Dr. Lisa Kurz, MD is a rare commodity in the universe of pediatric medical experts, with a primary focus on the art, science and practicality of lactation, or breastfeeding. Dr. Kurz, whose breastfeeding medicine practice opened recently in West Orange, NJ, is one of but a precious few pediatricians or medical doctors specializing in breastfeeding medicine, parenting and nutrition. Operating under the name “Darling Essentials, LLC,” the lactation practice is unique in North Jersey in that it is run by a pediatrician.
In choosing this specialty within a specialty, Dr. Kurz describes ‘moments of truth’ as her experience of inpatient and outpatient care as a pediatrician in training and practice, combined with being a mother going through childbirth and post-partum care in a hospital system. She told JLNJ that “it became evident to me that the support for lactation is severely lacking.”
According to Dr. Kurz, who is also a practicing general pediatrician, it has become quite difficult for primary health care providers to take the necessary time to adequately treat mothers and babies for breastfeeding concerns. due to time constraint pressures and health insurance billing complexities concerning such services. By opening Darling Essentials LLC, she hopes to make breastfeeding education and support available to as many women as possible, and improve the likelihood of health insurance coverage/reimbursement.
Discussing her early interest in lactation education, Kurz described her initial exposure in breastfeeding education during her residency at the Children’s Hospital of New York at Columbia University. One of her rotations in pediatrics was in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), where she quickly became involved in helping mothers of premature babies deal with breastfeeding concerns, including the initial latch and donor milk. During residency, her own first child was born, whom she breastfed. Upon returning to work after maternity leave, she became acutely aware of the multi-layered struggles a new and nursing working mother faces. She realized that she wanted to help other breastfeeding mothers and babies by extending the benefits of her knowledge, experience and expertise. She joined a committee devoted to making the hospital more “baby-friendly,” and began reaching out to lactation consultants.
Following graduation in 2012, Dr. Kurz saw patients privately for breastfeeding assistance, but she knew by then that she intended to expand her resources, to eventually offer her services to the public by opening her own practice dedicated to breastfeeding mothers and babies. After moving to New Jersey, she established a dedicated breastfeeding medicine practice devoted solely to the issues of breastfeeding. Darling Essentials, LLC was ‘born’ in April 2015 in West Orange, as a private pediatrician-directed breastfeeding medicine practice.
Dr. Kurz said she offers a unique broad spectrum of knowledge and support to the breastfeeding mother and baby dyad (consisting of two dependent elements or parts). She described a combination of medical, practical and real-world experience as a new working and nursing mother, and eventually as a mother of three. Too often, patients seek her care only after struggling with many breastfeeding issues. The baby might be “tongue-tied,” or the mother is having trouble with inadequate milk supply and has not been able to resolve such issues. With her background and expertise as a physician educated in lactation as well, she is able to give much needed guidance and support to enable and empower mothers to continue breastfeeding their babies.
Sometimes a prescription is required for a particular problem, so she can address that need as well. According to Dr. Kurz, many perceived hurdles to breastfeeding are rooted in the psychological domain or in peer pressure. A physician who encourages and supports lactating mothers on their journey can offer mothers the confidence needed to succeed and that may make all the difference.
Dr. Kurz aspires to promote and support breastfeeding knowledge and techniques to as many mothers, babies and families as possible. She offers private office consults as well as private and group prenatal and postnatal parenting and breastfeeding classes. The practice also affords patients availability to more immediate responses to their vital needs, especially in situations requiring urgently needed communication or care. Further, Dr. Kurz explains, her medical practice includes the benefit of allowing a mother to be seen for a breastfeeding consult while being billed in-network or out-of network for pediatric services allowing a wider realm of coverage than a lactation consultant.
Darling Essentials is located in West Orange, NJ, near Verona Park. Find Dr. Kurz at www.darlingessentials.com and via phone at (973) 243-2725.
By Ellie Wolf
