Erica Manners Lactation

Erica Manners Lactation Erica Manners Clark, RN
Certified Breastfeeding Specialist
Providing in-home & virtual lactation and postpartum support
Niagara Region

Nurtured Beginnings Niagara offers gentle, evidence-based lactation, newborn, and postpartum support for families across the Niagara Region. Care is available in-home, in clinic, and virtually. Founded by Erica Manners-Clark, RPN, BScN, IBCLC candidate, Nurtured Beginnings was created to bring calm, confidence, and compassionate support to the early days with a new baby.

06/04/2026

I might get some hate for this, but I need to say it... 👀

Recently, I was reviewing breastfeeding discharge information and noticed that the first message families received was essentially:

“Breastfeeding is challenging.”

Followed by what to do when challenges occur.

Now before anyone comes for me..this isn’t about blaming any individual, hospital, or organization.

In fact, it made me reflect on my OWN language.

Because while breastfeeding absolutely can be challenging, I started wondering if we sometimes focus so much on preparing families for what could go wrong that we forget to prepare them for what can go right.

What if we led with:
✨ Breastfeeding is a skill that you and your baby learn together.
✨ Support is available.
✨ Challenges can happen, but they aren’t guaranteed.
✨ You are capable.

This isn’t about toxic positivity or ignoring real struggles. It’s about recognizing that mindset matters.

Language matters.

The way we frame a journey can shape how someone experiences it before it even begins.

What’s your take? What was the first message you received about breastfeeding? 👇

05/25/2026

Iron deficiency postpartum is incredibly common, especially after significant blood loss, pregnancy depletion, or difficult recoveries.

Research estimates:

~25% of women experience postpartum anemia
About 1 in 8 women remain iron deficient months after birth

Low iron can contribute to:

exhaustion
brain fog
dizziness
shortness of breath
poor recovery
mood changes
and potentially delayed lactogenesis / low milk supply in some women.

Your body prioritizes making breastmilk, often at the expense of you. That’s why maternal nutrition and iron status matter so much.

And if oral supplements aren’t enough? Iron infusions can genuinely be life changing for some postpartum women.

05/23/2026

Hand expression is one of the most underrated breastfeeding skills 🤍
It can help stimulate milk in the early days, soften a full breast for a deeper latch, relieve engorgement, and collect colostrum drop by drop.
Sometimes your hands work better than the pump.
Save this. Practice it. Teach it. 💛

05/22/2026

Nothing a little Advil and coffee can’t fix… right? 😅☕️

I chose a career that runs 24/7, 365.

Do I love what night shift does to my body? Absolutely not.
But I do love the vibes, the teamwork, the quieter pace, and the ability to really focus on my patients.

Over the years, I’ve learned there are small things that make nights a little more bearable:
🍽️ eating dinner with my family before shift
☕️ one coffee or tea around 6pm
😴 trying to rest before going in

Honestly, I rarely actually fall asleep before nights 😅
But even just laying down from 2/3–5pm helps it not hit me as hard later.

📵 phone on silent after shift
🥚 something small before bed
🌞 getting outside after waking up
🚫 no plans the morning after shift

And one of my biggest boundaries?
I limit how many nights I do in a row.

My body does much better with one. Two is pushing it 😅

Night shift nurses are basically running on teamwork, snacks, and survival instincts 🤍

05/22/2026

☀️ Start my morning in newborn clinic:
🩸 jaundice bloodwork
👶 feeding & output assessments
🤱 answering new parent questions
📞 collaborating with midwives, pediatricians & family docs

Then after a quick snack break ☕️🍎… I hit the hospital floors.

Some of my consults include:
💗 painful latch
👅 tongue tie/oral assessments
🍼 preterm & NICU babies
👶👶 twins & multiples
🩸 hypoglycemia protocols
🤱 pumping support
🔥 mastitis & engorgement
💊 medication compatibility with breastfeeding

Some days I see 6–12 families in a 7-hour shift across multiple departments.

Hospital lactation support is very different from my in-home visits. The pace is faster, the acuity is higher, and many moms & babies are medically complex.

It’s equal parts clinical skill, critical thinking, teamwork, and emotional support and I truly love it. 🤍

05/15/2026

We send parents home with stacks of papers, resources, and information…
and somehow expect them to know what actually matters most.

It’s a lot.
And when you’re tired, emotional, and just trying to care for your baby it can feel overwhelming to figure out where to even start.

So if you take anything with you, let it be this:

✨ Your baby won’t follow a strict schedule
✨ Feeding is a learning process for both of you
✨ Diapers will tell you more than the clock
✨ Cluster feeding is normal (even if it feels like a lot)
✨ Pain is a sign something might need to be adjusted

You don’t have to push through pain or guess your way through feeding your baby. Dedicated and individualized hands-on support can make all the difference.

Start there 🤍

05/05/2026

Today we celebrate the incredible work of midwives 🤍

As a nurse, I’ve always felt so supported working alongside midwives. They are fierce advocates for evidence-based, patient-centred care, and I’ve learned so much from them throughout my nursing journey.

I learned how to do newborn blood work skin-to-skin because a midwife took the time to teach me, support me, and help me feel confident.

The other day, I experienced caring for a patient with an unmedicated birth(my first) working alongside a midwife, and watching their calmness, advocacy, and support for the patient made such an impact on me as a new nurse. Their presence helped the patient feel safe and honestly helped me feel more confident in both my patient and myself.

And as someone passionate about infant feeding support, I’m always grateful for the collaboration we have. When midwives ask for my support with a difficult latch or feeding plan after trying everything they can, I know those families will continue to be followed closely, supported, and cared for long after I leave the room or home. That continuity and trust means so much to families — and to me as a provider too.

Collaborative care matters, and families truly feel the difference.

Happy International Day of the Midwife to all the incredible midwives supporting families every single day ❤️

MaternalHealth BirthWork EvidenceBasedCare PatientCentredCare BreastfeedingSupport PostpartumCare

04/27/2026

One of the most common questions I get:
“How often should I feed my baby?”

Most of us are taught: every 2–3 hours.

But then reality hits…
Your baby wants to feed again 45 minutes later.
Then again.
And suddenly you’re wondering if something is wrong.

This is where the confusion starts.

Because feeding isn’t meant to follow a strict schedule.
it’s meant to follow your baby.

Cluster feeding, frequent feeds, short feeds…
this is all normal newborn behaviour, especially in the early weeks.

And what you’re seeing in this video? 👇
Those are early feeding cues.

This is your baby saying: “I’m ready again.”

✨ Cue-based feeding means:
• Feeding when your baby shows signs like this
• Not waiting for a set time
• Not second-guessing every short or frequent feed

Because your baby doesn’t need the same amount every time
and your body responds to frequent, effective feeding.
So if your baby just ate and is showing cues again…
you’re not doing anything wrong.

You’re responding exactly the way they’re designed for.

The schedule didn’t fail you.
It just doesn’t fit newborns.

Watch your baby, not the clock. That’s where it gets easier.

04/17/2026

An interesting thing I’ve learned about peanut balls in labour…
they’re doing a lot more than people think 👀

This “weird” ball isn’t just for comfort.
We use it to help open the pelvis, encourage baby to descend, and keep labour progressing—especially when you have an epidural and can’t move around as much.

And yes… this is where the funny positions come in 😂

Side-lying with one leg up
Almost on your stomach with the ball tucked in
Leg draped over it at a very questionable angle

Sometimes it feels awkward, sometimes it looks ridiculous…
but there’s a reason we’re doing it.

Labour is all about positioning + space.
Even small changes can make a big difference in how baby moves down.

So if your nurse starts putting you into some ✨creative✨ positions with a peanut ball…
just know there’s a method to the madness 🤍

03/21/2026

Pregnant? Take this breastfeeding class before your baby arrives. 🤍

Feel confident, not overwhelmed—when it comes to feeding your baby.

✨ B***s, Bottles & Better Latches
📅 Thursday, April 9th
⏰ 6:30–8:30pm
💻 Online
💛 $20 suggested donation (supporting The NEST Centre Niagara)

Real guidance. No pressure. Just support.

⬇️ Register in bio

Address

Saint Catharines, ON

Telephone

+12899693110

Website

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