PREP+ Peer Support Group

In 2014, we established PREP + Mom’s Breastfeeding Support Group. This peer support group consists of both an in-person group and a Facebook group.  Mothers are welcome to be a part of one or both. Currently with COVID-19 we only offer the Facebook Group. We will keep you posted when this changes.

Most mothers find that they need support to meet their breastfeeding goals.  Our in-person group meets the first Thursday of the month. It provides general support, resources if you are preparing to return to work, and an opportunity to share your experiences with other mothers.

What does the group discuss?

This is a casual breastfeeding support group where all breastfeeding topics are discussed.  To assist those mothers returning to work, we have organized the return to work discussion around 5 themes.

P : Preparation: Preparing to return to work
R : Resources: Topics for communicating with employers
E : Expression: Expressing breast milk; Pump use; Breast milk storage
P : Parenting: Breastfeeding friendly childcare principles
+ : Extra Topics: General breastfeeding support; Troubleshooting workplace concerns

When and where does the group meet?

During COVID-19, our in-person support groups are not meeting. We look forward to resuming the in-person groups in the future.

There are two in-person PREP+ support groups. The original group on Cleveland’s East side is held the first Thursday of each month at Senders Pediatrics. Starting in March, 2020 a second group will be held on Cleveland’s West side in Avon. See below for the typical schedule and check the on-line Facebook group for any last minute schedule changes.

Eastside:

• When: First Thursday of each month from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
• Where: Conference room at Senders Pediatrics, 2054 South Green Rd, South Euclid, Ohio
• Who: Breastfeeding mothers and their infants

Westside:

• When: Third Wednesday of each month from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
• Where: Fresh Start Chiropractic 36925 Detroit Rd. Avon, Ohio
• Who: Breastfeeding mothers and their infants

How else can I be a part of a support group?

Please join our Facebook group at PREP+ Working Moms Breastfeeding Peer Support  Group for additional opportunities to connect with other breastfeeding mothers.  Mothers are welcome to be a part of this group even if they are unable to attend the in-person support group.

Meet Our Moderators:

Photo by @milkshopphotography

Samantha Walters, MPH, IBCLC

Samantha Walters, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), helped start the PREP+ group in 2014 and continues as facilitator of the group. A bilingual health educator, she breastfed her daughter for nearly 4 years and is currently nursing her 2 year old son. Samantha has experience with pumping at work in various situations, traveling with and without her breastfed child, troubleshooting bottle refusal, plugged ducts, and more.

Photo by @angelahuntsmanphoto

Jacklyn Bartkowski, MT-BC, CBE

Jacklyn Bartkowski is a Board Certified Music Therapist and Certified Breastfeeding Educator who joined PREP+ as a co-facilitator in 2019. Through her own experiences as a mother, she has discovered her passion for serving women throughout the perinatal spectrum, especially during breastfeeding. She trained as a Breastfeeding Educator through Birth Arts International. As a music therapist, she is certified through the Certification Board for Music Therapists and has a broad range of clinical experiences including hospice care, teen and adult mental health and addiction settings, and early childhood care. She has been married for six years, has a four year old son, a one year old daughter, and lost one baby to miscarriage.