Do you offer in-home lactation visits in Boston and the North Shore?

Yes. Strong Nest Consulting offers in-home lactation support throughout Boston, the North Shore, and Greater Boston, as well as virtual consults.

Do you offer virtual lactation consults?

Yes. Virtual consults are available and can be a flexible option for many feeding and pumping concerns.

What issues do you help with in lactation consults?

Support commonly includes latch pain, low milk supply concerns, pumping and return-to-work plans, bottle and paced feeding strategies, oversupply/forceful letdown, slow weight gain concerns, and weaning.

What does postpartum doula support include?

Postpartum doula care may include newborn care education, feeding support, soothing techniques, partner support, light household help, and helping parents rest and recover.

When should I book postpartum doula support?

Many families book during pregnancy to secure preferred dates, but you can also reach out after birth. Availability varies.

How do I know whether I need lactation support or postpartum doula support?

If your main concerns are feeding (latch, pain, pumping, supply), start with lactation. If you need broader newborn/parent support and rest, postpartum doula care may be the best fit. Many families benefit from both.

Do you work with families who are combo-feeding or formula-feeding?

Yes. Support is tailored to your goals—breastfeeding, pumping, combo feeding, or formula feeding.

How do I get started?

Contact Strong Nest Consulting to share what’s going on and schedule the best next step—lactation consult, postpartum doula shift, or a class.

Strong Nest Lactation & Doula Support

You shouldn’t have to figure out feeding ‍alone.

Kathleen Stern brings evidence-based, judgment-free lactation support right to your home so you can feel more confident, more rested, and more like yourself.

Book a consultation

Learn More About Kathleen

700+

families supported

IBCLC

candidate, 2026

FSA/HSA

accepted

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

You prepared for the birth. Nobody warned you that feeding would be the hard part.

The elusive latch. The pain that makes you dread every session. The endless Googling at 3am wondering if your baby is getting enough.

The conflicting advice from every well-meaning person in your life. The self-doubt that whispers maybe I'm just not cut out for this.

It doesn't have to be this hard - and it's not supposed to be this lonely.

WHAT KATHLEEN OFFERS

Real-time relief. A plan you can actually follow.

Every visit ends with a written care plan sent to you and your pediatrician, and the confidence to actually use it.

In-home visits

FSA/HSA accepted

Virtual visits

Written care plan

Support for…

01

Latch & pain
Hands-on support for latch challenges, nipple pain, and early feeding struggles.
02

Milk supply & slow growth
Evidence-based strategies for low supply, oversupply, and slow weight gain.
03

Pumping & return to work
A practical pumping plan so you're not figuring it out the night before.
04

Combo feeding
Flexible support for bottle introduction, combo feeding, and bottle refusal.
05

Early postpartum
Support in those first overwhelming days when everything feels uncertain.
06

Prenatal prep
Get ahead of challenges before baby arrives with private in-home or virtual classes.

IBCLC near Swampscott and North Shore Boston

MEET KATHLEEN

I've been the exhausted parent googling everything at midnight.

I'm Kathleen Stern— IBCLC candidate, certified postpartum and birth doula, and founder of Boston Area Doulas, which supported over 700 families.

I got into this work after struggling with my own colicky baby in 2014. I know firsthand how much it matters to have someone in your corner who actually knows what they're doing — and who shows up without judgment.

My goal is simple: I want you to feel better when my visit ends.

IBCLC Candidate (2026) · Certified Infant Feeding Specialist · Certified Birth & Postpartum Doula · Board Member, MA Lactation Consultant Association · BA Trinity College · MA Teaching, Simmons University · Mom of Tweens

Families say it best.

"Kathleen helped me trust my instincts. I spend less time worrying and more time enjoying being a mother. She was so reassuring as well as informative."
- Debbie, Boston
"Kathleen was indispensable in the anxious first weeks. She was a kind ear for all our panicked, sleep-deprived questions and a vital resource helping us become a happier, more confident little threesome."
-Alice, Boston
"What I most appreciated is her approach — thorough and thoughtful, balancing all the information we asked for alongside empathy and real emotional support."
-Maggie, virtual support