Essential Lactation

Essential Lactation Providing a full circle of care through comprehensive lactation and sleep packages. Lactation and infant feeding support. You deserve it.

I believe every family deserves expert support, which is why I offer the Full Circle Community Fund for equitable access. The decision to breastfeed/chestfeed your baby is one of the most important choices you will make as a parent. We recognize the commitment many parents make to offer this essential nutrition to their babies. We also know that breastfeeding/chestfeeding can be very challenging.

This combination of commitment and challenge can create a great deal of stress in the early days and weeks postpartum. We offer gentle, non-judgmental, and compassionate care that helps you gain confidence while feeding your baby. Individualized, and comprehensive plans help you understand and encourage you to trust your body and your baby, as you learn your breastfeeding/chestfeeding dance together. We believe it is never too early or too late to get support.

Hey Full Circle Family! New Q&A video for May just posted!Check your inbox for May’s portal updates. It’s a good one!🌀Q&...
05/18/2026

Hey Full Circle Family! New Q&A video for May just posted!

Check your inbox for May’s portal updates. It’s a good one!

🌀Q&A video covering: holiday travel sleep, triple feeding help, 4 month sleep regression & growth spurts, and bottle refusal
🌀 Crib Gymnast Guide: how to help your older baby with developmental milestones that disrupt sleep
🌀 Velcro Baby Help: navigating normal developmental peak of clinginess and separation anxiety in 9-to-12-month-olds

Not a member? Come join us!

I add a new video covering your questions every month along with guides and other meaningful resources. Plus access to our monthly Common Room virtual support circle 🫂

Join by clicking the link in bio!

05/14/2026

Are you having more rough nights than peaceful ones?

Toddler sleep sometimes feels harder than the newborn stage. Things are changing, your toddler is talking, moving, growing, exploring and all of this impacts sleep!

My background as an IBCLC and RN is what makes my support style unique. Together we will look at your toddler’s sleep (definitely), but we’ll also look at their overall development, sensory needs, nutrition, and your family’s needs as a whole.

Even if you live in a different state, I can find and refer you to your local resources so you don’t have to try to google them in the middle of the night. Because sometimes, it’s not just about the sleep, sometimes you just need to know who to ask for help.

Supporting families throughout the PNW (and beyond!)

04/26/2026

Information is only helpful if you can access it when you actually need it. 📱

My Full Circle clients don’t just get my time; they get me on speed dial. One of the favorite features for parents is the ongoing text and HIPAA-secure messaging support.

You don’t have to wait 4 days for your next appointment to ask a question. Send me the video, ask the question, and get the IBCLC-backed answer immediately. It’s peace of mind, included in your package.

So go ahead and send it!

Want to meet me and see if we’d be a good fit? Book a discovery call today. Link in bio.

04/16/2026

(I hope you love this glimpse of my desk 😂)

All of my packages include ongoing messaging support. This means you can send me a message anytime and I will get back to you within 24 hours (usually much sooner)!

🙋‍♀️ Not sure about a diaper?
🙋🏻 Need clarification on the plan we created?
🙋‍♀️ Forgot something you meant to ask?

Send it! No worries about bothering me at midnight, I have my messages set to come once I’m up.

-AND-

If you choose the Reset or Full Circle support, you get lifetime access to the Full Circle Family Portal: my living digital resource library, monthly virtual support circle, and you can request a resource that you need any time (I add new ones monthly-come check out April’s Q&A!).

I’d love to support your family!

04/14/2026

Nursing your baby goes beyond feeding them.

☺️ It’s absolutely helping them grow and thrive, but it’s also a place for connection. Oxytocin flows both ways.
☺️ Nursing helps babies digest! Rhythmic movement from swallowing helps move the whole digestive tract.
☺️ It also helps them fall asleep. What an amazing benefit!

Are you an information gatherer? Love lots of content and learning more about your baby? I am definitely in the more is more category of teaching and sharing.

If this resonates with you, schedule a free discovery call with me today and find out how I can support you and your little one.

04/04/2026

You’ve thought of everything your new baby will need. You’ve researched cribs and mattresses. You’ve registered for glass bottles. You have an amazing midwife. You’ve taken the birth class.

But what about after your baby is born?

🩵 Do you have a plan for when your baby is up at 3am?
🩵 Do you know who to call if nursing your baby isn’t working how you thought?
🩵 Has anyone helped you make a plan for newborn sleep and protecting your milk supply?

If you answered NO to any of those questions, then you’re in the right place!

🌀 Full Circle support begins now, BEFORE your baby is born.

Together we’ll make a plan for feeding in those first days and weeks, what to look out for, & how to know if your baby is getting enough, all before your baby is even born.

Once you’re settled and ready after your birth, you get priority scheduling for your visits with me and you’ll get continuous messaging support between our visits. You’ll also have access to the Full Circle Family Portal (my digital resource library and monthly virtual support group) for life.

You don’t have to wait until you’re having challenges to get support. Schedule a free discovery call with me and have me by your side for your entire fourth trimester 🫂

04/02/2026

Ever find yourself at 3:00 AM scrolling through endless blogs, feeling more overwhelmed than when you started? 😵‍💫

The Full Circle Family Portal is officially open. 📁✨

I’ve taken the guesswork out of parenting by curating a library of 70+ professional resources, all in one keyword-searchable format. Whether you need a 'Sensory Downshift' guide, a 'Partner Sleep Shift' template, or 'Visitor Guidelines' ideas, your answer is just one search away.

This living digital resource is included with my Full Circle and Reset (lactation & sleep!) support packages and is available as an add-on for everyone else.

What’s Inside the Portal:
✅ 70+ Keyword-Searchable Resources - Feeding, Sleep, Regulation, and more.
✅ Living Library - Split nights? How much milk to store for back to work? Daycare transitions? You can submit your topic requests anytime and I will create new video shorts or guides each month addressing challenges that are happening in YOUR home.
✅ Lifetime Access - Included in your package for Full Circle & Reset families! One price ($99) for everyone else, support for every stage of your journey.
✅ The Common Room - A monthly virtual gathering every 4th Tuesday at 6:00 PM to connect and co-regulate.

Stop scrolling for answers and start feeling supported. Tap the link in my bio to enter the Portal and join us for the next Common Room session on April 28th!

03/31/2026

The More Sleep Myth: Breastfeeding vs. Formula 🌙

Research shows that nursing parents actually get an average of 40–45 minutes MORE sleep per night than those who formula-feed. 📉 Why? Because your biology is designed to be efficient, not difficult.

1️⃣ Every time you nurse, your body releases Prolactin, which helps you fall back into a deeper, more restorative sleep faster than if you had to get up and prep a bottle.
2️⃣ Your night milk contains Melatonin and Tryptophan, nature’s gentle sleepy dust for your baby’s developing nervous system.
3️⃣ Following the Safe Sleep 7 and keeping baby close (chest-to-chest or safe bed-sharing) means less full-wake time for both of you.

You don’t have to trade your biological advantage for a bottle. You aren’t just feeding your baby, you’re syncing your sleep cycles for maximum recovery. 🌀

🔗 Head to my bio and click the link to download my guide on the science behind this amazing superpower you have!

03/25/2026

The Full Circle starts before I even ring your doorbell.

My morning looks a little different on home visit days! Instead of coming into the office, I’m packing up my mobile clinic to meet you exactly where you are: on your couch, in your pajamas, where you and your baby feel the most comfortable.

What’s coming with me today:
⚖️ My super accurate scale: For those precise weighted feeds that give us the data we need.
💬 My IBCLC thoughts: To look at the big picture, from your physical recovery to your baby’s anatomy.
🌀 The Full Circle Plan: A complete plan we build together to meet your family’s needs.
☕ A lot of caffeine: So I can be ready for you!

Whether I’m heading into a home in Bellingham or driving out toward Mount Vernon, my goal is the same: to leave you feeling more regulated, more informed, and more supported than when I walked in.

I have a few openings left for 3 months of Full Circle Support (sleep or feeding) starting in April. Tap the link in my bio to schedule a call to meet me!

We’re back again next Wednesday for NAPTRAPPED! Please join us for community and discussion about your little one’s slee...
02/12/2026

We’re back again next Wednesday for NAPTRAPPED! Please join us for community and discussion about your little one’s sleep this month.

Details:
Wednesday, 2/18 from 12-1:30
Essential Lactation office in the Bham Towers Suite 280 on the second floor
By donation: Suggested $0-20

What to expect:
Sharing starts at 12:15 so come early to get settled (also not required to share more than you feel comfortable!)
Facilitated conversation
Non-judgmental education and conversation
Coffee, tea, bubbly water
Lots of comfy cushions and chairs
COMMUNITY!

Be sure to save your spot using the link in bio and for all first time visitors there is an additional registration form. You can complete ahead of time or come early and complete before group begins.

💗
-Sara & Heron

As doulas, we know supporting families goes beyond our own expertise. That’s why we value our connections and collaborat...
02/05/2026

As doulas, we know supporting families goes beyond our own expertise. That’s why we value our connections and collaborations with local providers and experts like IBCLC Sara Manske @‌essential.lactation.

Part of our role is helping families access the right care at the right time, including referrals when needed. Together, we ensure every parent and baby receives the very best support 💙

Address

119 N Commercial Street #860
Bellingham, WA
98225

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 3pm
Tuesday 10am - 3pm
Wednesday 10am - 3pm
Thursday 10am - 3pm
Friday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

+13603366468

Website

https://www.essentiallactation.com/about

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