Erika Urbaez is a human lactation specialist, pioneer in online appointments and creator of the Light Maternity movement. She accompanies pregnant women on their breastfeeding journey through a theoretical and practical way through her platform Prolactancia.
Erika’s project started as something personal. After giving birth to her child, which went perfectly in accordance to the natural process, she was having problems breastfeeding. Her baby wasn’t growing up while she was breastfeeding and it hurt. This led her to read, investigate, and look for solutions to her problems.
She shared her findings through her Instagram, where she’s been for more than 9 years now. She posted about her personal experience, as well as the different investigations and educational materials she found in her process. Many mothers began asking her for advice and Erika saw this as an opportunity to help others.
Erika discovered a purpose: she would work to help mothers so their children begin life eating in a natural, healthy and accessible way. “I help and support mothers who want or not to only breastfeed; they can all feed their babies through the premise of the Light Maternity movement”, she states.
The Light Maternity movement consists of supporting mothers to forget about being the “world’s best mom” to become the mom her children need, and to discover herself as the new person she is in her role as a mother.
As a Communications major, she uses her academic knowledge to share the other topics she has learned about: postpartum psychology, child sleep, family grouping, coaching, a respectful upbringing, and human lactation. She provides online guidance services to those beginning the process of motherhood.
Now a pioneer, Erika was the first to dare give online guidance on such a personal and delicate topic. “To my colleagues this was impossible. Having online consultations was not a product of the pandemic, but it was always one of my objectives: to share globally”, she commented.
The motives behind this objective were linked to her personal life. She began her journey as a single mother, raised his son co-parenting in a different home from his father, then moved to a different country due to the sickness of her daughter in law. With all these changes, she had to re-plan her job and career; something that allowed her to raise her son and take care of the daughter in law.
Why is her project different from others? “Prolactancia is a space for mothers to find their new me in maternity, to deconstruct what they were and construct what they will be. Human lactation is a journey, not the end. This is why they all stay in my community even when they already surpassed the most complicated part of breastfeeding” answers Erika.
Her movement has been a success around Spanish-speakers, and now she wants to expand it to English-speakers as well. This will help her expand her knowledge, findings and experience with more people around the US. Additionally, through Prolactancia, Erika offers courses and training destined to acquire practical and applicable information every day, without the need to feel they have to be perfect.
Follow Erika’s journey and check out her services and programs, here.
