About

Who the heck is Heather?!

Certified Nurse-Midwife, Internationally Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, Entrepreneur, Mother, Pie-Lover.

Hello lactating parents everywhere!

My name is Heather ONeal, and I am a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) and an Internationally Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in the wild and wonderful state of West Virginia. CNMs are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, which is the equivalent of a Nurse Practitioner with a specialty in pregnancy, labor, and birth. I recently sold my home-birth practice and decided to pursue my passion for helping parents breastfeed in a more inclusive and accessible way. Beyond breastfeeding, I also endeavor to help new parents deal with major challenges such as mental health and body positivity in the postpartum period.

I have worked as a registered nurse in Labor & Delivery, Pediatrics, NICU, and PICU and have helped breastfeeding parents on all of those units. Having seen first-hand the mental/physical exhaustion and the breakdown in personal relationships under the stress of feeding a baby, I knew my calling. Preparation and education truly make ALL THE DIFFERENCE when it comes to breastfeeding a baby and so that’s exactly how I help families through my work today.

As a business owner, I am unapologetically anti-racist and pro-LGBTQ+ in all of my teaching. If there is anything that you think I could improve upon when it comes to inclusivity in my course material, please do not hesitate to reach out. My Facebook group remains a safe place where all lactating parents can post photos of their breasts/chests and nursing sessions without reservation. I have a zero-tolerance policy in the group for hate speech and discriminatory behavior.

On a personal note, I would be remiss not to mention my incredible family who support me in this important work. In 2017, I married the love of my life (for real – I love that guy more than I can say), and we have a 7-year-old and a toddler. Those two crazy kids keep us hoppin’ 24/7, and we love it. I will never claim to be a perfect mother, in fact, I fail on a regular basis.  My children and partner love me anyway – I hope you give yourself the same grace and patience.

Know that I can’t wait to work with you and your family.

We Got This,

Heather