Our Team
Scotty Thomson
Founder, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Scotty Thomson brings over 31 years of experience in maternal-child nursing and has been an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) since 1998. Her nursing journey began in the U.S. Navy, where she gained comprehensive experience in Maternal-Child care, Labor and Delivery, Case Management, and Lactation Consulting—laying a strong foundation for her lifelong commitment to supporting mothers and babies.
Throughout her career, Scotty has worked in both low- and high-risk maternal-child settings, consistently advocating for improved care and support for breastfeeding mothers. In 2015, she reorganized and revitalized the lactation services at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, Alabama, creating a more effective program to serve new mothers. During this time, she also led a weekly Baby Café breastfeeding support group, growing it from 5–6 participants to 18–25 each week over a three-year period.
From January 2021 to February 2023, Scotty worked in Labor and Delivery at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Mobile, Alabama. She later transitioned to full-time work with Gulf Coast Lactation, where she continues to make a meaningful impact by supporting women outside of the hospital setting. Her efforts have been instrumental in fostering a compassionate and empowering environment for all mothers.
Scotty is deeply passionate about holistic care in the maternal-child field. She believes every mother deserves ongoing, personalized support after hospital discharge to help them succeed in their breastfeeding journey. Her dedication to nurturing mothers through every stage of early parenthood reflects her unwavering commitment to holistic, patient-centered care.
Everyone’s breastfeeding journey is unique.
As a proud mother of two—Natalie and Nicholas—I experienced the deep joy and pride that came with breastfeeding both of my children. One of my most memorable experiences was tandem nursing, breastfeeding both of them at the same time, which deepened our bond in ways I’ll always cherish.
Now that my children are grown, I find purpose in helping new mothers navigate their own breastfeeding journeys. It brings me great fulfillment to support women as they find confidence, connection, and success in this meaningful part of motherhood.
Pictured: Tandem nursing—breastfeeding two children at the same time.
Cassie Hooks
RD, IBCLC
Cassie is a Registered Dietitian and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who is deeply passionate about supporting moms and babies. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and completed her Dietetic Internship at Vanderbilt University.
Her dedication to breastfeeding education is rooted in both her personal experience raising two sons and her extensive professional background working with WIC (USDA’s Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children). Having transitioned into motherhood with the support of a strong "tribe" of women (including her mother, grandmothers, aunts, and close friends), Cassie is committed to being that same source of strength and education for families in our community.
Cassie lives in Fairhope with her husband of 26 years and her 17-year-old son. She also has a 20-year-old son currently attending Auburn University. When she isn't assisting families, she enjoys cheering for LSU (Geaux Tigers!), walking her two energetic Goldendoodles, abstract painting, cooking, getting lost in a good book, and playing mahjong with her best friends.
Cassie looks forward to joining your "tribe" and providing the expert breastfeeding support and assistance you need throughout your journey.
Melanie Edwards
RN, IBCLC
Melanie Edwards is a Board Certified Lactation Consultant who is passionate about helping new
moms and babies get the best possible start. She’s excited to be joining Gulf Coast Lactation
and to support families during such an important time in their lives.
After staying home to raise her children, Melanie followed her calling into nursing, inspired by her own experiences with childbirth and breastfeeding. She understands firsthand how meaningful and sometimes challenging those early days can be, and she's dedicated to walking alongside families with encouragement, knowledge, and compassionate care.
Melanie spent 10 years as a Mother-Baby nurse at USA Children and Women’s Hospital in
Mobile, where she also became an IBCLC and served on the lactation team. She currently
works as a lactation consultant at Mobile Infirmary and continues to work as a travel RN on Mother-Baby units, giving her a broad range of experience and keeping her skills up to date
across different care settings.
When she's not working with families, Melanie enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with the people she loves the most. She has been married for 30 years and has three adult sons.
