Erica Hopper: Lactation Consultant & Postpartum Nurse

The healthcare system gives new parents 36 hours to learn everything about keeping a human alive. Erica Hopper is trying to change that. She's a postpartum nurse, lactation consultant, nursing instructor, and mom of three who color-codes her scrubs because she works three different jobs at the same hospital - all fighting the same broken system. What You'll Learn: Why insurance only covers 2 nights postpartum (sometimes just 36-72 hours) Creating patient to-do lists: The art of clustered care Why the first 48 hours determine your entire milk supply How she created NICU pumping journals and breastfeeding diaries The escape rooms she designs to teach nurses critical thinking Healthcare workers never take care of themselves: 5 years, no sleep study Mom of 3: "I'd forget to feed them without my husband" Why she keeps hourly calendars dating back to 2018 About Erica: Erica Hopper, MSN, IBCLC has a Master's in nursing education and works at Jefferson Einstein Hospital as a postpartum nurse and lactation consultant. She teaches nursing students at Gwynedd Mercy University and Drexel, runs monthly Baby Bootcamp childbirth education weekends, and is passionate about maternal health advocacy, particularly paid parental leave and systemic healthcare reform. Links: Discover your To-Do List personality: thetodoshow.com/quiz More episodes: thetodoshow.com This episode is for anyone who takes care of everyone else but struggles to take care of themselves. It's a reminder that even the most organized-looking people have "schedule sleep study" on their list for half a decade.