About Me
Let’s work together to get to the root cause of your symptoms.
Nicole M. Vazquez, MBA, IBCLC
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Welcome! I’m thrilled you’ve found your way here. My name is Nicole, and I am an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), a trained childbirth educator, proud wife of 24 years and a mother to three incredible daughters who truly brighten my life. Born and raised on the sunny Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, I am fully bilingual in English and Spanish.
After a fulfilling 12-year career in the business world, I discovered my love for babies, childbirth, and breastfeeding through my challenges and triumphs of infertility and breastfeeding. In 2019, I earned my Lactation Counselor (CBI) certification. I furthered my expertise as a childbirth educator and became an Accredited Counselor with Breastfeeding USA while providing in-home lactation support to the Upstate homebirth community.
Qualifications:
Tethered Oral Tissues Specialty Training (TOTS)- 2020
Passed certification examination by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners-L307690- 2022
IBCLC Master Class: Oral Habilitation of the Breastfeeding Dyad- 2022
IBCLC Master Class: Older Babies and Unresolved Challenges- 2023
Certified Munchee/Bebe Munchee Provider- 2023
Approved Continuous Educator Provider for DONA International- 2023
IBCLC Master Class: Gut Brain Axis- 2024
Completed Infant Massage USA Training- Certification Pending
United States Lactation Consultant Association- Member
South Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition- Volunteer & Member of Disaster Recovery Team
Throughout the next few years, I continued supporting families throughout the Upstate as I completed clinical requirements to be eligible for the board examination. In June 2022, I achieved International Board Certification in Lactation, the highest credential in the field.
Since then, I have been dedicated to supporting hundreds of families in the Upstate with a range of services including breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping, prenatal education, and introducing solid foods. I have undergone extensive training in assessing and managing lip, tongue, and buccal ties (TOTS), oral motor habilitation, and complex breastfeeding challenges. I excel at guiding families through the TOTS assessment, treatment, and aftercare processes, and I partner with several local experts to ensure the best possible outcomes.
How I can help:
My special interests include tethered oral tissues (tongue/lip/buccal ties), complex oral motor function, oral function habilitation, older babies with unresolved feeding challenges, and breastmilk supply management. I am passionate about helping families navigate challenges to achieve their feeding goals and ensure the best start for their little ones.
My goal with every family I meet is to provide steadfast support by actively listening to their unique needs and guiding them toward achieving their goals. I emphasize a collaborative approach to care and am fortunate to work with a network of trusted practitioners offering complementary services. I am dedicated to empowering families with clear, accurate information, allowing them to make well-informed decisions about their infant feeding journey. It is a privilege to accompany families from the prenatal phase through toddlerhood, offering specialized support in areas such as oral function, pre- and post-release oral restriction habilitation, breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping, and the introduction of solids.
