Jennifer McAllister, MD, IBCLC
- Medical Director, West Chester Hopsital Special Care Nursery
- Medical Director, University of Cincinnati Newborn Nursery
- Medical Director, Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) Follow-Up Clinic
- Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
- jennifer.mcallister@cchmc.org
- Board Certified
About
Biography
I am a pediatrician with special interests in newborn care, breastfeeding and follow-up care for infants with prenatal opioid exposure. I enjoy working with new parents and their infants as they start their journey into parenthood. It's a time of significant change as families experience the challenges that come with having a new baby.
In my practice, I approach patients as if I'm speaking to my own family and friends. I enjoy discussing shared experiences while also providing evidenced-based practices. Often, I see my role as an educator. I strive to be approachable as I want parents to feel comfortable bringing forth any questions and concerns.
As an international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), I love helping families with the successes and sometimes difficulties that come with breastfeeding. I also direct the Cincinnati Children’s Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) Follow-Up Clinic, which provides care for infants and children exposed to opioids prenatally. In my clinical research, I focus on the short- and long-term medical and developmental outcomes of prenatal opioid exposure.
In my free time, I enjoy traveling, spending time outdoors with my family and participating in triathlons.
MD: University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH, 2007.
Residency: Pediatrics, University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI, 2010.
Certification: Pediatrics, 2010.
Interests
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome; newborn care; breastfeeding
Services and Specialties
Interests
Follow up care of infants treated for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Research Areas
Locations (2)
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.
Publications
Pediatricians' Attitudes Toward and Use of Terminology About Mothers With Opioid Use Disorder. Journal of Addiction Medicine. 2025; 19:646-654.
Reducing Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Disparities in Frenotomy Practice. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2025; 20:715-721.
Early childhood growth following prenatal opioid exposure and Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome. Pediatric Research. 2025; 98:1395-1402.
Effects of Prenatal Opioid Exposure on the Brain and Neurodevelopment. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2025; 72:805-823.
The Impact of Frequency of Cannabis Use on Hypertensive Disorders During Pregnancy. Journal of Addiction Medicine. 2025; 19:611-614.
Instrument-based vision screening and outcomes in young children following prenatal exposure to buprenorphine or methadone: a retrospective cohort study. Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. 2025; 29:104259.
A neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome: Diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Neurotoxicology and Teratology. 2025; 109:107471.
Maternal Perception of Infant Sleep and Bonding in Opioid Use Disorder. Journal of Addiction Medicine. 2025; 19:83-88.
Pediatric Primary Care of Children With Intrauterine Opioid Exposure: Survey of Academic Teaching Practices. Academic Pediatrics. 2024; 24:1304-1313.
Infant Feeding and Weight Trajectories in the Eat, Sleep, Console Trial: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA pediatrics. 2024; 178:976-984.
From the Blog
Podcast | Infant Series: Tongue Ties and Feeding Concerns
Jennifer McAllister, MD, IBCLC4/26/2024
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