Alisha Blanks, MPH, RD, IBCLC
I am Alisha Blanks, a Registered Dietitian and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition, a minor in Human Development and Family Studies and a Master’s in Public Health. With a passion for providing nutrition and lactation services for mothers, fathers and families with infants and children, my life is centered on the truth and…the truth is…my motherhood journey turned out to be something different than what I expected.
The truth is, I went into pregnancy engaged and grew into motherhood as a single parent. The truth is, I went into the hospital at 39 weeks bearing a healthy pregnancy at 25 years of age and came out of the hospital physically disabled and depressed with a newborn baby boy and several packs of infant formula. The truth is, I went into the hospital thinking I would give my baby colostrum and breastmilk only and I came out of the hospital with the weight of trauma from seeing the nurse throw my colostrum in the garbage and give my newborn baby a bottle of formula. The truth is, I thought I would have lactation support, after all I am a registered dietitian and lactation consultant who was serving the community at large. The truth is, I could not find help and the places that could have served me turned me away because I made a few dollars over the income requirements. The truth is, I sat in my living room with my newborn baby, holding my head down, feeling helpless and hopeless but the truth is, I kept trying and I was able to pump breast milk for my son and formula feed. The truth is, I could have fully breastfed with the right help and support.
Kindly Nourished was founded and established to fill-in gaps within communities across the world to provide personalized nutrition and lactation services and support to help families thrive – from pregnancy through postpartum and beyond, so women like me, have a fighting chance to live and enjoy healthy, life giving pregnancies and deliveries.
Irrespective of your circumstance, Kindly Nourished strives to build a global foundation of health and wellness during maternal, infant and childhood developmental stages of life.