Dr. Sarah Beth Eriksen is the biggest cheerleader for new moms and someone that you want to connect with when you are expecting a little one! She has recently opened Flow, Tennessee’s first physician-led breastfeeding clinic, and can help with any issue related to feeding your baby. There are so many benefits to her being board-certified in pediatrics and breastfeeding medicine! Read below to learn more about her, Flow, and her heart behind offering breastfeeding support to new moms. You can also follow her on social media (@flow.breastfeeding).
What are your favorite family activities in the area?
When my kids were little we were very frequent visitors to Lakeshore Park, The Knoxville Zoo and the Townsend side of the Smokies. Now that they are getting older, we love doing bike rides in Cades Cove on Wednesday and we have been enjoying a summer family membership at TopGolf. I have never golfed before but it has been fun to learn something new with the kids.
Tell us about Flow
I own a small medical practice in Bearden called FLOW. FLOW is Tennessee’s first physician-led breastfeeding clinic, and we care for both moms and babies who need a doctor’s help with feeding related challenges. It is unique because we care for two patients at one time- both a mom and her baby! I practiced as a general pediatrician for about ten years, and I realized that families need a lot more help with navigating feeding related challenges than what we were able to provide in general practice. I became an IBCLC first, and then much more recently breastfeeding and lactation medicine became a formal medical specialty.
What breastfeeding problems can you help with?
About half of our patients come to FLOW in the first week after delivery, needing guidance on how to get breastfeeding started to meet their goals and avoid complications. The other half come once they are facing challenges that have not resolved with their primary doctor, OBGYN or lactation consultant’s care. Common things we help with are Low milk supply, Oversupply, Mastitis and recurrent mastitis, Moderate- Severe Breastfeeding Pain, Tongue tie, Slow weight gain in infants, Premature infants not yet ready to breastfeed, Infants with food allergies
What does a visit at Flow look like?
Because we are a comprehensive medical breastfeeding practice, we review your medical history and your babies, obtain vital signs like maternal blood pressure and infant weight, temperature and bilirubin (for babies who are very young). That often surprises families and we have been on the front line of detecting maternal blood pressure crises as well as infants with signs of infection. We examine moms and babies and watch them feed if they are directly breastfeeding. After that, we put all of the pieces of the puzzle together to come up with a plan that addresses the needs of both mom and baby. Sometimes this involves lab work or prescription medication which we are able to order and prescribe.
Do you provide any other services?
Yes! We are the only practice in the region that can do a comprehensive breastfeeding evaluation and a tongue tie release in the same visit if it is indicated. We are also extremely grateful for a partnership with Mothers Milk Bank Southeast to offer pasteurized donor milk for families to use when supplementing and for moms with extra milk to drop off for donation. We now teach a monthly class for expecting moms and their partners called Feeding Foundations- it is a treasure trove of the most important information I think families need to know about that first week of feeding their new baby.
Why do you think breastfeeding support is so beneficial for moms?
Breastfeeding impacts maternal health significantly- we know that breastfeeding impacts long term cancer risk and cardiovascular disease risk (the most common killer of women) significantly. We know that most women desire to incorporate breastfeeding into their feeding plans, but many do not get the help they need in a timely way to overcome unexpected challenges.
What is the most important tip you give to new moms?
The most important thing you can give your baby is a mom who enjoys and delights in them. A nurturing, loving parent is the single most impactful thing in your child’s life.
