Meet LuAnn Marlow | Pediatric Nurse Practitioner & Lactation Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with LuAnn Marlow and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi LuAnn, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It was really a leap of faith. My dad said to me recently that what I do is not a job, it is a calling. I completely agree with him. So, I have just followed that calling where it has taken me. I have been privileged as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner to be able to serve families in so many areas over my career. But, in the last several years, I have developed a heart for supporting and encouraging young families. Families often don’t have the support network around them that they used to have years ago and new moms often feel lonely and unsure of their motherhood skills, especially when it comes to breastfeeding. Without that support network, I found that they were turning more and more to social media to find the answers to their questions about how to care for their baby or how to breastfeed. In the office I began to see more issues that caused struggles that interfered with their ability to enjoy being a mom. I felt compelled to help educate and encourage and teach in ways that made a real impact. There is very little support for breastfeeding yet that is an area that impacts both the physical and mental health of both mother and baby. That is an area that is important to many families and I knew that I could make a difference starting here and in many other areas as well. I didn’t really feel that I had a choice. It was a calling. I just answered.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I named my business The Dream Baby Cafe because every parent has a dream for life with their new baby. But sometimes that baby arrives and their confusion and overwhelm sort of robs them of that dream. I wanted my business to be a place they could come for fact based education, support and encouragement but with the atmosphere of sitting in a cafe with some coffee with your best friend.
I think the thing that sets me apart is that I have over 25 years of professional experience and education as.a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. That lends a certain amount of trust. I also the extensive education and training needed for licensure and certification as a Board Certified Lactation Consultant. It seems like breastfeeding should be natural and easy, but for those who have actually breastfed a baby, you know that it can be anything but that. And in fact, I see very complex mothers and babies and I am continually doing more advanced training to meet their needs. I have a network of providers that I work with to make sure that I can provide all of the needs of my clients.
I also am a certified pediatric sleep consultant. I am really proud of the fact that I have the ability to look at the families I work with from a wide perspective and see how everything is working together and how each of their needs can impact the other.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh wow. This is tough because Atlanta has so many choices. But, I love all of the outdoor venues with restaurants and shopping and green spaces around. It’s fun to go into the city but there is so much to do right in our own neighborhood. I recently moved to Forsyth county and am enjoying getting to know the area in places like Halcyon and I love Alpharetta City Center. You could go there every day and not eat in all the restaurants there – I am checking off the list! But a favorite trip is to take friends up to drive in the mountains as we are so close and stop in Dahlonega for the day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I started my career in working with children with cancer and brain tumors. I have had the privilege of being alongside families in some of their most intimate moments of life. Having a child who is sick is a very vulnerable time in a parent’s life. I think the greatest life lessons that I have ever learned have come from witnessing the love, dedication, commitment and strength of parents who are fighting for their child’s life.

One thing I learned is that love for your child is the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter what race, or religion or socioeconomic status you are, every parent wants the best for their child and wants to be the very best parent they can be. I have always been inspired by that love and that desire. Seeing parents put their love into action over and over for their child inspired me to work a little harder too. I saw that the unknown was often a source of great stress and just having a next step to take eased some stress. So, that is what I come back to every time I encounter a parent who is stressed – helping them find the next step.

Website: www.DreamBabyCafe.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreambabycafe_luannmarlow/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DreamBabyCafe

Image Credits
Zachary Marlow