Where Science Meets
the Soul of Motherhood

My journey into this work did not begin in a textbook. It began when I became a mother myself.

When I was pregnant with my first daughter in 2020, during the uncertainty and isolation of the COVID era, I found myself diving deeply into breastfeeding, lactation, and maternal-child health. What started as a personal desire to understand breastfeeding and make it work for my own family slowly became something much bigger. I experienced firsthand how emotional, overwhelming, and under-supported the postpartum and breastfeeding journey can feel — especially when a mother is trying her best and still feels like she is expected to figure everything out alone.

That experience changed me.

What began as a personal need slowly became a calling: to support other mothers with the kind of guidance, reassurance, education, and practical help I wish more women had access to.

Today, I support families through breastfeeding challenges, pumping, bottle transitions, milk supply concerns, postpartum recovery, return-to-work planning, infant feeding questions, and the many adjustments that come with early motherhood. My approach is deeply rooted in science, but I believe support should never feel cold, intimidating, or disconnected from real life. Mothers deserve information that is both accurate and compassionate — care that meets them where they are, without shame or pressure.

As a multilingual and multicultural provider, I care deeply about making lactation and postpartum support feel more accessible, more personal, and more reflective of the communities we serve. So many mothers are carrying invisible burdens — language barriers, cultural expectations, lack of family support, isolation, exhaustion, and the pressure to get everything "right." I want mothers to know they do not have to carry all of that alone.

I also believe that quality lactation support should be accessible, not just available to those paying fully out of pocket. Whenever possible, I help families access care through insurance so they can receive the support they need in a way that feels realistic and sustainable. Supporting mothers well should not be a luxury.

I am currently continuing my education in maternal and child health with an emphasis on human lactation, while working toward becoming an IBCLC. Everything I do — whether in education, advocacy, or one-on-one support — is rooted in one core belief:

When we support mothers well, we strengthen entire families.

And that is the heart behind Leite com Mel.