Parent Testimonials
I first learned about Newborn Connections from a friend who gave birth during the pandemic. She described the virtual lactation group as a "lifeline", and so I decided to check out Breastfeeding 101. Rachel was the presenter and she was amazing! Her level of knowledge was so deep and level of care for babies and especially moms was super strong! I was very impressed and the class already made me feel like Rachel was my advocate. They truly care about moms AND babies, and finding what works best for you and your family instead of trying to prescribe specific things to you. Rachel went out of her way to VERY quickly respond to emails.
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Jennifer W
I feel incredibly lucky to have found Rachel. She is a super approachable expert in breastfeeding, mother and infant care. My partner reached out to her when I was having difficulties (pain and engorgement) feeding our newborn and I was too sleep deprived to even think of what could help. She spoke to him as I was too overwhelmed to chat and then travelled to our home the very next day. She spent time getting to know us and understand the issues we were having and our goals before coming up with a plan of action going forward so we felt we could cope. This included improvements in the breastfeeding but also our approach to sleep and soothing. I felt incredibly cared for. Rachel followed up frequently via text and we had an additional in person and zoom consultation until we were confident things had improved. If anything else continues to come up I know I can come back to her. Rachel knows babies! We still refer to her early advice when we are trying to understand ours! Naomi P
Rachel is one in a billion. In fact, I so deeply valued her help as our lactation consultant that after Rachel moved to the UK, rather than meeting with another lactation consultant within our local hospital network, I specifically sought her out and was prepared to figure it out with insurance, because it was worth it to me to speak to Rachel rather than anyone else. She is extremely knowledgeable, and she has a gift for breaking down medical speak into layman's terms. She is compassionate and tailors her approach to each individual family. She cares for the mom, not just the baby. She refers to other specialists when needed but does not do so unnecessarily or flippantly. She explains the logic and science behind recommendations and then lets you choose. And then she makes you laugh to keep things light and fun! Ileana R
Rachel is incredibly knowledgeable, compassionate, and very quick to respond to the ever changing needs of a breastfeeding baby and mother. I worked with Rachel throughout the breastfeeding journeys of my first son (in 2020) and second son (in 2024), and both times her expertise and support were essential my success. I worked with her exclusively over zoom, and she was able to provide detailed guidance for how to address engorgement, poor latch, breast inflammation (aka "plugs/clogs"), changing milk supplies, evolving feeding pace/patterns, incorporating bottle feeding, and managing the incredible emotional load that comes with breastfeeding. I could not have breastfed for as long as I did (two years with my first son) without Rachel's help, compassion, and straightforward advice. I cannot recommend her high enough; if you are looking for more reviews, I recommend checking out the yelp reviews at her prior place of employment (CPMC Newborn Connections in San Francisco) to see just how many folks have loved and appreciated working with her. Sati
I'm obsessed with Rachel Watson. Her guidance was so clear, memorable, and non-judgemental. It really built our confidence and got us into an amazing, connected routine. My only complaint is that she was too funny, and it was hurting my C-section incision to laugh. K.C.Y
The post-discharge support provided by Rachel Watson was a GAME CHANGER and a key reason I was able to continue breastfeeding my daughter (and continue doing so as she turns one year). Rachel's clinic at CMPC was like a lab, where you're under the observation and care of a warm, funny, extremely helpful clinician. She had such wonderful recommendations and the experience was so personalized and comfortable. As my breast feeding journey continued beyond the initial weeks, her office hours were AMAZING. I cannot say enough about her virtual "office hours". I couldn't get over the fact that, as an exhausted first-time mom, I could hop on a virtual meeting link twice a week (if needed) to ask any nuanced questions that arose. I encountered many barriers to breastfeeding - latching issues, undersupply (then oversupply), baby having trouble digesting my milk/having allergies to my diet...Rachel was there every step of the way and would actually follow up with the most helpful resources and a WRITE-UP(!) to address each issue as it arose....I have received a lot of fantastic concierge-quality medical-care in my 38 years, but this blew me away. I can't say enough wonderful things about Newborn Connections, and Rachel in particular for her ongoing support. THANK YOU!! Megan N
Rachel Watson was a savior to me. I was struggling very bad with breastfeeding (I now know most people do) and the lactation consultants I had seen at the hospital said the intense breast pain was normal. As soon as Rachel saw me she identified that it was not normal and helped me recover as well as find the technique that helped me and my baby on our breastfeeding journey. I went to see her a few more times along the way - each time I learned more - and now my baby is 8 months and I am still breastfeeding. I believe EVERYONE that wants to breastfeed needs a person like Rachel to consult. She is really the BEST! Alejandra G.
I received Lactation care from Rachel Watson at the hospital after the birth of my daughter. I was having a lot of trouble feeding her and Rachel was my saving grace. She not only helped me feed and care for my daughter, but she sat with me for 1 hour+ two times to answer my questions and help me through the emotional transition to motherhood, something that not many other healthcare providers did. She was a ray of light in a very difficult few days. I can't recommend her professionalism, care, and lactation insight enough. Thank you Rachel from the bottom of my heart. Mary B.
Rachel is the absolute best! I have 3 kids and have worked with her throughout the years - she is the most knowledgeable in the industry and I've worked with many. If you're looking for lactation support, she is the go-to. She is supportive and incredibly effective with her technique/advice. Inna T.
I don't often write reviews, but this one truly warrants it. Rachel Watson was a savior for me! I came to Rachel a couple of weeks after my baby was born and needed a ton of guidance on nursing. Being a first time mom with a baby whose weight was dropping had me in a lot of stress, but Rachel really helped me with so much grace and patience. She taught me how to pump, did weighted feeds, taught me various nursing positions and most of all, she reminded me to take care of myself too. She constantly encouraged me to continue nursing but also to not push myself too much. I left each session with her motivated to continue my nursing journey and I'm SO glad for it. In other LC visits I had tried, it felt rushed and the consultant wasn't very helpful. But Rachel would take the time to understand MY situation and try different solutions. I once needed urgent help and she graciously offered to take a phone call ON A WEEKEND and we spoke for ~30 mins. The office experience was also amazing - they had a shop with a bunch of BFing supplies and baby items at the same site. Rachel even suggested renting their weighing scale (which we did since the Amazon ones were too imprecise!) for a few days from the shop. All in all, I can't recommend her enough. Rachel, my son and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts! I wish you the best of success ahead. Shimul S.
I have dropped in to the weekly zoom sessions with Rachel who is an AMAZING LC. Out of all the LCs I've interacted with on my breastfeeding journey, Rachel has been the most helpful and evidence-based. There's a lot of anecdotal and subjective advice out there and I love that Rachel grounds her advice in science and evidence. Thank you Rachel!!!
6 weeks post partum, I called Newborn Connections for an appointment and got to make one for just a few days later. In the meantime, I was pleasantly surprised when I got a call back from Rachel Watson, another lactation consultant. She carefully listened to my concerns, reassured me which boosted my confidence and we had a great chat for 20 minutes. She was so friendly and knowledgeable. Right after our call, she sent me a thorough recap email with BF videos. Some of this info helped so much: like the video on hand expressing. I never knew I could extract about 1 more oz doing this technique. Game changer! Thank you, Rachel! Leslie S
I'm really going to miss Rachel Watson. I struggled to get my baby to breastfeed, and it wasn't until week 5 that I was able to move her from bottlefeeding to exclusive breastfeeding. Rachel was SUCH a source of support, morale, and most importantly, expertise. On top of that, she's hilarious. I love how authentic she is, how she met us where we were and helped us establish priorities and goals, and how she was generous with her time.
Mimi B
I was dealing with a steep hormonal drop and post partum anxiety which was only exacerbated by the very normal learning curve that is breastfeeding. I luckily dropped into the Newborn Connection lactation support group run by Rachel Watson. Rachel is incredible and frankly in many ways saved me during a really dark time in my journey. From the get go, her advice was evidence based, mom-centric, and grounded. Never once did I feel judged. Both my husband and I learned so much on what worked specifically for me and my son. I went from hating breastfeeding and wanting to give up to now loving it and actively saying that it's one of my favorite things to do with my son. I could not be more grateful for Rachel and her guidance. Michelle W
Rachel Watson is one of the best lactation consultants! As a first time mom, navigating breastfeeding was really challenging and especially difficult in those first few months when everything is so new. I had prior lactation consults that just made it seem like either I bf 100% or I failed. Rachel explained that there are many other journeys that I could take and that I was a good mom regardless of how my bf journey turned out. That advice gave me peace of mind and a safe space to exhale all my worries and pressures that I had on myself. To add on top of that Rachel is kind, knowledgeable, personable, and adds a touch of humor to an otherwise extremely stressful situation. Even when I had additional questions after the consultations, she was available to answer those, give sound advice, and point me to credible resources. Literally, made my bf journey amazing! Tiffany L
I can't recommend Rachel Watson highly enough! If you have any issues with breastfeeding, or just want to make sure it is going as smoothly as possible, book an appointment with her. She helped me during the first week after having a baby to get breastfeeding on track. There were many different voices and opinions in the first few days, and instead of making me feel more confused or judged, she listened and helped create a plan forward. She holistically assessed the situation and has very practical solutions. Breastfeeding is a symbiotic relationship between two people. Rachel reiterates this and makes sure both the baby AND the mother are considered and cared for. Alexandra L.
I am so grateful that Rachel Watson could see me in the first weeks of my son's life. I had seen other lactation consultants but she is the only one who noticed my son had a tongue tie. She is knowledgeable, warm, and supportive. Sarah S.
I absolutely loved working with Rachel Watson. She was very warm, free of judgment, and had a way of putting me at ease in the face of my many challenges with breastfeeding. Most importantly, she got results! Using her techniques, I was able to get my son breastfeeding after initially having trouble. I highly recommend Rachel! Juliet F
I found Newborn Connections when my husband and I were looking for baby courses to take in preparation for our new baby. We took the baby CPR and Baby Basics Class that was offered at the hospital and they were great. It was at one of these courses where we met Rachel Watson and she absolutely changed our lives! I made an appointment to see Rachel a few days after my son was born as I was having a hard time with my latch, and have met with her several times in the last 8 months with various breastfeeding and pumping questions. Rachel is warm, welcoming, kind, and supportive. She is a wealth of knowledge, and everything she shares is evidence based. She has made my breastfeeding journey so enjoyable and fulfilling- what more can a first time mom ask for?? I've worked with other lactation specialists who are rigid in their advice and how they offer support. Rachel always takes her time to help understand my questions and situation without ever passing judgment and always works to meet me where I am and provides a solution that works for me and my family. If there's one thing that I want readers to take from this review, it is that Rachel Watson cares deeply about mothers, and we are so so lucky to have her! Hannah L.
Rachel is an amazing lactation consultant! She has been so helpful, beyond any other LC I have worked with. Quick to figure out what's going wrong (even over zoom), listens to me, and has actionable advice that works. Thank you Rachel! Jessica P
My husband and I are taking a few classes at Newborn Connections and so far we're really happy with all the things we're learning. We would like to highlight Rachel Watson's Breastfeeding class, her enthusiasm, her way of explaining and communicating, makes everything look easier than we thought, giving you plenty of tips and steps to follow. Sylvia E
We've taken a couple of classes at Newborn Connections along with a hospital tour. We've been lucky to have the breastfeeding class and the newborn parenting class with the amazing Rachel Watson. Rachel has an amazing ability to cam you down, explain the things you need to do, and will need to do, and overall is just calming and preparing you for this newborn thing. I'm writing this review after 2 weeks at home with Emma and we keep taking about how Rachel and the courses we had helped us to stay sane and chill during the first crazy two weeks! Thank you Rachel and thanks Newborn Connections. Alex V
The people at Newborn Connections have given us the best pre or postnatal care we have received--by far better than our pediatrician or OBGYN. We went in just to use the scale and a woman (nice lady with a British accent) made us feel comfortable in the lounge with simple kind gestures like offering me water. Although we didn't intend to, I sat down and asked for help with my positioning. Breastfeeding had been *extremely* painful to this point. She showed me some basic methods, like using a stool and pillow for support that immediately resulted in the best breastfeeding experience I had had to date. She also helped me find supportive nursing bras (which I hadn't been able to find online, at target or department stores). We have been back a few times since and always walk away feeling supported and empowered. Can't recommend the drop in times enough! Sara A
The breastfeeding support group led by Rachel is amazing and has helped me through two babies. Highly recommended it to all new moms, even second and third timers!