Melissa Block

Melissa is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), Certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C), an administrator for the Chicago Breastfeeding Collective, an accredited Breastfeeding USA Counselor and past Vice President for the Northern Illinois Lactation Consultant Association. She co-founded the North Suburbs chapter of Breastfeeding USA. After nine successful years in the business world, Melissa found her passion as soon as she started nursing her first-born. Melissa quickly became active with several breastfeeding organizations and started helping dozens of her friends overcome their breastfeeding challenges. At the prompting and encouragement of those friends, Melissa decided to make a career of her passion and sought board certification - the highest achievement in the lactation field. Melissa is a tethered oral tissues (TOTs) trained IBCLC and a member of The International Affiliation of Tongue-tie Professionals. She has completed extensive education and training on lip ties, tongue ties and buccal ties including the Oral Habilitation of the Breastfeeding Dyad (IBCLC Master Class), Tongue Tie Acaedmy by Dr. Richard Baxter, Untying Ankyloglossia by Bobby Ghaheri, MD and has trained on site with the top release providers in Chicagoland . She confidently supports the dyad throughout the entire process of assessment, treatment and aftercare and partners with qualified providers for frenectomy diagnosis and bodywork. Melissa care deeply about Perinatal Mental Health, screening every patient both prenatally and postnatally. Postpartum depression is the most underdiagnosed obstetric complication in the U.S. and Melissa regulary intercepts this complication, then referring to specialized providers as needed to support a path towards healing. Melissa frequently speaks and lectures on lactation-related topics. She has also mentored numerous students during their own journey toward becoming an IBCLC.