Reaching Your Breastfeeding Goals | Tanja Knutson

Passionate – that’s what I am as well as who I am. I’m passionate about parenting, kindness and learning. And what I do combines all three of these passions. I want you to feel your baby kicking inside you, and long to meet that sweet little face and treat it with kindness, even when you’re exhausted or alone. I want you to pick up your little ones from school, and get more than just a shrug when you ask about their day. I want you to feel this deep joy towards your children and yourself. And I want to make it safe for you to admit that you don’t have all the answers. Neither do I. But I know this: We aren’t meant to parent alone. We are meant to have a collective, a community, a tribe, to help us through, especially on days where there is neither wine or chocolate to be found in the house.

My name is one of those tricky ones to pronounce: Tan as in suntan, the J is like a Y, so think “Tanya” – but please don’t ever spell it that way. And my last name? The K is not silent – think canoe for Knutson. There, now you know me even better.

And how did I become parenting coach? Trauma, pain and difficulty. My first birth was one of the most traumatic events I had ever experienced, and then I was cruelly shocked that breastfeeding was even more traumatic. How could something as normal and natural as breastfeeding be so painful? Nobody told me that breastfeeding was a learned skill. With the help of La Leche League, and a wonderful IBCLC, I was able to go on to breastfeed my son – pain-free! I realized that if I could learn how to breastfeed, then anyone can…with the right information and loving support. So I became an accredited breastfeeding counsellor with LLL in 2001 to give back to the organization that helped me navigate the early days of motherhood. I am also an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) since 2010.