Marina Ferrari IBCLC - Lactation & Infant Nutrition

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Marina Ferrari IBCLC - Lactation & Infant Nutrition

Breastfeeding 🤱🏽 Infant Feeding Specialist
🏅Board Certified Lactation Consultant

02/08/2026

A raw picture of breatfeeding twins early postpartum to celebrate and raise awareness on this World Breastfeeding Day!

Over the last 6 weeks I have been through a lot of what several clients experienced before me.
Engorgement, latching issues, oral dysfunction, low milk supply, ni**le cracks, vasoespasm, tripple feeding, streess around pumping, spilled milk...
This is on top of a sleep deprived anaemic body opened with a knife through seven layers - twice in the same day!

I have heard many people telling me: "If someone can do it, that's you".

Well - I am doing it. It's far from perfect, as I knew it. It's far from what I have envisioned too - and I envisionedmany challenges already. But every day gets a little bit easier (or I should still say - a little bit less hard)... and every day I celebrate I am still doing it, with no expectations about the next day!

I am glad I have the knowledge and the tools to manage and/or overcome many of the challenges I am facing, but what really keeps me going is having my partner and my mum supporting my decision at every feed, day and night, and providing me with all I need - taking care of me, the house, and the babies. I am also grateful for all health care providers who encouraged me and reassured me when my confidence dropped - which happened many times (even me - an IBCLC!).

Today I am breastfeeding and celebrating every imperfect journey I followed, including mine. Today I am hoping mums around the world get the knowledge and the support they need to experience their own imperfect journeys to the point they feel they deserve to celebrate it!

21/05/2026

🤲 Although World Maternal Mental Health Day has passed, May continues to be a month to reflect on the importance of maternal wellbeing.

Maternal mental health is essential to the health of mothers, babies, families, and communities - it shouldn't be a luxury.

Behind every mother, there is a story, an emotional journey, and often invisible challenges that deserve care, understanding, and support.

🤰🤱🏽👩🏿‍🍼 As a lactation consultant working with women, mothers, and immigrant families in the Island of Ireland, I see every day how vital it is to create spaces where mothers feel seen, heard, and supported - without shame or silence.

While I’m not directly involved in the campaign this year, I deeply support this cause and will always advocate for maternal wellbeing in all its forms.

Maternal mental health matters. 🧬
There is no health without mental health.

Iris May Campayin - Ireland 🇮🇪internacional

17/04/2026

My two wee lads are taking up space and energy, and a few adjustments to the services I offer are being necessary!

⛔️ My trips to the south are officially on pause.
This wasn’t an easy decision, as I know how important these visits have been for the Portuguese-speaking families I support. Thankfully, there are amazing IBCLCs across the island who can step in 🙌

📽 I’m currently setting up pre-recorded options so you can continue to access my courses during my maternity leave. 💻
It’s not quite the same - I know! I’ve always leaned towards live sessions, as the interaction allows me to tailor guidance and make it more relevant to each family’s needs. However, I hope this will still get you off to a good start! 💪
Bookings for the self-paced courses will be available soon - stay tuned!

Online consultations continue as normal for now, and hopefully throughout May :)

You can book directly via my website. 🌐

Thank you for being here, for your trust, and for all the messages and support since I shared the news - it truly means so much.

With warmth,
Marina

Marina Ferrari RD IBCLC, PhD

09/04/2026

Who have opted for a journey in between?🤱🏽👨‍🍼
What are you doing and why?

Sometimes exclusive breastfeeding can't be achieved for different reasons (eg persistent low supply).

When we choose a different path, there is another chance to achieve success and the feeling of fail goes away.

When you're not quitting, but choosing a different journey that works for you, this can be freeing and can help reframing your breastfeeding relationship.

For any breastfeeding journey to work we need: a baby with good oral function, have good info about feeding volumes (it's not the volume that formula packages recommend!), know how to use the feeding tools you have chosen, understand about babies' sucking needs, trust in what is being done, track weight gain and enjoy the process!
_________________________
Marina Ferrari RD IBCLC, PhD
Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Maternal and Child Nutrition Specialist

24/03/2026

Most lactation consultants I’ve met came into this work after their own breastfeeding journeys - sometimes beautiful, sometimes really challenging… often both!

Very few of us qualify before ever experiencing it ourselves.

I’m one of those few.

And honestly?
I don’t think that’s ever compromised my practice.

Because being an IBCLC isn’t about having lived every experience...
it’s about knowing how to listen,
how to hold space,
how to support without judgment.

In some ways, not having my own story yet meant I could show up without bias. Just fully present for yours.

But I’ve also wondered…

Does becoming a parent deepen your empathy in a way training alone can’t?

Does lived experience change how you hold others?

Well…

✨ *double* plot twist ✨

I guess I’m about to find out… 👶👶

▶️ Stay tuned as I navigate this new chapter - and what it means for the ways I support families ♡

----------------

🇧🇷 A maioria das consultoras de amamentação que conheci chegou a essa profissão depois das próprias jornadas com a amamentação -
às vezes lindas, às vezes muito desafiadoras… muitas vezes, as duas coisas!

Muito poucas de nós se qualificam antes de viver isso na prática.
Eu sou uma dessas.

E, sinceramente?
Não acho que isso tenha comprometido meu trabalho até aqui.

Porque ser IBCLC não é sobre ter vivido todas as experiências…
é sobre saber escutar,
saber acolher,
saber apoiar sem julgamentos.

De certa forma, não ter ainda a minha própria história me permitiu estar presente sem vieses.
Simplesmente inteira para as suas experiências.

Mas eu também sempre me perguntei…

Será que me tornar mãe aprofunda a empatia de uma forma que a formação, sozinha, não alcança?

Será que a experiência pessoal muda a forma como acolhemos o outro?

Bom…

✨ plot twist *em dobro* ✨

Acho que estou prestes a descobrir… 👶👶

▶️ Fiquem ligados aqui para acompanhar esse novo capítulo - e como ele vai mudar a forma como eu presto suporte às famílias ♡

14/02/2026

I can finally say this out loud (again) — I am a Registered Dietitian 📣

There’s something powerful about carrying your vocation across borders. Even when everything around you changes - the language, the systems, the expectations - your purpose remains. Mine has always been to care, to support, and to help people feel more at peace with food and their bodies.

Being a dietitian is not just what I do - it’s part of my identity. And for a while, not being able to fully use that title here felt like I was missing a piece of myself.

Today, being able to say it confidently - without fear of being questioned or judged - feels like such a relief. It feels like coming home to myself.

There are many other beautiful (and big!) changes happening in my life right now, so I don’t have the space to transform this account - and honestly, I’m not even sure I want to. This space has grown with me, and for now, it will continue to do so gently.

If you’ve been thinking about getting nutritional support in maternal and child health, I have services available on my website and would love to work with you.

Whether you’re navigating pregnancy, postpartum, introducing solids, or building a more peaceful relationship with food for your family, I’m here.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this journey. And if you’re new here - hi, I’m a Maternal & Paediatric Dietitian and Lactation Consultant, and I’d be honoured to be part of your journey too.
_________________________
Marina Ferrari, RD, PhD
Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Maternal & Child Nutrition Specialist

📸 1 - 15/12/12 BSc Nutrition and Dietitics Graduation
📸 2 - 26/06/25 PhD Graduation

02/12/2025

💫I’m happy to support you with virtual consultations 💻 Tuesday–Thursday throughout December & January.

📆 For my full list of services, availability, and booking - please visit my website - link on bio.

🗨Breastfeeding prep and starting solids courses available in English individually.

🙋‍♀️Back to in-person consultations from February!

20/10/2025

🎀 Each woman’s journey through breast cancer treatment is unique.
🤱 This fighter’s story is one of courage, care, and choice — and a reminder that every woman deserves to understand the options available to her.

💝 Thank you, Adna, for sharing your story and images with such strength and openness.

🤓 Let this be a reminder that knowledge empowers choice, and that every path deserves empathy and respect.

*Slides in English at the end. Although this happened in Ireland, this story's mother tongue is Portuguese 🇧🇷.

🎀

Address

Belfast

Website

https://pt.ferrarimarina.com/

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