Essential Lactation
“Every drop’s a gift” - Carolyn Mathews
Full Circle Evolution
As my practice has grown, I’ve realized that to truly provide Full Circle care, I have to look at the big picture of how families are supported in our community.
I am shifting to a specialized package model and premium rates for a very intentional reason: Sustainability fuels Equity. By refining my focus into dedicated, comprehensive packages, I am able to provide the unhurried clinical support that postpartum families truly deserve. This shift also allows me to sustain the Full Circle Community Fund. When you invest in a package at the standard rate, you aren't just getting my undivided expertise, you are directly subsidizing professional care for a neighbor who otherwise couldn't afford it.
I’ve moved away from one-size-fits-all pricing to a model that honors both the high level of specialized training I bring to your home and my mission to ensure that no parent, regardless of their bank balance or background, is left to navigate these challenges alone.
We are building a village where everyone is held, and I’m honored you’re a part of it.
Meet Sara
I believe we aren’t meant to parent alone.
My path into specialized care began in 2015 with the birth of my first child, Soren. We faced it all: pain, tongue tie, infant weight loss, and low milk supply. Thankfully, I was directed to Carolyn Mathews for support. Without her knowledge, I wouldn't have met my goals. That experience changed everything. I knew I wanted to provide that same lifeline for others.
Clinical Expertise & Roots
I graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2009 and have served as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the Bellingham and Mount Vernon area ever since.
In 2017, I returned to the clinic as a student, training under Carolyn to gain hands-on experience. I spent years assisting families at weekly drop-in groups (often with my second baby, Astrid, in tow!) before becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2020.
My commitment to complex clinical care led me to complete the IBCLC Masterclass with Jennifer Tow, focusing on holistic functional assessment and oral habilitation. In 2024, I further specialized by completing OCN Level 6 Holistic Sleep Coaching with Dr. Lyndsey Hookway, IBCLC. These advanced certifications allow me to support your family through a lens that honors infant biology, attachment, and the intricate connection between feeding and sleep.
Today, I am an active member of the USLCA and ILCA, continually pursuing advanced education to ensure your family receives the most up-to-date, evidence-based care.
Carrying the Legacy Forward
After years of mentorship and partnership with Carolyn, I am honored to take the lead at Essential Lactation. Carolyn’s wisdom shaped my practice. I am thrilled to evolve her mission into a new Full Circle support model, ensuring every family in our community is held with the compassionate, expert care they deserve.
Beyond the Clinic
In my spare time, you can find me digging in the garden surrounded by my two children, my dogs Penny and Copper, and numerous chickens—or baking way too many cookies. Curious to see what's blooming? Check out my flower and egg shed page: @chickchickbloom
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GOLD Lactation Online Conference 2026 March 30 - July 31, 2026, currently enrolled
Infant Development and Breastfeeding: The Body-Brain Connection Lecture Pack-Gold Lactation, currently enrolled
Low Milk Supply Course with Lactation Hub, currently enrolled
Placenta Medicine as a Galactogogue: Tradition or Trend? with Melissa Cole, MS, IBCLC, completed January 2026
Queer and Trans Lactation Support: Figuring Out The Norm with Kayla Bitten, CCE, completed January 2026
Plugged Ducts & Mastitis: A Holistic Approach to Care - Jennifer Tow, BFA, MA, IBCLC, LMT, CSOM Intuitive Parenting Network, completed January 2026
Oral Habilitation of the Breastfeeding Dyad: A Master Class for IBCLCs - Jennifer Tow, BFA, MA, IBCLC, LMT, CSOM Intuitive Parenting Network, completed September 2025 (31.5 hours)
Bottle Skills for the Bottle Refuser - Susan Howard, MSN, RN, IBCLC, Babies in Common, completed December 2024 (4 hrs)
Gold Tongue-Tie Online Conference 2024, completed December 2024 (13.5 hours)
Pumping in Practice - Allison Tolman, LPN, IBCLC and Jessica Anderson, IBCLC, currently enrolled
Holistic Sleep Coaching Program, OCN Level 6 - Baby Em with Dr Lyndsey Hookway IBCLC, completed August 2024 (100 hours)
Pushin' (P)ump Parts & Flanges - Paperless Lactation with Nichelle Clark IBCLC, completed August 2024
Breastside Manner for Lactation Professionals - TLN with Nekisha Killings MPH IBCLC, completed August 2024
Best Practices for Providing Trauma-Informed Lactation Care - USLCA with Beckie Walker, MSN CNM IBCLC, completed May 2024
The Ripple Effect: Foundations of Queer Inclusive Lactation Care - USLCA with Bryna Hayden, IBCLC, completed April 2024
The Elephant in the Nursery- How to Talk to Perinatal Clients about Suicidality - USLCA with Kristin Cavuto, MSW, LCSW, IBCLC, completed April 2024
A square peg in a round hole: answers on drug transfer in lactation made simple - iLactation with Karolina Morze MPharm, completed April 2024
GOLD Lactation Online Conference 2023 (29.5 hours)
Lactation Conversations - iLactation Online Conference 2023 (19 hours)
Self-paced Course: Pumping & Feeding Gear for IBCLCs - Babies in Common with Jeanette Mesite Frem, MHS, IBCLC, RLC, CCE, CD, completed March 2023
How to be Part of the Solution: The Effects of Intergenerational Trauma on Perinatal Persons of Color - GOLD with Tanya Singleton IBCLC, completed March 2023
Bodywork for Babies: Guidance for the Lactation Consultant - USLCA with Susan Vaughan Kratz, completed January 2023
GOLD Tongue Tie Symposium 2022 (10 hours)
Lactation Private Practice Essential Course - Paperless Lactation, completed 2022 (40 hours)