From First Latch to Lasting Confidence: DeTar Supports Every Breastfeeding Journey

8/7/2026

DeTar shines a light on the knowledge of lactation consultants during National Breastfeeding Month

While breastfeeding is a natural process, it’s sometimes easier said than done. As August marks National Breastfeeding Month, DeTar is highlighting the importance of education, encouragement and knowledgeable support for new families. Many mothers struggle with breastfeeding, but they don’t have to go through it alone. DeTar’s board-certified lactation consultant, Estefania Cobb, BSN, R.N., IBCLC, is there to empower parents with the confidence and knowledge they need to breastfeed their newborns.

“Breastfeeding is a learned skill rather than an automatic instinct,” Cobb said. “It’s more like learning how to walk rather than knowing how to breathe. Breathing is automatic, our body just does it, it knows it needs to. Walking is the same thing, our body is programmed to do it but some babies have to learn it, and some babies stumble and fall. Some babies might need a little bit of physical therapy or extra help when learning how to walk. Same thing goes with breastfeeding - it’s a learned instinct.”

While breastfeeding provides essential nutrition to newborns, Cobb said breastfeeding is much more than nutrition - it’s also nurture and comfort for the baby as well as a way to communicate with one another. Cobb is there to help moms feel confident with the knowledge of what to expect and how to adjust.

“A mom being confident in the fact that her body knows what to do and the family being there to support her is what sets breastfeeding off to a good start,” Cobb said. “The support person is there to support the mom and take care of mom so that mom can take care of the baby, feed the baby and heal.”

Every mother’s breastfeeding journey is different, whether it’s a first time mom struggling with doubts, questions and conflicting advice from well-meaning family members or a second or third time mom that’s experiencing some new difficulty with breastfeeding.

“Breastfeeding isn’t textbook, this is more like a story between you and your baby,” Cobb said. “There’s no instruction manual or a pixie wand that fixes everything, but we will figure it out together. We’re not reinventing the wheel. We know what works and we want to enhance and support that.”

When it came time for Elizabeth Oliver to have her first child, Madelynn, she felt confident. After working as a mom-baby and pediatric nurse at DeTar North for the past two years, she watched as Cobb helped moms get a latch for the first time, emphasizing the importance of patience and understanding their frustration.

Oliver catalogued these different tips and tricks that had helped other mothers but when she finally held Madelynn in her arms, she realized that the most important thing she had learned from Cobb was confidence.

“Estefania taught me a lot even before I gave birth and she always explains that learning how to breastfeed comes with a learning curve, especially for first-time mothers,” Oliver said.

To guide families through their breastfeeding journey, DeTar offers a breastfeeding education class, led by a full-time lactation consultant. Topics include the benefits of breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, positioning and latch techniques, maintaining milk supply, hand expression, breast pump use and special considerations for mothers and infants.

Families who need additional support can also schedule one-on-one lactation consultations, where Cobb assesses feeding, observes breastfeeding sessions and provides personalized, hands-on guidance to improve comfort and success.

“Sometimes asking for help is the bravest thing you can do,” Cobb said. “You don’t have to figure it out alone. Asking for help is so important.”

Appointments and class registration are available through the DeTar Women & Children’s Center. For more information about breastfeeding support services, call (361) 573-6100.

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