Gail Fiock RN, IBCLC

Even with resources like KellyMom and LLL that anyone can easily find on the web, Gail provides what websites cannot: confidence, sympathy, and assurance that you’re not alone. When my daughter was first born, we attended the weekly Mother’s Place group at PAMF that Gail hosted. Not only did I love being able to nurse openly while discussing all things breastfeeding, I was also able to use the group’s convenient amenities to weigh my daughter and make sure she was gaining in those early months of life. The friends my daughter and I made there eventually became a playgroup. I cherish and miss those days!
At 7 months old now, my daughter is starting solids and I’m back to work. Like most back to work moms, I’ve come crashing into the world of under supply (a huge fall for me, as my primary concern during our early nursing days was chronic OVER supply, to the point of constant leakage). A quick call to Gail’s direct line gives me renewed hope and an action plan, every time.
Without Gail and Mother’s Place, I honestly can’t say if I would still be enjoying a wonderful nursing relationship with my daughter today. Support matters, and Gail has been a wonderful and indispensable part of my support system.

Breastfeeding is hard work! Even though I took classes and read books to get prepared for the birth of my son, I still wasn’t ready for the demanding job of exclusively breastfeeding him and the toll it would take on my body. By the time I got out of the hospital, I had tons of damage and I began to dread every feeding. I had taken Gail’s breastfeeding class at Palo Alto Medical Foundation in Fremont a couple months before the birth, but I didn’t get to chat with her until our first pediatrician’s visit. I liked her instantly. She is so passionate about her work and really takes time to listen to your concerns. Unlike some other lactation consultants I had spoken to in those early days, I felt her advice was positive, supportive, and most importantly, realistic. She checked out my son’s latch and inspected my damage, then gave me some practical tips on posture that really helped, along with some medicine to heal the sore spots. I started going to the Mom’s Group that she hosts on Thursdays at PAMF and continued to get informative, caring, and non-​judgmental help from her throughout my breastfeeding journey. While I wouldn’t consider myself a pro yet, I feel that Gail helped give me the tools I need to continue to breastfeed my son for as long as I choose. I highly recommend Gail to anyone who is planning to breastfeed or has questions about breastfeeding. She’s an amazing ally to have!

I LOVE Gail!!! I am an L&D nurse and help people breastfeed every day, but when it came to my turn to actually breastfeed it was brutal. My daughter was very small and had a hard time latching. I had incredible pain that, to me, was worse than labor. I cried every time I had to feed my precious baby. Through a one on one session Gail helped me a lot. She is so caring and she radiates empathy. Her knowledge helped me so much. I look forward to seeing her at Mother’s Place every week. She celebrates our victories and empathizes with our struggles every week. Did I mention how much I love Gail?!