Sejal Fichadia is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in private practice in Hillsboro, Oregon. She combines her professional expertise with her personal instincts as a mother and a supportive team member.
She holds a Bachelors in Microbiology and Clinical Laboratory Science.
She also brings with her the following comprehensive toolkit: CAPPA-certified postpartum doula since 2014, Certified as an infant massage educator (CEIM) and offers infant massage classes since 2014 and facilitates TummyTime!™ method classes since 2014. She is also formerly Certified in skin-to-skin care for full term infants from the United States Institute of Kangaroo Care and is a Certified Provider of Innate Postpartum Care.
She has presented at GOLD lactation, ILCA, and local organizations, both in person and virtually on the subjects of how infant and maternal posture influence breastfeeding, and how infant facial massage can help facilitate a functional latch.
She strives to help each family by continuing to learn all she can about breastfeeding ecology, breastfeeding movement and parent-infant connection using the neurobiological and infant mental health lens.
When she’s not with her clients, you can find her at home in Hillsboro, Oregon, USA, listening to bollywood music, hanging out with friends and spending time with her family.
Background: The benefits of massage have been shown in many research studies. Massage relieves stress, pain and muscle tension. We expect to show that the same benefits can be achieved when facial massage is used to optimize a baby’s oral structures to support a functional latch.
Method: We hope to use facial massage as a tool for babies that do not have an optimal latch. Babies born with gestational constraints, traumatic birth, exposure to stress during pregnancy or babies with tethered oral tissues may benefit from a parent massaging their face. Attendees will have access to handouts and a video link and may use their own face to practice the facial massage strokes.
Results: Building strength by oral and facial muscles, relaxing tension in the jaw, the lips, the muscles around the lips, and muscles of facial expression may help optimize the latch and hence prevent nipple damage.
Conclusion: IBCLCs can have an extra tool in their toolkit to offer to new parents. Facial massage techniques to support a functional latch can increase a parent’s confidence in caring for their baby, while increasing the levels of oxytocin and thereby promoting parent-infant bond
Evaluating feeding and observing babies at the breast is a big part of what lactation professionals do. The privilege to observe babies at the breast in private practice at a much slower pace has provided a unique observation opportunity. Each baby and parent dyad is unique and so are the challenges that come with it. The focus of this interactive workshop is to help participants become astute observers of the infant’s movements and posture before and during feeding. It will further enhance their clinical skills by looking at the big picture of how the infant's innate behaviors ensure harmonious breastfeeding ecology. This presentation will take a deeper dive into how the infant’s use of their senses, and nine steps of the breast crawl not only lead to self-attachment but it also lays down the foundation for self-efficacy and self-regulation in babies.
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