Check Out Lorraine Rocco’s Story

Lorraine Rocco

I am originally from the Northeast but I moved to Durham in the late 90s to work at Duke University Hospital as a newly graduated nurse in the Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant unit. I grew to love the area and we decided to make it our home.

My interest in all things birth and breastfeeding began with the birth of my first son. We had a difficult beginning. The compassionate help I received from my local breastfeeding volunteers was very impactful, and it inspired me to care for other new parents in that same way. I was lucky enough to stay home for a few years with my son and then with my two subsequent children. During this time, I learned a lot about natural birth and breastfeeding both through my own experiences and also through volunteering as a breastfeeding counselor.

When I was ready to return to work, I trained and became a labor, birth, and postpartum nurse at the Women’s Birth and Wellness Center in Chapel Hill. I learned a lot about birth from the very wise and experienced midwives and nurses there. It really was a big learning time for me. I soaked up everything I could from them and read anything I could get my hands on.

I decided I needed and wanted to broaden my learning in this area, so I got a job at UNC. I worked there as a labor and delivery nurse and was able to learn about more complicated medical scenarios, surgical births, and really anything that could possibly happen in the perinatal period from normal to emergent and complex situations. I would even eventually spend some time working in the NICU. I really honed my skills in those years.

In 2011, I became a board-certified lactation consultant so that I was able to more skillfully support and promote breastfeeding in the early postpartum period.

Over the years of working both in hospitals and birth centers, I always knew that I wanted to teach. And soon I began creating curricula and teaching childbirth, new parenting, and breast/chest-feeding classes. I also coordinated and facilitated prenatal care groups and new parent support groups. I even taught prenatal yoga for a little while.

On the personal side, mindfulness has been a big part of my daily life for nearly twenty years. I was always weaving it in here and there. People need to be reminded to breathe and ground when they are in labor, so it worked well. I remember an anesthesiologist asking me if I was a yoga teacher while I supported a pregnant mom who was struggling to sit still through a contraction while he placed her epidural! But in 2015, I took a Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting teacher training. And so officially I soon began to teach mindfulness-based classes to new prenatal parents.

As time went on, my love of caring for parents in the postpartum period grew. I always say that the rubber hits the road when you bring that baby home. Through your whole pregnancy, you are buying new clothes for your blossoming body, preparing the nursery for the arrival for the baby, and most importantly preparing for the BIG DAY. But what about the day after the big day? Nobody tells you that you will be bleeding, sore, sleep deprived, weepy, and OH YEAH- You have to keep a tiny human alive!! People need help! That is where I come in.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been a smooth road (is it ever?). As a new mother, I had significant anxiety and depression. I had no idea this was happening. I always look back with wonder at how I didn’t see this was my experience at the time, but sometimes we are so low and down in it that we cannot see clearly. I struggled for many years. I turned to mindfulness to help me, but if I am honest, I needed more help than just me getting on the yoga mat or meditation could offer. Eventually, I found help from a skilled therapist and I was able to get better. This experience had a significant impact on me, and I have become a strong advocate for perinatal people who suffer with mood disorders. I know what it feels like to be in the thick of that kind of dark struggle.

Along with and in the midst of having anxiety and depression, I went through a divorce. Being a single mom is really hard!! I worked night shift and tried to be with them during the day. Sometimes I would get 12 hours of sleep in the course of 3 days. There were times when I would come home from work, sleep a few hours, pick one kid up from half-day preschool then the other 2 from two different schools, I would help with homework, cook dinner, and go back to work! My heart breaks when I think of those days- trying to do it all with very little support.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My primary area of focus right now is in providing comprehensive, mood-sensitive lactation support to new families. A lot of my lactation practice is working with new parents who struggle with anxiety and depression. I recently became certified in Perinatal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International to deepen the support I offer.

I love to share what I have learned along the way with families. Because I have been doing this for 15 years, I have a lot of knowledge and resources, and I want people to have the benefit of that when I meet them. While many of the OBs and midwives are focused on the mother/birthing person’s health, most appointments are not until 6 weeks postpartum. The pediatrician is focused only on the baby. I get to fill the gap and take care of both!

As a nurse and lactation consultant, my skills range from the use of nutrition and herbs to support lactation, sleep, and mood to educating parents about infant movement, tummy time, and infant reflexes. I also specialize in helping babies who have tongue tie and digestive issues. I really love to help breastfeeding be easier for people. And I aim to empower parents in finding their own inner expert and instincts. I also love to plug them into any resources in the community that they may need: pelvic floor specialists, doulas, infant movement classes, etc. We are lucky to live within a vibrant community of professionals who work with people in the perinatal period.

Another facet of what I do that continues to grow and keep me busy is in offering mindful self-compassion courses and groups for postpartum people. I also collaborate and teach mindfulness for a local intensive outpatient perinatal mental health program in our area. I now am offering individual mindfulness sessions to new parents who are looking to decrease stress and improve resilience in the throws of parenthood.

Lastly, because I have seen a lot of babies get born and I have witnessed how at times, new parents experience birth trauma, I use my mindfulness skills as well as additional training I have gathered to help people process birth stories. Birth trauma is on the rise, unfortunately, and I really enjoy supporting parents to come to understanding, acceptance, and letting go in order to find more clarity and joy in their lives in the wake of a challenging birth.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Most days I am practicing with my lovely colleagues at Beyond Birth Lactation in Durham. But you can also find me doing home visits around the triangle through my own private practice Lorraine Rocco Lactation Services or on Zoom providing mindful support to parents:)