Bender Lactation Consulting

04/04/2026

When you invest in breastfeeding you are setting up your newborn for life-long health starting with their immune system. And breastfeeding is good for Mama’s health too! Here to support you to meet your feeding goals, Bender Lactation Consulting is the gold standard IBCLC in Wi******er, VA and beyond!

It's widely known that breastfeeding impacts the health of both mother and child, but the underlying biology that leads to these effects has been understudied. In a review article published in Trends in Immunology, researchers highlight recent studies showing T cells—white blood cells that play a ...

12/07/2025

After a year of renewal, we are ready for Guests! Last weekend we finally put the finishing touches on our home away from home. We decided for now we will forego Airbnb fees and rent to family and friends at affordable rates. Contact Mike for availability at (757) 335-1614. December is almost booked up!

11/24/2025

Travel season is here!

Are you getting ready to fly this holiday season? Here’s a quick and handy overview of TSA guidelines for traveling with breast milk. You can find more information on Traveling with Children via the TSA website. See link below
Families on the Fly
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/families-fly
Traveling with Children
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares/traveling-children

[Image Description]Photo of an airplane in the sky, clouds behind an overlay of text which reads, "Flying with Breastmilk. When traveling within the United States: Breast milk is allowed through TSA security.
There is no limit to how much you can bring.
Breast pumps are considered medical equipment and do not count toward your carry on limit.
While most liquids go through X-ray screening, breast milk may be tested separately upon request.
Ice packs, freezer packs, and gel packs are permitted to keep milk cold. If not fully frozen, they may require additional screening.
Dry ice is allowed but must be approved by your airline.
You DO NOT need to be traveling with your child to carry breast milk.
Safe Travels."
La Leche League USA logo sits in the bottom right corner.

Words and Photo 📸 Credit La Leche League USA

10/30/2025

Big news for Bender Lactation! Peak Health Insurance is now in network with The Lactation Network. This means all my former co-workers (and friends!) who work at Valley Health Wi******er Medical Center and beyond, can be supported in their breastfeeding journey by me, for no cost out of pocket. If you work at Valley Health, your peers have bravely fought for this coverage for years... drop a comment if one was you! BF is a human right and in these tough times, it give me great hope.

Ready to set up breastfeeding support with me? See if your insurance covers a visit with me…

https://go.lactationnetwork.com/BenderLactationConsulting

Oh and another win— 70 FIVE STAR reviews! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ To the ladies who have taken precious time to tell others I exist, I am truly grateful. God bless you always, Emily

05/15/2025

How I feel when we fix your initially complicated breast feeding scenario in just 1-2 visits! I’m sorry, I get excited

02/19/2025

Expert support for breastfeeding complications. Now accepting new patients! Do you qualify for 6+ free visits with me? Apply here:

12/30/2024

Love this article and all the messages within..

Our blog’s namesake is steeped in mythology. While researching classical breastfeeding images for their Icons of Breastfeeding presentation, Cindy Turner-Maffei and Karin Cadwell came across art like Tintoretto’s The Origin of the Milky Way and Rubens’s Birth of the Milky Way. “We were thril...

11/19/2024

Do you have a complicated breastfeeding journey?

Seek out the appropriate level of education, in relation to your specific situation.

A Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC), while valuable, has less training, restricted skill set and limited experience. Need more than a support group?

Seek out an IBCLC, which takes over 5 years of preparation prior to sitting for boards. IBCLCs must regularly renew certification to stay on top of the research as well as being medical professionals already. There are only 33K of us in the world, in 125 countries.

Do you qualify for free visits with me? Check this link https://go.lactationnetwork.com/BenderLactationConsulting

08/13/2024

Do you know a pregnant person or someone with young children? This is a must attend event! Excited to be a vendor at this event next month. Giveaways are always amazing and it’s completely free!

06/25/2024

SUMMER ANNOUNCEMENT: I will be accepting new patients starting August 19th. If you would like to book with me, text (540) 305-6479

Check to see if you qualify for insurance covered visits with me:

06/15/2024

Bender Lactation Consulting hosted this banner for ArtScape 2024! It is located on the downtown mall in Wi******er. I love this piece so much, as a fellow Artist (on the side!) I very much appreciate Karen Winter’s art.

05/18/2024

Jelise Ballon is the fiber artist who created this masterpiece on my walls!! Love having local artisans make my space more comfortable (and sound proof!) 😀