GOLD Learning Speakers

In this session, I will explore how trauma held in the body interferes with the breast/chestfeeding experience on a physiological level, including how experiences of trauma, stress, and conflict contribute to stress hormones, as well as on an emotional level, preventing the bonding between parent and child that facilitates a fulfilling breast/chestfeeding relationship. I will share techniques for supporting parents with past trauma using interdisciplinary approaches that promote self-care and healing of trauma that include talk therapy, bodywork, use of herbs and other holistic and traditional approaches such as acupuncture, potential Western medicine/pharmaceutical support, peer support, lactation professional support, and family support, and how to integrate trauma-informed care into their lactation practice. We will discuss the role of gender dysphoria during breast/chestfeeding for trans and gender non-conforming parents and delve into the available research on techniques that queer, trans and gender non-conforming parents use to combat gender dysphoria, including hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery, and chest binding, and the compatibility of those techniques with lactation.