Elisa Olalde

How I got inspired to work with infants began when I had my first child in 2011. I didn't have a strong milk supply and I didn't know what to do. After 3 weeks of her slowly gaining weight and being very fussy we decided to supplement with formula. I was devastated that I couldn't provide the milk she so desperately needed.

 

Then I had my second daughter in 2014. Luckily at this time there was a great non-profit lactation support service available in town. I knew I needed to be proactive to help my milk supply so I started on herbs and tinctures right away after birth and saw a boost in my supply with the help of Jennie Hawthorn, IBCLC but it wasn't enough. Again we decided to supplement with formula. It was a life saver but this baby had what they label as "colic." She was fussy all the time. Visibly uncomfortable and gassy. It was incredibly difficult for everyone. We both spent many days in tears.

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When I began my classes in Infant Craniosacral (CST), I broke down in tears as I realized that all of the symptoms my daughter displayed as an infant were signs of a tongue tie or restriction. Inconsolable crying, low milk supply, clicking on the breast or bottle, painful gas, spitting up etc. She needed CST treatments & maybe a tongue tie release procedure! Had I known more back then I would have taken her in for more CST treatments with the infamous Ben Bell, LMT but as it was she only saw him once because I didn't realize how important his treatments were going to be for her (sometimes you need a series instead of just one appointment). I cried that day because I felt like I had failed her. 

 

I believe that she would have benefited so much from more CST had I been more resourced and had more resources. Not only because she was a fussy baby, but because she was a fussy toddler, a teeth grinder (she had so much oral discomfort she would grind her teeth to nubs in the nighttime, she also needed speech therapy at age 7, and eventually she needed braces to open up her tight little palate. 

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As painful as that day was for me, it was clear we could have had a different outcome, so I grieved. I realized the incredible impact CST can have for babies and families. I knew that out of our struggle, I could offer a whole-hearted and compassionate CST treatments to families in the most vulnerable time, postpartum and I could offer these from a place of experience. As I branched out to do this work, I called on my amazing lactation consultant, Jennie Hawthorn, IBCLC to team up with me to offer a rare and highly supportive Well Baby Holistic Care Treatment option in our community. Had this care been around when we needed it, we would have had an entirely different outcome.

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Out of pain and struggle comes clarity and a drive to help others avoid the same suffering. I will forever be blessed for that experience and the path it took me down as I truly believe that working with families and babies is my calling.

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