When the simple act of feeding one’s newborn turns into a painful obstacle, there’s no predicting what reaction it will stir in a mother, how impactful that response will be, or what it might inspire.
Sherylann James, 33, once a stay-at-home mother, delivered her firstborn in January 2020. Her baby boy made his debut, filling the family with the sense of awe that usually accompanies the arrival of a new member. He had his ten toes, ten fingers, and an abundance of cuteness, but when it was time to feed him, he simply would not latch.
“Breastfeeding was just harder than I expected,” James disclosed candidly in an interview with St Lucia Times, preluding another miserable discovery. “And, although to some degree, there was some help at the hospital—I can actually say there was one nurse for sure who I told I was having some issues with my son latching and she helped—there was not much help outside of that. There were other people around me as well who were asking for help but weren’t getting any,” she recalled of her personal experience following the delivery of her son at what was then the Victoria Hospital.
The nurse performed the latch for her, but when she returned home with her newborn, breastfeeding continued to be an uphill battle. “After that experience, I went on a deep dive because when I would breastfeed, I was in so much pain, my nipple bled; it was just really painful.”
James visited the Rodney Bay Medical Centre where she was recommended antibiotics.
“They gave me some medication – antibiotics – but I wasn’t able to receive breastfeeding guidance. I went on a deep dive because I thought that could not be right. Why would it hurt so much? I saw that there were lactation consultants, but nothing came up for lactation consultants locally.”
She’d later learned that one doctor in Saint Lucia offers the service.
But at the time, unable to find any lactation support, James conducted extensive research that not only helped her overcome her own breastfeeding challenges but also became the foundation for bridging the gap in both professional and personal support available on the island.
Since 2022, James has been undergoing lactation consultancy training and completed a 10-month clinical internship at the Owen King European Union (OKEU) Hospital. “I really enjoyed working with the nurses on the maternity ward,” she beamed.
Although her role as a lactation consultant in training was met with scepticism by some at the hospital, she was able to learn from experienced nurses and found others who appreciated the support she provided to mothers and their newborns
“A lot of the nurses were so happy that I was there because it took something off their plate. And for me, it was a good learning curve—I learned a lot. There was a nurse who worked part-time; she’s wonderful. Because of her, I learned so much more. I was putting things I learned in theory into practice with somebody who’s actually seen lactation support given. Her name is Nurse St. Claire; she’s older and actually worked in the UK, where she did a lot of breastfeeding support, so it helped me to put a lot together,” James shared.
Everything came full circle when James gave birth to her second son who she was able to breastfeed peacefully and painlessly.
“I hadn’t finished [the course[ yet at that time, but when I had my second son, the experience was so different because I knew what I was doing. I can say that once you have the knowledge, you know what to expect, what’s not right, and you know what to look for; things can go so much better.”
Now a Certified Breastfeeding (Lactation) Specialist, James operates her own business, Baby to Breast Lactation Services, where she aims to provide new and longtime mothers needing to breastfeed with the support they need.
“First thing is I want to try to get to them even before they have the baby. I try to have them do prenatal classes because if you know what to expect you will know if something is not right,” she said, recalling an early instance where she helped a new, breastfeeding mom thrive.
“I had someone do a breastfeeding class and interestingly enough, when she had the baby, I was at the hospital. I passed by, and while I could hear other babies on the ward crying, I never heard her baby cry. Not once. When Nurse St Claire checked on her and realised the baby wasn’t crying, she mentioned it and the mom said she did the prenatal class with me. She was doing fine. After I did the class with her, she knew exactly what to look for.
“I’ll say it’s not like that with every single client I see because there are different situations and people are at different levels of learning. Some must go through it before they’re able to put some things into practice. But she was able to pick up on her baby’s cues before any screaming started,” she added.
James also offers a breastfeeding challenge review service for anyone experiencing difficulties, weaning support, and return-to-work guidance for mothers returning to their jobs. “I recommend starting at least two weeks before. Then, I usually work with them to . . . find the best solution for pumping to keep up their milk supply while at work,” she explained.
Heading into her fourth year as a lactation specialist, James offered her perspectives on how this support could be better administered at local health facilities: “The unfortunate thing with the healthcare system we have is that there are not enough nurses on duty to support new mothers. I cannot tell you what it is now, but during my clinical internship between 2023 and 2024, I saw about three to four nurses there at a time.
“Imagine having three nurses trying to manage an entire ward that has antenatal and postnatal patients and, obviously, where there are postnatal patients, there are babies to add to that too. They don’t necessarily have the time to stay and [witness] the breastfeeding session to ensure everything is going well.”
Currently, James aims to continue to build relationships with doctors around the island to serve as a referral to help mothers needing lactation support. She is currently on course to becoming an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, a credential requiring advanced education and examination. It will further promote her as an expert maternal-child healthcare provider, a community resource, and an informed voice to work with policymakers and society to establish adequate breastfeeding support.
For James, empowering other mothers to achieve an ideal latch, every time, is a primary objective. However, her biggest desire is to see comprehensive healthcare changes in Saint Lucia. “Regarding improving overall healthcare in Saint Lucia, I wish there would be more action than words and more acceptance towards people who want to make a difference,” she said.
As someone who had breastfeeding challenges and low milk production, I say bravo. We hear alot about breastmilk being best, but no one talks about those who can’t breast feed of pump!
What an excellent initiative. Well done Ms James! St Lucia needs more people with good ideas and the motivation to implement them. And to have some experienced help such as Nurse St Claire is very encouraging in a country where healthcare is generally quite poor due to a whole range of reasons.
Very interesting area of specialization. I wish her much success in her business. Blessings …🙏