Nancy Sullivan Expands Role at Providence St. Vincent Postpartum Care & Breastfeeding Center

Dec. 17, 2007

PORTLAND, Ore. - Nancy Sullivan, medical director of the Postpartum Care & Breastfeeding Center at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center is expanding her role and will now be a practicing clinician at the center.

Sullivan has been a midwife for more than 20 years. In her new role, she will focus on transitioning patients with no defined primary care provider and patients with significant clinical or social issues from hospital to home. Sullivan has found the first few days following childbirth are among the most important for new mothers. “Women are confused, exhausted, unsure of their ability to provide competent care to their babies. Without the traditional support of extended families and close communities, they are at risk for taking a wrong direction and failing to make the bond with their baby that is so crucial to that baby’s growth and welfare,” says Sullivan.

The Postpartum Care & Breastfeeding Center offers a face-to-face visit with each mother and newborn 24 to 48 hours after discharge. The center also offers one-on-one lactation consultations for mothers who are having troubles breastfeeding once they leave the hospital. Open seven days a week, the center has a retail store that carries a full range of breast pumps and other breastfeeding products that have been carefully selected by our lactation consultants.

Sullivan was previously the medical director of the Providence Continence Center. She has a nursing degree from Cornell University and a Master of Science in midwifery from Columbia University. Sullivan worked for several years as a midwife in Brooklyn, New York before moving to Oregon. She was an associate professor at Oregon Health & Science University and also worked as the clinical director of Healthy Start, Inc. helping uninsured women in Washington County.