Dania Patton CLC

Meet Dania! The newest member of our lactation Team!

My name is Dania Patton, and I am a 39 year old wife, and mother of 4 incredible children. I am from Tampa, Florida, but currently reside in Port St. Lucie, Florida. My husband and I were more than content with our current little crew, 2 boys and a girl, and didn’t anticipate having any more children. Well on March 1, 2020, two little lines appeared on a pregnancy test! Initially my response was that of frustration, as I had finally gotten back into working out, was starting to feel like myself after having 2 babies back to back (23 months apart), and finally in a place that I could focus on taking the steps to begin birth work. However, here I was again with an 18 month old and pregnant. But all I could do was embrace the blessing and prepare. Here is a little back-story…

Even before having children of my own, the journey of pregnancy, and caring for friends and family during their pregnancies was something I truly enjoyed. Whether by attending appointments, coordinating baby showers, preparing meals after baby arrived or babysitting sweet babies so their mamas could have a break. So much so, that I considered becoming an ARNP in Obstetrics, but I had a hard time with having to conform to modern medicine, and the “by the book” approach to pregnancy and birth. Many people aren’t aware that the formal practice of obstetrics is only 80 years old. Long before there were pretty offices and fancy equipment, there were brave beautiful women who supported one another during the pregnancy, labor and birth. Many of these amazing women had midwives who were their mothers, grandmothers, aunts, or even close friends of the family. All they had was faith, and the knowledge passed down from each generation to guide them. They didn’t second guess or question their approach, and most importantly they allowed the mother to instinctually, trust her body. 

It wasn’t until 2012 when I had my first child Shamelat 30 that I fully understood how removed society had become viewing birth as something natural and beautiful. I was so excited about having a natural birth experience, however I didn’t have the support or encouragement of anyone around me. I ended up being induced, and given Pitocin for 3 days to get my baby to come down, as the doctor was concerned about elevated blood pressure levels. Unfortunately, the amount of pain that I endured after 3 days, I took the epidural to allow my body the opportunity to restbefore having to deliver. Then when it came to breastfeeding, I saw a lactation consultant once. She came in, put my baby to breast and left. They dropped off a breast pump, but never educated me on how touse it or how often to pump. From a family perspective, I come from a Black-Cuban family that never talked about breastfeeding other than my grandfather who was breastfed until he was 8 years old. But, when I spoke of wanting to breastfeed my baby, I was told that people don’t really breastfeed anymore, and it wouldn’t be enough to sustain my baby anyway. He needed formula in order for him to be nourished and grow the way he should. Despite the lack of support, I still tried to feed my baby, but unfortunately, it only lasted a few weeks. 

I had my second baby, Zoe in 2016 at age 35, and this time I was so discouraged about natural birth, and also made to be concerned about my age, that I knew from the start that I would have another hospital birth with an epidural, but was determined to have a successful breastfeeding journey with my baby. Along with doing research and reading books, I sought out wisdom from those who breastfed, and worked specifically in Lactation Consulting. This is when I met Montika Collins. She encouraged me, gave me tips and suggestions to help me on my journey. It wasn’t an easy one, as at the beginning I had to work through my daughter having a shallow latch, which was incredibly painful. But, I made some adjustments, and by two months nursing was easy. I then transitioned back to working full time. I endured the challenges of pumping at work and not having a formal place to pump, to resorting to pumping in my car during breaks, and hoping to make enough, then a drop in production around 5 months. In the end we made it to 9 months and to me this was an amazing accomplishment.

By the time I had my 3rd baby, Zion in 2018 at age 37, I felt like a pro! He was also born in the hospital as well. Looking back on it, I was so far along at 6cm that I didn’t even need it, but my doctors because of my age, pushed for Pitocin to speed things along, and out of fear from what I had experienced with my first baby I opted for yet another epidural. However, when it came to breastfeeding, I felt like I had all the knowledge and practice I needed to successfully feed my baby. The journey with him was by far, the easiest and smoothest. No latch issues, an amazing supply, so much so that I had to give away 1000oz of milkthat I collected from my Haakaa because he refused bottles. He is 2 years old now and still occasionally nurses for comfort. Being a stay at home mom, I didnot have to deal with pressures of working and pumping enough to feed him. I also was able to take the knowledge that I had obtained from my past experiences, to now help Mamas who were experiencing difficulties with nursing their babies, and seeing positive results from it. Even made lactation cookies for mamas to help increase their supply. The passion was always there, I just wasn’t sure of where to direct it, but then it clicked. I was discovering my place, where I was not only providing moral support, but also encouragement and education that could truly be change the lives of a mama and baby. 

After relocating to a new city with my husband’s job in November 2019, and finally feeling like our little family was complete, I made a decision to take action and take the steps to becoming a doula and lactation consultant in the upcoming year 2020. There were so many stories of Black Mothers not receiving the proper care, and education that they deserved. I was one of them. Women of color were dying at alarming rates but nothing was being done about it. Breastfeeding was something that we saw other races do freely, and without judgment, but it was frowned upon when Black Women did it. We have hospitals that don’t offer lactation consultants unless requested, and if they do, the level of care is the bare minimum, leaving the mother less motivated to even try. I have had Mothers denied breast pumps in hospitals, and told that it isn’t necessary unless their babies were in the NICU. This is not ok. Who is advocating for these mamas and babies?

Well, life has a funny way of throwing you a curve ball. March 1st 2020 we found out that we were expecting our fourth baby. My initial reaction was that of frustration because not only was I preparing to start my certifications, but also had been working out and was back to my pre-wedding size. Why was this happening now? The answer was that there were a few more experiences that I needed to have under my belt. 

Because of COVID, I wasn’t able to schedule an appointment until I was 12 weeks. Leading up to this appointment we experienced sub-chorionic bleeds. We went to the ER, they confirmed pregnancy after blood work, and an ultrasound but no heartbeat was detected at the time. After having another bleed so severe that my bathroom floor was covered in blood,we thought we had lost the baby; I tried to call the OB that I was scheduled to see, but they told me I was too much of a risk to be seen. Then I was told that unless I was in unbearable pain, not to come to the ER, because it would not be considered an emergency, despite the amount of blood lost. I finally get to my appointment and the experience there was less than favorable. Here I was a 38 year old Black woman, on her fourth child, who had questions about their practice, and procedures, even expressed concerns about preeclampsia, but was told that, “Well this is your fourth baby so you pretty much know how this works.” They didn’t even do an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy. I still can feel the emotions from that moment, made to feel like I didn’t matter, disregarded, just another number in the herd of women, all in the midst of a global pandemic. I knew when I left that day that I would not return. There had to be a safe place, and place where I knew that my baby and I would be cared for and loved. 

Before I began looking for a different doctor, I prayed and asked the Lord to please show me where He would have me to go, and when I got to the place, I would feel His perfect peace. Well that evening I found a birthing center near me and scheduled my consultation. The moment I walked in for my appointment, I felt such a peace, and was greeted with so much love and compassion. Needless to say the level of care I received from 19 weeks to 39 weeks was unlike anything I have ever experienced. My midwives were not only incredibly knowledgeable, but so beautifully loving and compassionate, and made me feel like I was family to them. They were even able to help me tackle my concerns of preeclampsia, which I experienced in my previous pregnancies, through adjusting my diet. Up to the moment that I went into active labor my Blood Pressure readings were perfect and I had zero issues with proteinuria in my urine. Talk about a blessing! Why didn’t my OB’s ever address my diet? It was easier for them to tell me to take a baby aspirin every day, which rendered zero results. Also in taking the time to know me as a person and not just a patient, was able to share with my midwives my passion for birth and helping other mamas, and they have now become some of my biggest supporters and have come alongside and have offered to mentor me on this journey to becoming and lactation consultant, doula, and ultimate a midwife. To top it off, I was finally able to experience natural birth, and it was one of the incredible moments of my life. I felt strong, I felt empowered, it was truly one of my greatest accomplishments. This pregnancy was so much more than just another beautiful and health baby boy named Walter Gabriel, joining our family but, it was also the birth of a dream, which is now becoming a reality. Our breastfeeding journey however, has been the most difficult of them all. He was born with an anterior tongue-tie and lip tie. We had it revised when he was 2 days old, because of the pain each time that he went to nurse. Even after revision it has still been hard, and many days I just want to give up. However, the love and support of my midwives and Montika have helped me to keep going. It all makes sense now. I can only teach and share from a place of experience. If what I have experienced can help to encourage a mama to trust the strength within her when it comes to having a baby, or help a mama breastfeed her baby, or save a mama by being a voice and an advocate for her when she can advocate for herself, then all I’ve have encountered is far worth it. We have a community here where we live that doesn’t have enough birth workers that look like them. They need to hear from someone that they can relate to, and know that they matter, their baby’s matter andTHEY CAN DO IT! This is my why and I will continue to push forward to seeing this dream come to flourishion.