’s Vintage where she brought her experience and training to the staff. She worked passionately to establish the lactation program at the hospital from the ground up.

In 2017, she was given the opportunity to return to St. Luke’s, The Woodlands to work on the Lactation team, supporting new mothers and babies in the hospital. She enjoyed working with new mothers, but after having three tongue tied children and difficult breastfeeding journeys herself, she learned that she desperately wanted to help these moms even more than she already was.

In August of 2018, Karen began working with Suzanne, Tessa and Kyna at the office of Dr. James, Liu, ENT who specializes in diagnosing and treating tongue and lip tie. There she works closely with the mothers and babies to help overcome breastfeeding issues related to tethered oral tissues.

In 2019, Karen left inpatient hospital lactation after 3½ years to join the team at Bayou City Breastfeeding and pursue private practice to give moms, babies and her own family the attention they need and deserve. In her role at Bayou City Breastfeeding, Karen provides in home lactation consultations to new mothers in North Houston, The Woodlands and surrounding communities.

She is a member of the Houston Area Lactation Consultants and Educators (HALCEA) group.

Karen is a mother of three young boys that keep her busy. In her spare time, Karen and her husband enjoy being active members in their church, and volunteers in the Pre-School Ministry. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking and running.

In 2010, when Karen initially graduated from nursing school, she knew she wanted to work with mot... Read More