Staff Spotlight - Eileen Conaway, DO, IBCLC, NABBLM-C: Hands-on OMT Care for Complex Breastfeeding Difficulties

Supporting Families Through Hands and Heart: Meet Dr. Eileen Conaway, DO, IBCLC, NABBLM-C 

Eileen working her magic!

Dr. Eileen Conaway offers a uniquely powerful blend of expertise in lactation support as a double board-certified Osteopathic Physician and Breastfeeding Medicine Specialist (NABBLM-C), as well as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She applies her deep understanding of the body’s structure and function to helping mothers, breastfeeding parents, and babies navigate complex feeding challenges with expertise and compassion. It is not often that you find the mixture of specialties Eileen carries: she is a physician, dually certified in breastfeeding medicine and lactation consulting, and specializing in neuromusculoskeletal medicine. This means she treats both mothers and infants using hands-on skills, complemented with medical expertise.

 Photo by Karina Thomson Photography

From Ballet Slippers to Medicine

Born and raised in Virginia Beach, Dr. Conaway’s early years were shaped by the discipline and dedication of being a serious ballet dancer. “It was a great place to grow up,” she shares. “I credit the discipline and practice that ballet took with preparing me to get through my medical education.” That commitment carried her through medical school at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (Class of 2010), followed by a dual residency in Family Medicine and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine at Florida Hospital East Orlando.

Today, she also teaches in the Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) department at Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, passing on her passion and knowledge to future physicians.

Why North Carolina Felt Like Home

Eileen and her family moved to North Carolina seeking the right environment to raise their children. “We love all the green spaces, activities, cultural diversity, food, and four seasons,” she says. It’s the perfect mix of vibrant community and natural beauty — and it's where her work with families has continued to flourish.

Osteopathic Medicine Meets Lactation Support

Eileen and her daughter.

Though her medical training provided a strong foundation, Eileen found that it left a gap when it came to breastfeeding support. “I was working with many families in my clinic who were having breastfeeding difficulties. My clinical education had not equipped me well to offer appropriate support and advice, so I pursued additional lactation education to better serve these families.”

That pursuit led her to become an IBCLC and later, earn board certification from the North American Board of Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine, a new and important milestone in the field. “I was a physician first before I became a lactation consultant, which is a pretty unusual path,” she says.

Her work is especially unique because she integrates osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) with lactation care — a hands-on method that addresses the body’s interconnected system of joints, muscles, nerves, and connective tissue.

“Osteopathic physicians are fully licensed to practice medicine and surgery and also have additional training in manual medicine,” Eileen explains. “We use OMT to treat tissue changes contributing to a variety of problems, including feeding difficulties, torticollis, plagiocephaly, colicky or unsettled babies, low milk supply, and musculoskeletal pain during pregnancy and postpartum.”

Curious about how OMT supports postpartum parents? You can read her published work here: Osteopathic considerations for breastfeeding women and Osteopathic manipulation to increase lactation quantity: a prospective case series

What Parents Should Know

Her advice for new parents? “Just because it’s ‘natural’ doesn’t mean it’s easy. Many families struggle to meet their feeding goals due to complications and/or lack of appropriate support,” she says. “Not everything you see on social media is true or helpful advice. Get help as soon as you need it — the sooner we intervene, the more likely we’ll be successful.”

Looking Ahead with TBTN

As part of her work with Teaching Babies To Nurse (TBTN), Eileen is most excited about the opportunity to fully integrate OMT with lactation support. This collaboration offers families a holistic and deeply personalized approach to care — and it’s a perfect fit for someone with Eileen’s unique skillset and heart for healing.

When she’s not working with patients or students, Eileen enjoys gardening, cooking, traveling, and doing DIY projects around the house — finding balance through creativity and connection at home.

We are so honored to have Dr. Eileen Conaway as part of the TBTN team and look forward to sharing more about her work and collaborative projects soon!

Schedule an Appointment with Eileen Here.