Middle Tennessee Lactation

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Middle Tennessee Lactation

Kimberly is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and pediatric nurse serving families in the Middle Tennessee area.

Permanently closed.

01/13/2026

View Kimberly Rene Hampton's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.

12/30/2025

I am no longer seeing patients at this time. This may change on a case by case basis. I’ll explain more.

In December 2020, I was diagnosed with a Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor. At that time, the oncologist said that many patients live for years with this disease. I continued seeing patients and living a normal life and felt great for the most part, taking various treatments as needed. 2025 took a turn for the worse and suddenly the disease spread. I’ve been hospitalized at least 8 times in 2025. This has been incredibly hard, as I love my work and said I will work until I can’t anymore. It seems that time has come unfortunately. I may have good days and bad days. Right now, my oncologist is saying there is no other treatments to offer as the disease is progressing. Thank you for your love and understanding. Please reach out if you need a referral to another IBCLC.

12/19/2025

The American Academy of Pediatrics now warns that sleep training before 12 months can disrupt attachment and nervous system regulation. The concern is not parenting style but biology. Babies’ brains are still wiring safety signals through proximity.

In the first year, infants cannot self-regulate. Their nervous system relies on co-regulation with caregivers. When stress rises, closeness to a parent helps settle the amygdala, lower cortisol, and signal safety. Room-sharing is a natural way to provide this support.

Sleep training too early teaches babies to manage stress alone before their brains are ready. Calm is not learned by isolation under stress. Instead, infants need repeated, responsive soothing so regulation becomes internalized over time.

Parents who previously sleep trained are not failing their children. They acted on the information available in a culture that often prioritizes independence over developmental readiness. Understanding the science changes how we view early sleep strategies.

This research emphasizes that proximity wires safety. Babies learn calm through closeness, not isolation. Early care that meets stress with support builds secure attachment, emotional regulation, and lifelong resilience.

12/01/2025

Choosing who performs your baby’s tongue-tie release (frenotomy) matters more than most parents realize. The procedure itself is usually quick, but the technique, training, and aftercare guidance can make a big difference in both safety and long-term outcomes.

⚠️ What Can Go Wrong with a Bad Provider?

Potential Risks

While complications are generally rare, the risk increases with poor technique or lack of experience:

1. Incomplete Release
• Tongue still restricted
• Feeding/latch doesn’t improve
• Baby may need repeat procedure

2. Over-release
• Excess bleeding
• Injury to nearby ducts or tissue
• Increased pain or prolonged healing

3. Oral Aversion
If the procedure is traumatic or painful:
• Baby may avoid feeding
• May cry at mouth stimulation
• Difficult breastfeeding afterward

4. Excessive Scarring
Improper release or poor aftercare can cause:
• Reattachment
• Even tighter tissue
• Reduced tongue mobility

5. Lack of Support
Even with a perfect release, feeding problems can continue unless someone helps with:
• Latch
• Positioning
• Infant oral motor function

⭐ Signs of a Good Provider
• Specialized in infant oral issues (e.g., pediatric dentist, ENT)
• Works closely with IBCLCs.
• Explains proper aftercare
• Explains risks and expected outcomes clearly
• Offers follow-up appointments
• Doesn’t push the procedure if it’s not needed

11/13/2025

You can consume artificial peppermint flavors this holiday season, but always remember to check to see if it’s pure peppermint oil or artificial. Read labels or ask your barista if you’re unsure. ☕️

11/07/2025

Frenectomy follow ups are just as I important as the procedure itself. Why? Because how the tongue heals impacts how it will function. I know my patients don’t want go through the procedure just to have symptoms come right back because they never followed up. That’s why I love the team approach. Very thankful for my team of skilled providers that I can refer to and I know that these families are going to get the very best care. You will also get exercises from me to work on oral function at these visits. How many visits do most babies need when they have a tongue tie? I would say on average five visits with your IBCLC. This varies from baby to baby, depending on the severity of their issues. Here’s what to expect. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

1. VISIT ONE: We develop pre-frenectomy care plan to do bodywork and help find your baby specific exercises based on his or her issues.

2. Visit TWO: Lactation consultant assesses to see how exercises are going and make sure parents are ready as well as baby. We will go over stretches and I’ll have you do them to practice so it’s not something new on the day of the procedure. This eliminates a lot of stress.

3. VISITS 3-5: Follow ups to check wound healing, aftercare stretches, and learn new HAPPY, FUN oral exercises to help any tightness or weakness of muscles that your child may be experiencing along with the oral ties.

All in all, it takes around one to two months to complete care and for the wound to heal appropriately. I like to compare it to doing a workout. If you were working on upper body strength, would you see improvement from going to the gym just a couple times for one week ? Probably not but after a month you would start to see results. Your baby uses a lot of muscles to eat.

Sadie and her mommy say it was worth it and mom is seeing improvements after just a week!

#

10/27/2025

Did you know this? I am so thankful to have state of the art laser technology today. Still, it’s important to know how to use this technology or they can do more harm than good. That’s why I have such a short list of preferred providers who consistently do a good job and know how to
prevent reattachment of the tongue tie.
Paige Prather Smiles and Glowing Smiles Pediatric Dentistry you are appreciated!

10/22/2025

This little one has already mastered the cross-cradle hold by watching mama feed her baby brother. So precious!

10/10/2025

You can also call or message us if you are an established patient!

10/07/2025

Alysa Posey is a labor and delivery nurse at Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital. After graduating from nursing school, she moved to Middle Tennessee to begin her career in women’s health. She has been working in labor and delivery for three and a half years. Through her work at the hospital and her own breastfeeding experience, she developed a strong passion for lactation support. Alysa’s goal is to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in order to serve the local community and provide breastfeeding education to mothers. She is currently working toward completing the required education and clinical hours under the guidance of Kimberly Hampton, LPN, IBCLC.

09/19/2025

FYI this post is not about formula supplementation. I see lots of moms and babies who benefit from formula, and that isn't what this is about 💗

This can be ANY number of things:

Your baby isn't gaining well,
*let's introduce formula*
*your milk isn't fatty enough*
*only feed from one breast at a time (so they get the hindmilk of course)*
*wait longer between feedings so they have a chance to get hungry*

WE CAN DO BETTER!

Let me tell you how moms feel when their family and friends and their pediatricians send them to me.

Supported, supported, supported!

We have some great providers here who are so fabulous in connecting moms with feeding help when they need it.

Unfortunately, we also see PLENTY of moms after 6 or 7 weeks (or more) of painful breastfeeds, very fussy babies, babies who aren't gaining well, mothers who aren't sleeping (like at all), and more. All because they have tried exactly ALL of the advice they have been given, but nothing is working.

Encourage your mama friends to see an IBCLC when things aren't going well - we can truly help! We aren't magicians, I promise, but we can give insight as to what the issue may be, and we are super good at making feeding plans that work for moms and babies.

You've got this!

09/17/2025

And the cutest hair award goes to…🏆

Address

106 Westside Drive
Tullahoma, TN
37388

Website

http://middletnlactation.com/

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