Cherie Zappas Tannenbaum, NP, IBCLC

Cherie is truly amazing. I assumed something as natural as breastfeeding would be easy, but it’s not always. She was very patient with me and helped me figure out the latch and also answered all of my many questions that came up. Now, 16 months later, I’m still breastfeeding and it’s all thanks to Cherie. I’ve (and many of my friends) attended her classes at Parents’ Place and they are wonderful. She’s helped us with sleep problems, helped us feed our, and done so much more. My friends raved about Cherie before I had a baby, and they were right. I also rented a pump from her, which was wonderful. I used that one at home and kept a cheaper one at work (where I pumped less).
Cherie is the Silicon Valley baby whisperer and gives you advice that you wish your mom gave you!

I almost gave up on breastfeeding it was so painful. Lactation consultants at the hospital told me my baby may have cleft palate or something was wrong with her jaw, sent me to cranial sacral therapy, blah blah blah. They didn’t know what they were talking about. After seeing Cherie, recommended by my birth prep teacher/​doula, nothing was wrong with my baby. She showed me how to properly latch, and now I’m able to successfully breastfeed with no pain whatsoever. I wish I had seen her sooner. 10 different people would tell me 10 different things at the hospital from the lactation consultants, nurses, midwives, doulas to doctors. It’s very confusing, frustrating and painful. Don’t waste your time and just see Cherie if breastfeeding is really important to you. Thank you Cherie!

Cherie is amazing!!! She helped my sister with breastfeeding issues and then helped me with my little one who was lip and tongue tied. They did not catch these issues at the hospital which made me angry. Anyhow, Cherie is patient, determined, gentle and supportive. If you want to breastfeed, she will find a way! She works with all issues– low supply, reflux, oversupply, you name it! And if you want to bottle feed, when that time comes, she will try her best to get LO to take a bottle (introduce one by 3 weeks BTW!). Her weekly lactation drop ins are great! You can weigh the babes and talk with other moms about issues and ask all kinds of crazy first time mom questions. Also she has weekly newborn and infant education meetups through Parents Place Palo Alto as well. These are affordable at $ 15/​session. You will not go wrong confiding in Cherie!

I didn’t breastfeed my first child very long due to a lot of variable factors and people telling me I couldn’t. I worked with Cherie before my second child was due. I had no problem breastfeeding and Cherie provided awesome support and education. I highly recommend her over other lactation specialists in the area. And I am still breastfeeding at 10 months!

We rented a Medela hospital grade pump from Cherie, after the one that we had rented from Toys R Us just stopped working the night before we were supposed to go on a family vacation to Tahoe. After calling every other Toys R Us within a 50 mile radius and finding they didn’t have any other pumps available, I started to stress that we weren’t going to be able to go on our trip.
I emailed Cherie pretty late that night completely frantic. She got back to me right away and was so helpful and accommodating. She totally put me at ease and was very patient when we picked up a pump from her the next morning, as we were running late trying to get packed and out of the house with a 3 month old. I would highly recommend Cherie!

Cherie is as angel from heaven. I was 4 weeks post partum with my first child, and was dealing with many variables and breastfeeding challenges: Tongue tie that had reattached post frenulotomy, upper lip tie, small jaw, strong bottle attachment, inverted wide nipples, and marginal (at best) breastmilk supply, and had been written off by my first lactation consultant. I was searching for a second opinion amidst the waves of emotion as I was incredibly determined to breastfeed if it was at ALL possible. I was referred to Cherie by a coworker who also worked with her. She was incredibly easy to get ahold of and we had a phone consultation with specific instructions prior to our first appointment. I was relieved and impressed with her responsiveness, understanding, and very professional and methodical approach to our issues. She has an arsenal of tools and depth in experience and knowledge with all things baby. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her guidance and support. She dedicates herself to her families, and is VERY available by phone, text, or email. I was even able to call her in the middle of an emotional crisis when i was completely ready to give up altogether. She is patient, understanding, positive, down to earth, realistic, honest, and just overall so incredibly supportive during what has to be the most vulnerable, confusing, and emotional times in a woman’s life. Also, because she is a nurse practitioner her approach to care is VERY comprehensive and holistic. She is FAR more than a consultant. My son is now 10 weeks old and with her help, he has begun breastfeeding. We are now working toward transitioning from exclusive pumping and bottling to full time breastfeeding. Again, without her guidance I would have no idea how to continue this breastfeeding journey. I am so grateful for Cherie. I also go to her group sessions. It is a fantastic opportunity for additional time with her as well as an opportunity to get out of the house and network with other mothers and learn from their questions and experiences. If you need help with breastfeeding, pumping, sleep, or just don’t even know where to turn for support with your newborn care, CALL CHERIE. I believe in her 100%

I honestly can’t say what we would have done without Cherie; she was an invaluable member of our family for much of summer 2014.
Cherie coached me through my newborn’s tongue tie (ultimately requiring laser surgery), severe acid reflux, and poor weight gain as well as my chronic yeast infections and clogged ducts. Emotionally and physically, she played a critical role in the first few months of my son’s life. She cares so deeply about each of the families she works with, and she consistently goes above and beyond to help in any way she is able: being available by phone on nights and weekends, promptly responding to texts and emails, meeting as often as needed, etc. Her deep experience as a lactation coach as well as a nurse practitioner means she has seen everything; what gives you anxiety as a new parent is just another day for Cherie. She is SO supportive and easy to talk to. In our case — and I’m sure an infinite number of others — she deeply understood our concerns and helped us work through several physical and emotional issues related to feeding. She has an incredible ability to help put any challenge into perspective and to guide you through it all with grace and poise.
In addition to private counseling with Cherie, I absolutely loved her newborn support group and lactation support group. Both were essential for meeting new friends with newborns and relating to others who were having feeding issues. Also, I attended Cherie’s «Back to Work» seminar before the end of my maternity leave, which was extremely helpful. Ultimately, anything led by Cherie is an incredible resource because she is just tremendous. After one meeting with her you know she is living out her vocation and I’m so grateful we had the privilege of working with her!
Cherie, we will forever and always consider you a part of our family!

I worked with Cherie and can attest to the fact that she works wonders!
My daughter was described as having a «small jaw» at birth. I worked with 3 other lactation consultants over the course of the first month who eventually shrugged their shoulders and told me that my daughter ‘might never breastfeed’. As a new mom who really wanted the bonding associated with breastfeeding, this was pretty devastating. Then, I met Cherie!
Cherie was positive and refused to take no for an answer. She was always confident that we could get my daughter to nurse, which gave me the confidence to keep trying. She coached me through the transition from a complete pump-​and-​bottle baby to a fully functional breastfeeder! My daughter finally started breastfeeding at 7 weeks, and I had multiple people tell me they had never seen a baby start breastfeeding that late. Cherie made the magic happen!
I can also attest to the friendships, education, and support offered by her Mom & Baby groups. If you are a new mom, these weekly groups give you a safe place to learn how to get out of the house with your little one. In addition, you get to see all the babies in the group grow and change together. It is amazing! I am back at work full time, but I still meet up with moms from the class for play dates and visit the class whenever I have a day off!
Cherie, you are the best! I cannot thank you enough!
P. S. According to our pediatrician, my daughter does not, in fact, have a small jaw. Thank goodness I didn’t listen to those other lactation consultants!

I have seen several lactation consultants when my son had trouble latching (tongue tie) and then when I had mastitis. Cherie is absolutely my favorite. She is very professional, has more tools than others I have seen (we rented a scale from her, she introduced me to SNS, artificial nipples etc). She does home visits. She is extremely positive (which I needed after a difficult labor and breast feeding challenges). She is also very responsive via text and phone call and does not charge for these services. I built my milk supply following her plan. I would recommend hiring her services before encountering problems.

Cherie is the best! I used her as a lactation consultant when my son was first born and I wasn’t producing enough milk. She helped me strategize and supported us emotionally as well as practically. Eventually he was nursing like a pro! Cherie is a great listener, and paid attention to my goals and worked from there. I’ve also been attending her mom and baby groups since he was born, and I love them. She provides the right amount of structure while addressing people’s individual needs and concerns. She also has the added expertise of being a nurse practitioner. Cherie loves babies and it shows — her warmth and caring combined with everything she knows make her sessions fun and informative.

This review is long overdue, as my son is now almost 11 months old and Cherie has been a part of our journey from day 1. Well not quite, I wish I had called her on day 1! My friend recommended it, but I thought, «It’s just breastfeeding. Women have been doing it for generations — how hard could it be?» That attitude resulted in 3 weeks of frustration (not only me but my son), painful cracked nipples, my son losing about a lb of body weight, and feelings of just wanting to give up breastfeeding. I called Cherie the day after Christmas, thinking she probably wouldn’t be available during the holidays. She called me back and said she’d be over at my house that afternoon! One visit with Cherie and our whole world was turned around. She helped me with my positioning, my son’s positioning, his latch, pumping techniques, and so much more! My husband and I credit Cherie for getting us over that hump, and making breastfeeding an enjoyable experience for us all!
I also found out that Cherie teaches a Baby and Me class at Parents Place in Palo Alto, so my son & I started attending at 1 month old. We look forward to her class every week — my son, to play with other babies; me, to get Cherie’s advice not only on breastfeeding, but sleep, developmental milestones, sleep, eating solids, sleep, child psychology, and so much more! Did I mention sleep? That seems to be the #1 topic at every group! =) She has an easy going yet very compassionate parenting style, which I can relate with. She was also a nurse practitioner, so I often say I value her opinion more than my own doctor.
And as an added bonus to her classes, I built a network of amazing first-​time moms with whom I have the pleasure of sharing this journey with!
Cherie, as I prepare to return to work full-​time, we are sad that we won’t be able to attend your class on a weekly basis. I will try not to forget how to parent without your regular guidance, but it helps to know you are around if I have questions. We will be sure to stop by for a lunch class whenever possible! Thank YOU for everything!

Cherie teaches a baby and me class at Parents Place in Palo Alto. I love her! Her personality is wonderful– she is easy going with a great sense of humor and offers practical advice for new parents. I love how easy she is to talk to– she never makes you feel like you are asking a weird question. We’ll continue to attend her baby and me classes!

i made a big sos call to cherie this am. i’m a 2^nd time mom, however, first time breastfeeding since my first was in the hospital for the 1^st month of life so i pumped exclusively for 4 months. anyhow, my 2^nd son is now approaching 4 months and he’s almost sleeping through the night on his own e.g., 6 pm — ⁵⁄₆ am. as a result i was getting clogged ducts in my right and left breast. i also am not waking up to pump as i do not want to overproduce. plus the pump and i are not the best of friends b/​c i was so over the pump after pumping 10 — 12 times/​day everyday for 4 months with my first son. scarred is more like it. cherie called me back, i explained to her my situation and she gave me a few tips on the phone. quick and easy… they worked! i am forever grateful. she definitely knows what she is doing. i cannot thank her enough… the stress of taking care of 2 kids, let alone a new baby is daunting. so i was a mess this morning… thanks to cherie’s advice, i was able to unclog one breast and on the way to unclogging the other. all naturally, no need to see a doctor or pay for an official lactation visit (which i was willing to have someone come to my house asap this morning). i will definitely be calling her again and referring her to others for lactation services.

Cherie is a lifesaver! We started seeing Cherie when my son was 5 days old as he couldn’t latch. She walked us though our options with no judgement as to the decision we made. She has lots of tricks and advice up her sleeve. Cherie is well educated and aware of all the different choices for moms and I never felt pressured to go a certain way. I always left her office encouraged to keep trying to BF. She even answered my texts and calls off-​hours when I was really in need of help/​guidance/​support. I can’t thank her enough for her help get us on the right path for our breast feeding relationship. My son is healthy, breast fed and happy thanks to Cherie!

Cherie was a sanity saver. Her reassurance that I wasn’t doing it all wrong made a world of a difference for this new mom. Her gentle and helpful guidance to get my daughter to latch right made all the difference. After the session, if we had any followup questions, Cherie was always available to answer and super responsive. At times, more so than our doctor! Cherie is the perfect coach to have in your corner while trying to navigate the brave new world of parenting.

I met Cherie when my daughter was three weeks old. I was having a tough time with all of the ‘normal’ things: latching, sleeping, feeding schedule, my diet, did I mention latching and sleeping?
From that point on Cherie played a major role in our lives during my daughters first year. From helping me adjust my feeding schedule to begin my post-​pregnancy workout to advising on what to do and what not to do in a way that worked for us personally.
To say I recommend her services is an understatement. She made it possible for me to enjoy my baby days, I will be forever thankful!

My first stop from the hospital with my second child was right to Cherie. She helped me SO much with both my children. She’s super responsive, caring, available and very knowledgable. I ended up getting a breast infection early on, which she (not my doctor!) diagnosed. She helped me through that, and I was able to continue to feed despite the infection. I’ve recommended her to literally everyone I know who is having a baby.

Cherie was a God send when our daughter was born. Both my husband and I rave about Cherie and the role she has played in our daughter’s life. She is experienced and extremely knowledgeable and is also easy to talk to and easy to cry in front of! She is compassionate and knows just what a new mother needs.
After our baby was born, the lactation consultant at the hospital told us that our daughter had a good latch and that she was doing great. However, she was not gaining much weight. We went to see Cherie on Day 5 since she had been referred to us by countless friends. Cherie immediately recognized that while the baby was sucking great, she had very little to swallow but was not complaining.
Cherie provided me with a series of steps and recommendations to increase my milk supply and she also made sure that our baby got enough nutrition while we waited for my supply to increase. When she saw that I was not making enough milk, one option she discussed with us was a prescription drug which my husband and I and my obgyn agreed was a good choice. After a couple of weeks, I was producing enough milk for her. In the interim, Cherie gave us a formula option and a baby bottle recommendation that did not cause her to «lose her suck.» It all worked perfectly and our baby has always been able to drink breastmilk from a breast or bottle as well as formula… from Day 5. Later when the baby was having gas issues, Cherie switched us to a different formula which resolved the issues 100%.
Cherie also offered many 100% natural options to us… we just chose the prescription option. Cherie will work within the constraints of your philosophical desires while keeping the health of the baby at the forefront.
In addition to private lactation counseling sessions with Cherie (which included some emotional therapy too :)), i attended her newborn classes at Day One. Cherie has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and I feel like I am a better mom because I have Cherie as a resource.
As I began the weaning process, I reached out to Cherie, who once again provided me with guidance on how to wean the baby from the breast. Her advice is medical (she is a nurse practitioner as well as a lactation specialist) but, as importantly, she is emotionally sensitive to the needs of both me and my baby.
My husband and I cannot rave enough about this wonderful woman and incredibly talented professional. We will definitely have her come to the hospital when we have a second baby.
She is absolutely top notch in every way!!! We love her!

I can’t say enough about Cherie. Our breastfeeding journey was doomed to fail from the start, with supply issues, my daughter’s inability (or unwillingness, we’ll never know!) to latch, along with a host of other complications. We were confused and scared when we first met Cherie when M was a week old. She worked with us on a plan that helped save our breastfeeding relationship.
Because we couldn’t nurse, I committed to exclusively pumping. By 3 months I was producing enough to stop the formula supplements. All the while, Cherie encouraged me to never give up hope on getting my daughter to return to the breast, and her instinct was right. At 4.5 months, we started nursing, and are still going at 16 months. It was truly a dream come true to be able to put the pump away and build a nursing relationship with my daughter, with Cherie’s guidance.
I’ve been reflecting a lot on our journey as we’re getting ready to wean, and I know I would definitely not have stuck through those hard times if it wasn’t for Cherie’s firm belief in me, my daughter, and the process. She was encouraging and supportive in just the right ways. I especially loved that she gave her cell number and I could get a quick response from her if something came up, even after hours or on weekends. Having that kind of support is invaluable. I would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone.
We also attended her New Parent Groups at Day One and looked forward to them every week — she is a wealth of parenting knowledge, not just about breastfeeding. I met moms through her groups who are now some of my closest friends. Thank you Cherie!

Cherie is a top notch Lactation Consultant and Newborn Educator. She is easy to talk to and is very compassionate about new parenting experiences. She always has wonderful suggestions to challeging «new parent» issues and can usually find a solution to a lactation problem. All the while making you feel like you have been heard and you feel like she has been in your shoes. I highly recommend her to any of my clients or friends.