Inspiring Conversations with Julie Champeau of Grow Together Lactation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Champeau.

Hi Julie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always been deeply interested in finding ways to support mothers and babies using my background in occupational therapy. When I was furloughed from my OT job during the pandemic, I saw it as the perfect window of opportunity to pivot and begin my training as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

I completed my credentials and proudly launched my private practice, Grow Together Lactation, in 2024. Today, I primarily support newborn families right in the comfort of their own homes, helping them navigate their unique feeding goals and adapt to the structural and emotional challenges of the postpartum period. Alongside my private practice, I also work part-time at a local children’s hospital, specializing in clinical care for newborns and infants.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a linear path! I originally started my training as an apprentice with a small lactation private practice in Texas during the height of the pandemic. About a year into that journey, my life shifted completely. I abruptly relocated from Texas to Atlanta, embarking on a brand-new chapter as a single mom to a toddler.

During that intense period of transition, my aspirations of finishing my training and launching a business had to be put on temporary hold. However, as soon as our new life found its footing and felt stable, I immediately refocused on my dream. Resilience brought me back to my passion for supporting newborn families, and I haven’t looked back since.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Grow Together Lactation?
Grow Together Lactation is a solo practice where I wear all the operational hats—with the very welcome exception of some tech support from my web-savvy husband!

What truly sets my practice apart is my dual lens as both an IBCLC and an Occupational Therapist. While I hold the gold-standard lactation credentials, my OT background allows me to see far beyond just the ‘latch.’ I view the infant and parent as an interconnected dyad. For the baby, my clinical experience with torticollis, sensory sensitivities, and prematurity equips me to support their oral function and development as a whole. For the parent, I bring a holistic perspective that addresses ergonomics, body mechanics, neurodiversity, mental health, and structural activity adaptation.

While my practice is a one-woman show, I am deeply passionate about community. I love collaborating with the broader Atlanta perinatal network—including fellow feeding specialists, pediatricians, bodyworkers, doulas, midwives, OB-GYNs, and mental health professionals—to ensure our families have a seamless, wrap-around support system. I meet families where they are comfortable, offering both in-home visits throughout the Atlanta area and virtual telehealth support, and I accept several major insurance plans to keep this care as accessible as possible.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Over the next decade, I expect and hope to see a massive shift toward integrated, universal access to comprehensive perinatal care. Services like specialized lactation support, doula care, postpartum mental health resources, and pediatric pelvic/occupational therapies shouldn’t be viewed as luxury add-ons. They are essential foundational healthcare, and no family should ever lack access to them due to an inability to pay.

Pricing:

• In network with several insurance companies.
• Self pay options available.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.growtogetherlactation.com
• Instagram: @julie.ot.ibclc