Meet Abigail Elmore, MS, CCC-SLP, LC | Speech-Language Pathologist & Lactation Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abigail Elmore, MS, CCC-SLP, LC and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abigail, how does your business help the community?
Latch + Bloom provides access to medical services in our community that can be hard to get. Lactation counseling services may be offered in the hospital at the time of birth, but typically only for those first 48-72 hours – that’s such a short time when compared to the first two years of a baby’s life where feeding difficulties are most likely to arise. Most hospitals don’t offer home health services for infant feeding, and there just aren’t many lactation consultants working outside of hospitals anyway. We work to support parents with telehealth and in-home coaching and consultation for both breast/bottle feeding and other concerns, for as long as they may need us.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Texas Woman’s University in 2017, and my Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2022. Soon after, I completed training with Feed the Peds to become a feeding specialist and with the Healthy Children’s Project to become a lactation consultant. While all SLPs learn the basics of pediatric feeding and swallowing during their education, I am grateful for the opportunity to further my education and specialize in this area.

Latch + Bloom is different because we understand where parents are coming from. The early days of parenthood are hard, especially if you and your baby experience feeding challenges. My family has been there. I stayed in the NICU for 6 days post-emergency c-section with my daughter, just to make sure I could pump and give her the bottle myself. She had trouble gaining weight in her first few months, which led to some trial and error with different baby formulas and feeding schedules. We do everything we can to make the feeding journey as smooth as possible, with a level of understanding and empathy that is often overlooked by other providers. We are so excited for the opportunity to serve the DFW area!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Concerts are one of my favorite activities, and there’s always good music playing somewhere here. We would definitely catch a show at the Majestic Theater in Dallas. It’s a beautiful venue and the staff is second to none.

I hope my friend is visiting in the fall/spring because I love going to Stars games at the AAC! (Can we agree that Dallas is officially a hockey town now??) Besides watching a fast-paced and well-played game, DJ Shippy knows exactly what music to play to set the tone, and Zavala’s is always good for a mid-game snack!

I live on the Fort Worth side of the metro, so we would have to go to Avoca for coffee and Heim BBQ for brisket and bacon burnt ends. And then to burn it all off, we would go for a hike at the Fort Worth Nature Center, where the buffalo roam!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, my husband has been by my side for the entire journey. He’s encouraged me to make leaps into career opportunities I wasn’t sure I was ready for. He’s been a test patient when I wanted to practice therapy techniques and materials. Most recently, he’s supported the start of Latch + Bloom by brainstorming ideas, creating materials, and any other tasks that arise in helping families on their feeding journeys.

Secondly, I’d like to thank my parents. As cliche as it is, they’ve always supported my education and career. They were the first to jump on board when I decided on a career path. They have always done everything they can to make sure I am set up for success, and I owe a lot of who I am to them.

Finally, my daughter. She is my heart and my inspiration. She had a difficult start, but through therapy and interventions, she is thriving. She has changed my whole perspective on life and my career, showing me how important compassionate healthcare workers are.

Website: https://www.latchbloom.com

Instagram: @latchbloom

Other: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576226342309

Image Credits
Megan Loftin