Empowering Birth & Breastfeeding Families with Compassionate Care

Personalized, evidence-based lactation support, doula care, and education — designed to help families feel confident and supported from pregnancy through postpartum.

EXPLORE SERVICES

Support for One of Life’s biggest transitions

Welcoming a new baby can be both exciting and overwhelming. Questions about birth, feeding, and postpartum care are completely normal — and you don’t have to navigate them alone.

YOLO Breastfeeding is here to support your family with compassionate, evidence-based guidance tailored to your unique needs. Our goal is to help you feel confident in your decisions and supported throughout your journey.

EXPLORE SERVICES

Support for Every Stage of Your Journey

YOLO Breastfeeding offers a range of services designed to meet families where they are — whether you’re preparing for birth, navigating feeding challenges, or looking for education and community support.

Lactation Support

Personalized prenatal and postpartum lactation care, including virtual, office, and in-home consultations, to help you reach your feeding goals with confidence.
Lactation services are available at no cost for Flint and Genesee County families through grant funding.

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Doula Services

Compassionate, evidence-based birth and postpartum support focused on advocacy, comfort, and emotional care.
All services begin with a consultation to ensure that your family and doula are a good match.

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Classes for Families

Interactive, family-centered classes covering breastfeeding, childbirth education, and postpartum care. Our classes are currently offered virtually and designed to be flexible, making it easier for busy families and caregivers to participate.
Classes are available at no cost for Flint and Genesee County families through grant funding.

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Professional Education & Community Trainings

In addition to supporting families, YOLO Breastfeeding offers professional education for individuals and organizations seeking to grow their skills and impact their communities.

Community Breastfeeding Specialist Course is a 45-hour, community-centered course designed for community members, doulas, and breastfeeding supporters. This course is designed for professional development and community-based education.

With this course, you will become certified as a Community Breastfeeding Specialist.

See Course Dates & Details

Care That Centers You

At YOLO Breastfeeding, support is never one-size-fits-all. Our approach is rooted in education, empowerment, and community.

Evidence-Based Guidance

Care informed by current research and best practices.

Flexible Options

Virtual, office, and in-home services designed to fit real family schedules.

Personalized Support

Every family receives care tailored to their needs, goals, and circumstances.

Community-Centered Care

Support that honors culture, identity, and lived experience.

Who We Are

Meet the heart Behind YOLO Breastfeeding

Shonte’ Terhune-Smith is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), educator, doula, and the founder of YOLO Breastfeeding.

With over a decade of experience supporting families across Flint and Genesee County, her work focuses on culturally responsive, community-based care that empowers families through birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum.

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client love

Families we support often share how meaningful it is to feel heard, supported, and empowered during their journey.

Paige

I had such a wonderful experience with my Shonte!
From the very beginning, her communication was outstanding, she was always available when I needed support and made sure I felt heard and understood. I felt completely comfortable around her, which made a huge difference during such a vulnerable time. Her experience truly showed in the way she guided me with care and confidence. What stood out most was how she not only supported me but also checked in on my bab and followed up with us - the extra care meant so much. Shonte is the BEST! First time mom with first time issues, who now has lifelong solutions, advice and someone I can actually trust to go to. I can’t wait to keep coming back to Shonte for my future babies. I’m so grateful for her help and would absolutely recommend her to any new mom needing lactation support.
Alyssa

I highly recommend her for your doula and lactation service needs!
I had a very long labor and just about nothing went as I’d hoped or planned. But having Shonte’ there gave me a calm and peace of mind that I genuinely needed. She never left my side through the entire process; making sure I was nourished, giving me back rubs, dancing, encouraging me throughout. She was a godsend, my birth angel. If it wasn’t for her I don’t believe I would have been able to have my natural, med free, home birth! Shonte’ also taught me everything I would need to know to breastfeed my little one and is an incredible resource for all of my questions. And she continues to check in on me and my family! She goes above and beyond. Of all the things you can spend your money on to welcome your baby into this world, really nothing is nearly as important.
Lindsey

Shonte’ was amazing!
As a first time mom, I didn’t know anything about breastfeeding. I felt so lost and frustrated before my appointment. She could tell on the phone I was struggling and stressed and so she squeezed me in right away. After one session with her we fixed the little kinks and she showed me how to use the nipple shield and the correct hold so my baby would latch better. Since then, she’s been in regular contact with me to check in and is quick to answer any questions I have. I’m so grateful for her! My baby has gained weight and is thriving thanks to Shonte’ for helping me learn how to breastfeed. I HIGHLY recommend her!
Katherine

I cannot recommend Shonte’ from YOLO highly enough.
First, her expertise in all things breastfeeding related is unparalleled. Shonte’ diagnosed my daughter’s tongue-tie immediately, a diagnosis that had been missed repeatedly by several pediatricians. Shonte’s knowledge base is remarkable, offering evidence-based and up-to-date information. However, the things that makes YOLO Breastfeeding stand out is Shonte’ herself. Her personable and compassionate personality radiates through from the second you meet her. What can be an uncomfortable situation for new moms is met with understanding and grace. Shonte’ continued to follow-up long after our initial consultation and quickly became a meaningful member of my new-mother support system. I feel blessed that I was able to work with Shonte’ and YOLO Breastfeeding and wish the same experience for anyone seeking a lactation consultant.