A photo of Sheela Rath Geraghty.

Sheela Rath Geraghty, MD, MS, IBCLC, FAAP, FABM


  • Medical Director, Breastfeeding Medicine Clinic
  • Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
When I help a mother think about breastfeeding, I always ask her about her feelings. My care philosophy is one of shared decision-making. It is important for me to be nonjudgmental and help each mother determine what is best for her and her baby. I try to empower every mother by teaching her the skills that she needs to meet her breastfeeding goals using an evidenced-based approach.
Sheela Rath Geraghty, MD, MS, IBCLC, FAAP, FABM

About

Biography

The difficulties that I experienced in breastfeeding my three children inspired me to learn how to help mothers meet their own breastfeeding goals. I know that families always want what is best for their children, and I promise to do what I can to help them.

Since 1999, I have worked as a pediatrician in the Pediatric Primary Care Clinic at Cincinnati Children’s, where I I care for children from birth to 18 years of age. As an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant I also specialize in providing breastfeeding support. I serve as the medical director for the Cincinnati Children’s Breastfeeding Medicine Clinic.

When I help a mother think about breastfeeding, I always ask her about her feelings. My care philosophy is one of shared decision-making. It is important for me to be nonjudgmental and help each mother determine what is best for her and her baby. I try to empower every mother by teaching her the skills that she needs to meet her breastfeeding goals using an evidenced-based approach.

I want breastfeeding mothers to know that they can bring their baby to the Breastfeeding Medicine Clinic for help at any time. Mothers do not need a referral. They can just call for an appointment. We see mothers and babies together during the clinic visit.

My research focuses on obstacles to successful breastfeeding. I work with colleagues throughout the country to determine the best care for breastfeeding mothers and babies.

Here’s a fact about me: My husband and I have triplets.

BS: Biology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH, 1991.

MD: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 1995.

Residency: Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, 1995-1998.

Chief Residency: Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI, 1998-1999.

Fellowship: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 2000-2003.

MS: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 2003.

Certification: American Board of Pediatrics and International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.

Services and Specialties

General and Community Pediatrics, Primary Care, Perinatal

Interests

Breastfeeding; breast milk pumping; human milk banking; multiple births

Research Areas

General and Community Pediatrics

Insurance Information

Cincinnati Children's strives to accept a wide variety of health plans. Please contact your health insurance carrier to verify coverage for your specific benefit plan.

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Publications

Selected

Human milk-sharing practices and infant-feeding behaviours: A comparison of donors and recipients. Peregoy, JA; Pinheiro, GM; Geraghty, SR; Dickin, KL; Rasmussen, KM. Maternal and Child Nutrition. 2022; 18:e13389.

Selected

The Longitudinal Relation between Infant Feeding Styles and Growth Trajectories among Families from Low-Income Households. Khalsa, AS; Copeland, KA; Kharofa, RY; Geraghty, SR; Dewitt, TG; Woo, JG. The Journal of nutrition. 2022; 152:2015-2022.

Selected

Information Available Online That Answers Common Questions About Breast Pumping: A Scoping Review. Castro-Blanco, KA; Marks, RM; Geraghty, SR; Felice, JP; Rasmussen, KM. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2020; 15:689-697.

Selected

Comparing Alternative Breast Milk Feeding Questions to U.S. Breastfeeding Surveillance Questions. O'Sullivan, EJ; Geraghty, SR; Cassano, PA; Rasmussen, KM. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2019; 14:347-353.

Selected

Parental intuitive eating behaviors and their association with infant feeding styles among low-income families. Khalsa, AS; Woo, JG; Kharofa, RY; Geraghty, SR; DeWitt, TG; Copeland, KA. Eating Behaviors. 2019; 32:78-84.

Selected

Awareness and prevalence of human milk sharing and selling in the United States. O'Sullivan, EJ; Geraghty, SR; Rasmussen, KM. Maternal and Child Nutrition. 2018; 14 Suppl 6:e12567.

Selected

Case 4: Diffuse Rash in a 2-month-old Girl. Dean, P; Geraghty, SR; Real, FJ. Pediatrics in review / American Academy of Pediatrics. 2018; 39:214-215.

Selected

The Meaning of "Breastfeeding " Is Changing and So Must Our Language About It. Rasmussen, KM; Felice, JP; O'Sullivan, EJ; Garner, CD; Geraghty, SR. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2017; 12:510-514.

Selected

Pumping Milk Without Ever Feeding at the Breast in the Moms2Moms Study. Keim, SA; Boone, KM; Oza-Frank, R; Geraghty, SR. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2017; 12:422-429.

Selected

"Breastfeeding " but not at the breast: Mothers' descriptions of providing pumped human milk to their infants via other containers and caregivers. Felice, JP; Geraghty, SR; Quaglieri, CW; Yamada, R; Wong, AJ; Rasmussen, KM. Maternal and Child Nutrition. 2017; 13.

Patient Ratings and Comments

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4.6
Overall Patient Rating