Hi, I’m Cecelia!

I support families through postpartum and early childhood, which for most families is a time of constant rebalancing, surprises, and finding your stride as a family. For families of children with complex needs, these early months and years are often a plunge into the unknown. My role is to walk alongside you during this time, providing guidance, information, strategies, resources, and compassion. I am by nature a soft-spoken person with a warm and nurturing presence, and it is a great honor to tend to my community through this beautiful work.

After gaining valuable experience in pediatric hospitals, schools, and nonprofit clinics, I opened Milk Bird Health out of a dream to more holistically support the families in my community seeking feeding support and speech therapy for their little ones with complex needs. I am especially passionate about helping complex breastfeeding dyads achieve easeful and enjoyable feeding. I worked as an educator for seven years before following the call to become an SLP and lactation counselor. Caring for the smallest, most vulnerable members of our human family is a lifelong calling.

I am nourished by making music, writing poetry, listening to podcasts while crafting, and spending time with the water whenever I can. I live in Camas, WA, with my beautiful wife, our sweet rabbit Paloma, and our twenty (at last count) mostly-thriving houseplants.

With gratitude and joy, I cannot wait to meet your family!

Qualifications

  • Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association

    Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in the state of Washington

    Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in the state of Oregon

    Candidate for international board certification as a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) (anticipated certification January 2025)

    Hospital-to-Home™ Certified - Hospital-to-Home™ is an interdisciplinary training on the specific mental health and medical needs of infants transitioning from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to home.

    Promoting First Relationships® Certified - Promoting First Relationships® is a training for healthcare providers to support parents and other caregivers to nurture young children’s social and emotional development.

    SOFFI® (Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants) - SOFFI® is an integrated approach to supporting feeding skills in preterm and medically complex infants.

  • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from University of San Francisco

    Master of Science (M.S.) from Portland State University

    Lactation Education Counselor 45-hour course through University of California - San Diego

    Lactation Consultant 120-hour program through University of California - San Diego

  • American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) member

    Washington Speech-Language Hearing Association (WSLHA) member

    Oregon-Washington Lactation Association (OWLA) member

    Institute for the Advancement of Breastfeeding & Lactation Education (IABLE) member

  • "Working with Cecelia for breastfeeding support has been such a gift! We really appreciate her warmth and that she is always more than willing to answer any and all questions we have. Sessions with her not only help us in the moment but also educate us for the future. We couldn’t recommend her enough!” (M + H)

  • “Cecelia is child-centered and patient. Any time I voice concerns around my daughter’s development she has shared evidence-based information in a way that made me feel supported as a parent and normalized the phases we’re going through. I value her knowledge and kindness as we navigate this parenting adventure!” (K + D)

  • “I have always felt like my son was just another number to his doctors, but Cecelia really cares about him. More than that, I feel how much she cares for my whole family. Her visits every week are the highlight of our week and always make me feel more at ease.” (S+N)

All are welcome

I value supporting families living outside the dominant cultural paradigm, either by choice or by innate identity, to feel a sense of empowerment and sovereignty in their healthcare experiences.

Allowing me into your home and asking for guidance for your child’s health requires tremendous courage on your part, and I understand that it takes time and mutual effort to build a trusting relationship.

From a place of humility as a lifelong learner, I welcome feedback from all clients about the role of identity, equity, and belonging within our professional relationship.