Introduction
I am Liesbeth van Amerongen – Koelemij, and I have been working on a neonatal ward as a nurse specialized in neonatal care with mothers and their babies since 1985.
My first encounter with breastfeeding was in 1985 when I started working in pediatrics. Thinking back, I can see how much has changed since then; especially in the support available to mothers who want to breastfeed.
As of November 2014 I am also a certified lactation consultant IBCLC. To me, babies and breastfeeding are inextricably connected, so becoming a lactation consultant was a logical next step for me. After working as a pediatric/neonatal nurse for over 35 years, I decided in September 2021 to solely focus on my breastfeeding practice. Due to my years as a pediatric/neonatal nurse I have ample knowledge of premature babies and infants who need extra care. I know from that experience that adequate support right from the start is vital to getting your baby to the most natural situation, drinking at breast.
I also have breastfeeding experience as a mother, nursing my two daughters for six and eight months. From that experience, I can tell that every nursing adventure is unique, because every mother-baby dyad is unique.
In my contact with you and your baby I chose to have a calm approach. I support you in a hands off way to help you latch your baby. Together we can work towards the best possible outcome for you and your baby.
As I really enjoy learning I’ve been keeping up on a broad spectrum of related topics. This ranges from crying and sleeping of the baby to the microbiome and epigenetics.