Our Story
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
James 1:2-3
This is the verse that inspired Joyful Lactation. I interpreted it as finding joy in the journey of the challenges we face.
Shea Collier
RN, IBCLC, Owner
When our first daughter was born, let’s just say I was not prepared for breastfeeding! I left the hospital with cracked and bleeding nipples and what felt like shards of glass coming through my nipples with each feed. However, these are the challenges that started my breastfeeding journey and my desire to help other new mom in theirs!
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- Pumping and Feeding Gear
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- Low Milk Supply
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- Tongue Tie Masterclass
Teach, Don't Just Treat
My goal is to empower parents with the knowledge and tools they need to confidently navigate their feeding journey.
Every Baby is Unique
No two babies are the same. We provide personalized support tailored to your baby’s needs, your feeding goals, and your family’s unique journey.
Family Empowerment
I strive to give families the skills and understanding they need to feel empowered long after our time together, creating confidence that lasts beyond a single appointment.
The Team
Debbie Cornett
RN, IBCLC
Debbie will be providing lactation home visits and has a travel radius of 45 mins from 30004, Alpharetta/Milton.
Debbie is a registered nurse (RN) and board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). She has worked in the hospital with mothers and infants postpartum, in the NICU and outpatient. Debbie also led a community support group for new mothers and taught breastfeeding classes for moms to be. Her passion is providing the support needed to help new mothers reach their goals. She has helped many local moms with breastfeeding issues. Debbie is married with 4 children and 10 grandchildren.
Kim Curry
RN, IBCLC
Kim will be providing lactation home visits and has a travel radius of 40 mins from 30183, Waleska.
Kim is a registered nurse (RN) and board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) and has worked for Northside Hospital in lactation, supporting families in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Her experience spans from helping newborns in the early days to guiding parents of older breastfeeding children through ongoing challenges and transitions.
After having her first child and struggling with breastfeeding, Kim decided to change careers and attend nursing school with the goal of becoming a Lactation Consultant. Her nursing background includes years in inpatient Mother-Baby care and several years as a Fertility Nurse. Following the birth of her daughter—and additional breastfeeding challenges—Kim became even more determined to achieve her IBCLC certification, which she earned in 2020.
From those precious Golden Hours after birth through the weaning stage, Kim is passionate about helping mothers feel confident, supported, and empowered on their breastfeeding journey.
Carolann Gifford
Administrative Assistant
Keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes!
Hey there! My name is Carolann and I am so excited to be a part of the team at Joyful Lactation.
A little about me – I live in Canton, GA with my husband, three boys, and dog. I’m a teacher turned stay at home mom of three boys – and yes, our house stays wild and loud all the time and it’s the best! I’ve worked with kids most of my life and fell in love with homeschooling when my oldest started kindergarten.
I was the first of my siblings and friends to start having kids and found that motherhood was a wild ride and while it was so beautiful, it could also be really lonely at times. I had to figure out a lot on my own just by doing it and learning along the way and it made me realize that I’m a lot stronger than I thought. It also gave me a huge heart for other moms entering into the season of motherhood and I really strive to offer support to new moms because it’s something that I wished I had in that season. Moms are superheroes and I have seen the fruit that comes from women supporting each other in such an important season of life.
I have also experienced the true ups and downs that come with breastfeeding, having three very unique nursing journeys with my own babies as well. I had this picture in my head that breastfeeding would be this beautiful, natural thing and it was tough when it didn’t come that easy to me. It was something that we really had to work hard for through nipple shields, pumping and bottle feeding while we worked through latch issues, tongue and lip tie releases, OT and bodywork, etc. I couldn’t have done it without the help of an amazing IBCLC (thanks Shea! ❤️) and support from the people around me. I know the desire that a lot of moms feel to want to nurse and feed their babies from their body because I was right there too. I love to cheer other moms on in their breastfeeding journeys because it is HARD work and I’m glad that I will get to be a small part of that in working behind the scenes here with Shea at Joyful Lactation.
Some fun facts about me: I love Disney, country music, traveling, and spending time with my family and friends.
News and Features
Maternally Mindful Counseling Center
10 Recommendations When to Work with a Lactation Consultant & How They Can Help