The Milk Mentor

The Milk Mentor Certified Lactation Counselor providing services to Albany, New York and the greater Capital District

07/07/2026

We’ve pathologized normal infant behavior and forgotten the biology and anthropology that make it make sense.

In a world full of opinions, quick fixes, and social media advice, parents deserve something better: evidence, context, and support.

That was the heart of our conversation with Upstate Living.

We talked about why breastfeeding is a learned skill, how responsive bottle feeding can protect the breastfeeding relationship, and why understanding biology helps make sense of so many of the questions new parents have.

At The Milk Mentor, our goal has never been to tell families what they should do. It’s to help them understand why babies behave the way they do, recognize what’s biologically normal, and make informed decisions with confidence—not fear.

We hope you enjoy the conversation. If something resonated with you, we’d love to hear what it was. 🤍🖤

✨ Meet Becky, Founder of The Milk Mentor ✨  At the heart of The Milk Mentor is Becky, a Certified Lactation Counselor (C...
07/07/2026

✨ Meet Becky, Founder of The Milk Mentor ✨

At the heart of The Milk Mentor is Becky, a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) with a Master of Science in Education and a passion for helping families feel supported, informed, and empowered throughout their feeding journey.

During our World Breastfeeding Week Celebration, Becky will be leading our Lactation Community Circle—a welcoming, judgment-free space where parents can connect, share experiences, ask questions, and build their village. Whether you’re expecting, nursing, pumping, combination feeding, weaning, or simply looking for support, you’re welcome here.

Becky brings years of professional experience supporting families through:
🤍 Prenatal feeding education
🤍 Milk supply concerns
🤍 Pumping and milk expression
🤍 Bottle refusal
🤍 Oral function and feeding challenges
🤍 Weaning and feeding transitions
🤍 Engorgement, clogged ducts, mastitis, and other common concerns
🤍 Trauma-informed and inclusive lactation care

She also has extensive experience developing workplace lactation programs, creating accessible pumping spaces, and advocating for better support for breastfeeding families.

Beyond her professional training, Becky brings something equally valuable—over a decade of personal breastfeeding experience. From pregnancy and tandem nursing to pumping, returning to work, milk donation, and navigating complex feeding challenges, she understands firsthand that every family’s journey is unique.

As the founder of The Milk Mentor and The Upstate Lactation Collective, Becky believes in community over competition and is dedicated to creating spaces where families and professionals alike can learn, connect, and thrive.

💗 Join Becky at our Lactation Community Circle during our World Breastfeeding Week Celebration and experience the power of support, connection, and community. We’d love to welcome you.

07/03/2026

The countdown is ON. 🎉
15 days until our (early) WBFW celebration is on and I’m so excited that we’ll have fresh Milk Mentor merch on hand at our celebration!

✔️ Shirts (XS–2X)
✔️ Canvas tote bags
✔️ Water bottles

Limited quantities will be available! As a reminder, you do not have to be doing breastmilk jewelry or nursing photos to join us! There will be a lactation circle happening the whole time and I’ll have snacks!

For now…this Milk Mentor is Out of Office for the holiday weekend. ❤️🤍💙 Don’t forget to hydrate, have fun and wear your sunscreen! 😎✌️🌭

✨ Community Partner Spotlight: Modern Mother Photography ✨Meet Kirstyn, the heart behind Modern Mother Photography! 🤍As ...
07/03/2026

✨ Community Partner Spotlight: Modern Mother Photography ✨

Meet Kirstyn, the heart behind Modern Mother Photography! 🤍

As a wife, mother of four, and photographer, Kirstyn knows firsthand just how quickly the little moments become lifelong memories. Her passion is capturing genuine connections and preserving every smile, snuggle, and milestone so families can cherish them for years to come.

We're thrilled to have Modern Mother Photography joining us for our World Breastfeeding Week Celebration, where she'll be offering 10-minute mini photo sessions that include 5 beautifully edited images. Whether you're celebrating pregnancy, breastfeeding, or simply this season of life, these sessions are a wonderful way to preserve your family's story.

Kirstyn is also the founder of the Moms for Moms Initiative, a mission dedicated to supporting and uplifting families throughout our community. 💕

✨ Even better, a portion of every mini session booked will support The Milk Mentor's Pump Refurbishment Program and Community Lactation Fund, helping provide essential feeding supplies and lactation care to local families.

Want a sneak peek at Kirstyn's beautiful work? Visit Modern Mother Photography on instagram Modern Mother Photography

Be sure to reserve your mini session before spots fill up—we can't wait to see the beautiful memories you'll create together! 📸

✨ **Community Partner Spotlight: Ambiance Glow** ✨We're excited to introduce Ambiance Glow, one of the amazing community...
07/02/2026

✨ **Community Partner Spotlight: Ambiance Glow** ✨

We're excited to introduce Ambiance Glow, one of the amazing community partners joining us for our World Breastfeeding Week Celebration!🤍

Amber creates beautiful, handcrafted memorial jewelry designed to preserve life's most meaningful moments. Whether it's breast milk, ashes, dried flowers, hair, umbilical cord, fabric, pet memorials, or other treasured inclusions, each piece is custom-made to tell your unique story.

Amber's passion began after the unexpected loss of her sister. After later losing the memorial ring made with her sister's ashes and funeral flowers, she was shocked by how expensive it had become to replace. Inspired by her own experience, Amber set out to create meaningful, handcrafted keepsakes that are both beautiful and affordable, making memorial jewelry accessible to more families.

Pricing starts at:
• Pendants — $65
• Silver Rings — $125
• Gold Rings — $165

✨ During our event, you'll have the opportunity to drop off your breast milk between 1:00–2:00 PM to begin creating your own one-of-a-kind keepsake.

Please note: Memorial jewelry is a separate purchase from the mini photo sessions. To place an order, simply message Amber on Instagram (𝔸𝕞𝕓𝕖𝕣 𝕎𝕖𝕓𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣) before or after the event, and bring your inclusion to the drop-off during the event.

Help us give Amber a warm welcome! We're so grateful to have her as part of this special celebration and can't wait for you to see her beautiful work. 🤍

🤍 Join us as we celebrate World Breastfeeding Week (a little early)!  If you’ve been here for a while, you know that the...
06/30/2026

🤍 Join us as we celebrate World Breastfeeding Week (a little early)!

If you’ve been here for a while, you know that the first week in August I’ll be at the beach, so, we like to celebrate a little early so you can have nursing pics ready for World Breastfeeding Week! Whether you’re expecting, breastfeeding, pumping, weaning, bottle/cup/syringe/SNS feeding or simply supporting a feeding journey, we’d love to see and celebrate you!

✨ Mini Lactation or Family Photo Sessions 🤍 Lactation Circle
💎 Breast Milk Jewelry Drop-Off

💗 Every booking above the community supported level helps support maintaining the Pump Refurbishment Program and the Community Lactation Fund for families in our community who couldn’t otherwise receive services.

📅 Saturday, July 18
🕐 Starting at 1:00 PM
📍 Chat Speech

Reserve your spot by scanning the QR code on the flyer or seeing the link in bio!

👀 Be on the lookout over the next few weeks as we highlight our amazing community partners who are helping make this celebration possible. We can’t wait to introduce them to you!

https://themilkmentor.intakeq.com/booking?categoryId=10b6ef46-57f4-4b3b-90c7-7931811313eb&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRleASxCztwZG9mAmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp_HeDmV0jCs02ESFG2WGn9XARRWbhSyCPPlko7xsvnwStqxnm25SfJ5Da7O6_aem_3jzOU-WJezFSoR8GpNt_DQ

🚨 Public Service Announcement from Finger Stash Dad 🚨📣 I THINK I FINALLY MADE IT THROUGH PUBERTY! Check out my new and i...
06/25/2026

🚨 Public Service Announcement from Finger Stash Dad 🚨

📣 I THINK I FINALLY MADE IT THROUGH PUBERTY! Check out my new and improved thick, luscious mustache!

As the proud owner of a pair of completely useless ni***es, I’d like to remind my fellow partners:

Unless your breasts suddenly start producing milk, your job is support—not strategy.

✔️ Bring snacks.
✔️ Refill the water bottle.
✔️ Hold the baby.
✔️ Wash the pump parts.
✔️ Change the diapers.
✔️ Handle bath time.
✔️ Order the takeout.
✔️ Manage the ABC countdown for the last 26 days of school with the older kids. 😵‍💫

Your ni***es may be completely useless…

But you don’t have to be.

Tag a partner who can take a joke or let me know if you’re ready for another series of Finger Stash Dad to join the chat and what topics you’d like to hear about 👇

May 22nd was Preeclampsia Awareness Day 💜Preeclampsia often changes the course of birth and early postpartum—bringing mo...
05/30/2026

May 22nd was Preeclampsia Awareness Day 💜
Preeclampsia often changes the course of birth and early postpartum—bringing more monitoring, medications, and sometimes a delivery that doesn’t go as planned. Those factors can carry into the feeding experience, too.
Medications commonly used in a preeclampsia diagnosis—like magnesium sulfate or certain antihypertensives—can impact both parent and baby in the early days. Babies may be sleepier or slower to coordinate feeds, and milk production can take a little longer to fully come in.
This doesn’t mean breastfeeding isn’t possible—it just means the approach may need to be more intentional.
Early and frequent stimulation, skin-to-skin, and individualized support can make a meaningful difference in how feeding gets established. Understanding the “why” behind these challenges helps take the pressure off and replace it with a plan.
When care accounts for both the medical picture and the feeding relationship, families are better supported from the start.

Lactation Community Circles are here 🤍Join us each month:• 1st Friday | 11–1 → The Body WorkShop PT, Ballston Lake• 2nd ...
05/28/2026

Lactation Community Circles are here 🤍

Join us each month:
• 1st Friday | 11–1 → The Body WorkShop PT, Ballston Lake
• 2nd Tuesday | 10–12 → Broadway Coffee Co., Saratoga Springs
• 2nd Saturday | 10–12 → Chat Speech, Albany
• 3rd Friday | 9:30–11:30 → Fern PT, Delmar
• 4th Thursday | 6:30–8:30 → Chat Speech, Albany
• Evening weekday or weekend | TBD → Play Hollow, Ballston Spa

Come as you are. Stay or go as you need 🤎

Don’t forget to reserve your spot:
https://sites.google.com/themilkmentor.com/site/classes

May is Mental Health Awareness Month 💚and the first week of May is Maternal Mental Health Week 🤍The postpartum period is...
05/20/2026

May is Mental Health Awareness Month 💚
and the first week of May is Maternal Mental Health Week 🤍
The postpartum period is a massive transition—physically, emotionally, and hormonally. For many mothers, feeding their baby can be deeply connected to their mental health experience.
With the right support in place, the hormones associated with breastfeeding—like oxytocin and prolactin—can promote bonding, relaxation, and may help reduce symptoms of postpartum anxiety and depression.
That said, mental health is never one-size-fits-all. Feeding challenges, lack of support, or pressure can have the opposite effect. What matters most is that mothers are supported, heard, and given options that protect both their wellbeing and their baby’s.
You deserve care, not just as a parent—but as a whole person. 🫶
Support changes everything.

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Albany, NY

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