Picture of speech language pathologist sitting on a couch in a labor and delivery room holding a teddy bear.

Ashe Memorial Hospital Expands Lactation Services

JEFFERSON, N.C. — Ashe Memorial Hospital has expanded its lactation services with the addition of speech language pathologist and certified lactation counselor Emily Talley.

Talley joined the AMH team in February and began offering lactation services in April. In her role, Talley works with new moms on lactation, addresses any general feeding concerns and completes an evaluation to help ensure that breastfeeding is not only comfortable for the mom but that the baby is learning basic feeding skills. Self-attachment typically begins within an hour after birth with the support of the hospital nursing staff, and Talley is available to provide coaching and evaluation at the request of parents or the medical team.

Prior to discharge, Talley will visit with her patients several times, offering additional assistance and local community resources for those who may need it. If a baby is still struggling or losing weight, Talley is also available for outpatient lactation counseling services. As a SLP, she takes the full structure of the baby into account and can help identify ways to move forward.

Talley uses a “hands-off” approach to counseling using a teddy bear and other props to help support new moms and providing videos for additional practice at home.

“Early feeding interactions help establish a relationship between mom and baby,” Talley said. “They also help with establishing early communication skills in addition to meeting basic needs. Working with young families that early creates a positive experience that helps with development and helps establish that early sense of success with the parent, which is really important.”

During a typical outpatient visit, Talley will weigh the baby and then chat with the mom about how breastfeeding is going while she holds her baby skin-to-skin. Talley will then observe the baby eating and address any concerns or objectives the parent may have. Together, Talley and the parents will troubleshoot together to come up with a plan to ensure that both mom and baby are comfortable and happy during their breastfeeding journey.

Talley earned a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Appalachian State University in 2025. Infant feeding is part of the SLP curriculum, and Talley pursued additional training in lactation to further support the breast feeding dyad. She encourages parents to ask questions, especially if they are feeling any pain or discomfort or have concerns. If the baby appears to be struggling when eating or not gaining weight, these could be signs of an underlying issue.

Talley offers SLP and lactation services from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, and 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 336-846-0833.

For more information on Ashe Memorial Hospital and its labor and delivery and lactation services, please visit www.ashememorial.org.

About Ashe Memorial Hospital
For more than 80 years, Ashe Memorial Hospital’s dedicated team of board certified physicians, nurses and staff members have provided the highest quality medical care available to the people of Ashe County and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Ashe Memorial Hospital offers a wide variety of emergency, elective, rehabilitation and preventative health services.

Founded in 1941, Ashe Memorial Hospital is a fully accredited 25 bed critical hospital located in Jefferson, N.C. For more information, please visit ashememorial.org or call 336-846-7101.