Instructors

Claire Branson, Babywearing and Breastfeeding 

Claire Branson is a Northern Virginia native, currently living in Alexandria with her husband and two young daughters–who are sometimes spotted at the Breastfeeding Center!  Claire is in her second year as the Sling Instructor at the Center.  Having completed numerous babywearing instruction workshops, Claire began teaching new families how to safely carry their children in slings and carriers 6 years ago. She has taught babywearing for Attachment Parenting International and La Leche League.  Claire hopes that by teaching new mothers to wear their babies, she is helping to ease the transition into motherhood thus making life more peaceful for mom, baby, and family alike.  Claire has a BS in Sociology from North Carolina State University with a concentration in Juvenile Justice.  In her life outside the Breastfeeding Center, she has been working with young children for almost twenty years, including  as a lifeguard and water safety instructor, a police officer, and currently as a preschool teacher and “tot instructor” for Fairfax County Parks & Rec.  When not working, Claire enjoys being outdoors and visiting nature centers with her children.

Margie Lidoff, Baby Basics

Margie Lidoff is a post-partum doula in the DC area. She has worked with over 50 families of varying cutural, economic and family backgrounds.  After a long and satisfying career as a therapist, she became a post-partum doula. She holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education and maintains her social work license in DC. Margie enjoys teaching the Baby Basics class at the Center as well as other training opportunities.

Christy Przystawik, Baby’s First Solids, Feeding Your Toddler

Christy Przystawik is the Instructor for the Baby’s First Solids and the Feeding Your Toddler classes. Christy is a mother of four, has been a chef for sixteen years, and is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor. Christy is also Co-Director of The Farm Project at Discovery Woods, a nature-based school in Vienna, where she cooks for and farms with children from age two to second grade. Her passion is helping families work towards the stress free enjoyment of a varied whole foods diet. Christy is available for private consultations through the Center.

Francine Ronis, Sleep Basics

Francine Ronis is a licensed child/family therapist, educator, parenting coach, and mom.  She specializes in working with new and expectant parents and families with young children.  Francine facilitates a number of classes throughout the metro DC area, including Positive Parenting, Mindful Parenting and How To Talk So Kids Will Listen.  Her passion is to help parents discover the joys of family life and to help them parent from their hearts, creating authentic relationships and empowering parents and children. Francine has offices in McLean and Falls Church, Virginia, and in DC, one block from Metro Center.

Elizabeth Shrader, Infant Massage

Elizabeth Shrader loves teaching infant massage to new moms and dads who want to learn the benefits and techniques of massage for their young children. Elizabeth is a nationally-certified and DC licensed massage therapist, as well as a certified Infant Touch and Massage Instructor through the International Institute of Infant Massage.  In her private practice, Mount Pleasant Massage Therapy, Elizabeth specializes in bodywork for women throughout their reproductive cycle: massage for pregnant, laboring, postpartum, and perimenopausal women. Elizabeth is a graduate of Yale University and UCLA with a masters in public health, and has over 30 year’s  experience in clinical and community settings as a maternal child health advocate and educator. Elizabeth thanks her daughters, Katie and Sarah, for teaching her so much about infant/toddler/child/adolescent/young adult massage.