Melissa Kotlen

Melissa has over twenty years of experience assessing, diagnosing, and advising mothers on breastfeeding issues. Melissa is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and Registered Lactation Consultant (RLC), and a former Labor and Delivery Nurse at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, with additional background in midwifery. She is the Lactation Lead at Boram Postnatal Retreat in New York and also provides lactation guidance to parents registered with Villyge services and advises the Villyge leadership team. Over the last twenty years, Melissa has assisted thousands of women on breastfeeding issues in private, classroom, mother’s group, volunteer, and hospital settings. Prior to entering private practice, Melissa completed her training and clinical work at The Mount Sinai Hospital. She has been a guest expert on The Healthful Woman Podcast and her breastfeeding expertise has been featured on national television and radio programs, including major network affiliates, such as CBS News, WFLA, KATU, and KTLA, and in American Baby, Parents and Parenting magazines, in addition to an online series of videos at Healthination. Her advice has also been spotlighted at livestrong.com, cafemom.com, wwltv.com, Parade, and New York Magazine’s "The Strategist”. Melissa maintains an active private practice and has worn many hats in the breastfeeding world. She has taught prenatal breastfeeding classes at the 92nd Street Y in New York City, run a weekly breastfeeding support group, lectured on lactation topics at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, written for About.com on all-things-breastfeeding, and was the spokesperson for Playtex breast pumps. Melissa received her BA from Skidmore College, where she majored in French and English, and earned her BSN from Phillips School of Nursing at Mount Sinai Beth Israel. She lives in New York City and is the incredibly proud mom of 3 awesome young adults.