Let the celebration begin! Once again, the International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) is proud to partner with YOU in singing the praises of all the ways International Board Certified Lactation Consultants® (IBCLC®) impact their communities. We hope you will join us! We chose the slogan of 'Supporting You as You Support Your Baby' to reflect the essential role of the IBCLC in the lives of the families we serve. Very often, while providing skilled lactation care, we provide a 'structure' or 'scaffolding' to support the family. We provide not only clinical care, but a strong support for parents as they learn to best
“How can I make lactation work with my employment?” Breastfeeding (or chestfeeding) and work questions are some of the most common questions received here at Lactation Matters. We asked our members to share some tips and strategies with families. “Talking to your employer prenatally is essential! I've found in working with parents in a variety of fields from military to office to restaurants that having this conversation while pregnant helps a lot! Give a proposed schedule to your employer and even discuss the business case for breastfeeding if they should have concerns. Some countries provide protections for working parents—that is
Tongue-tie in newborns can cause feeding and growth problems if left untreated. In this week's Your Pregnancy Matters blog, explore how team-based care from lactation experts, speech therapists, pediatricians, and ENTs can help new parents and babies overcome feeding challenges.
Written by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLC, Owner of San Diego Breastfeeding Center and Co-Editor of Lactation Matters Last week I came across an extremely well-written article by Kimberly Seals Allers of MochaManual.com, called Dear White Women: Beyonce is OUR Breastfeeding Moment. Please Step Aside. In her article, Kimberly discussed her disappointment with the media coverage of Beyonce, one of the most iconic and popular African American women at this current time, nursing in public. While this was a wonderful moment for all breastfeeding advocates, it truly was a significant event for African American women, who have statistically had low breastfeeding
As a part of Black Breastfeeding Week, Lactation Matters is reprinting (with permission) two editorials from Clinical Lactation, the official journal of the United States Lactation Consultant Association. Up today: a focus on the successes so far and places where IBCLCs can support change. Throughout the post, check out additional links that author Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Ph.D., IBCLC, RLC, FAPA, has asked Lactation Matters to highlight as additional resources for our community. Many exciting changes occurred in 2013 in the breastfeeding world. One of the best trends was the increase in breastfeeding rates in the African American community. The CDC indicated
Written by Crystal Karges, DTR, CLEC Undoubtedly, the field of lactation continues to be an exciting subject of study, particularly as newfound evidence from developing research studies are confirming and fortifying the importance and benefits of breastfeeding. Knowledge of the latest research findings can be invaluable to the clinician who has the opportunity to encourage and educate the breastfeeding mother, particularly as they are able to assist in overcoming obstacles to breastfeeding that could make a difference in women’s health. A recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology demonstrated that mothers who breastfed for a minimum of six
Written by Robin Kaplan, M.Ed., IBCLC, Owner of the San Diego Breastfeeding Center, and Co-editor of Lactation Matters Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of listening to Catherine Watson Genna speak about the topic of an infant’s use of his/her hands while latching. I constantly share this new information with the breastfeeding mothers I work with and I have seen it completely transform a nursing session from a 'battle of wills' to one where the baby latches with ease and grace. Here’s hoping this information will do the same for you! Robin: How do breastfeeding infants typically
Today at Lactation Matters, we are sharing a guest post by Kimberly Seals Allers, a US-based journalist and infant health advocate. This post is a part of the #FactsNotFear campaign launched by 1,000 Days. To learn more, follow the #FactsNotFear hashtag on social media, including this post on Facebook at 1,000 Days. We live in a world of fear. From the recent terrorist attacks in England to last year’s Orlando nightclub massacre. We have seen how the fear of outsiders has sparked powerful political movements around the world. As a frequent business traveler I sense my own anxiety as I sit
Dr. Jane Morton, MD is a plenary speaker at the upcoming 2015 ILCA Conference, 22-25 July in Washington, DC, USA. Her plenary address will be Updates on Game-Changing Research about Breast Milk Expression: Early Hand Expression and Hands-On Pumping. Dr. Morton will also present during a breakout session on Prevention, Availability and Sustainability: What Baby-Friendly Bedside Care for Low- and High-Risk Infants Must Offer. Dr. Morton was recently interviewed by Marie Hemming, IBCLC, a member of the International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) Medialert Team. MH: In September 2011, your overview of pumping appeared in an article entitled Is Pumping Out of Hand. Many of
Lisa Cleveland, PhD, RN, PNP-BC, IBCLC, is an expert in the impact of Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) on pregnancy and breastfeeding. She was recently interviewed by Sara McCall, a member of the ILCA Medialert team. Together, they explored Dr. Cleveland's research, work with families, and what IBCLCs need to know to support families in the NICU with SUDs. You have an active program of research focused on substance use disorders in pregnancy. What brought you to this particular work? My dissertation study was focused on the mothering experiences of women whose infants had been hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). I
By Laura Spitzfaden, LLLL, IBCLC Under the USDA Child Nutrition Program guidelines, infants and children 1 year of age and older, who are in licensed day-care programs, must be offered fluid cow's milk (or approved alternative milk) in order for their day-care providers to be reimbursed for their meals. This is in conflict with what is best for employed mothers of breastfed toddlers and their day-care providers, who have limited breastfeeding friendly options under these guidelines. Many employed mothers, knowing that their breastmilk provides excellent nutrition, antibodies, and a sense of security for their older babies, continue to breastfeed when they
We are proud to present the first of two blog posts about the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. This document is vital to our work and is a critical piece of advocacy for the families we serve. Today's post is a 'WHO Code 101', highlighting the history and the basics of the Code. We will follow up with our next blog post which discusses how our interpretations and applications of the Code have to change with the advent of new styles of marketing, including in the use of social media. We have also published this blog post in
“How should I prepare for breastfeeding before my baby arrives?” Helping families get ready for breastfeeding/chestfeeding is a common role for lactation consultants. We asked our members to share some tips and strategies with families. “ . . . Go and see and be around other nursing mothers, make connections with other families and support people during pregnancy. . .Talk to your partner about what breastfeeding means to you and what you think might be helpful from them (and not). Often the partner (if one is involved) says or does things that hurt the breastfeeding person without realizing it. In
Written by Wendy Wright, MBA, IBCLC Co-Owner Lactation Navigation – Workplace Lactation Consultants, LLC The primary focus of my lactation practice is in the workplace. Why? Mothers are currently the fastest growing segment of the U.S. workforce.1 In the past 20 years, the percentage of new mothers in the workforce has increased by more than 80%.2 The current level of new mothers in the workforce is 60%.2 As we have all witnessed, working outside the home negatively affects initiation and duration of breastfeeding.1 One third of working mothers return to work within three months of the birth of their child
Breastfeeding is a cherished experience for many new mothers, yet the challenge of low milk supply can create frustration and anxiety. However, there are proven strategies that can help boost milk production and ensure a successful breastfeeding journey.
Congratulations on your interest in the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) profession! Working as an IBCLC is very rewarding and enhances the lives of the families you touch. Certification is international, rather than limited to one country. There are three organizations that can help you as you work toward becoming an IBCLC: the International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®), the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®), and the Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (LEAARC). Each is described below. There is also a very active Facebook group, “Want to be an IBCLC,” where you can ask questions about
By Tom Johnston, CNM, IBCLC Editor's Note: This was first published on Tom Johnston's Facebook Page which seeks to provide breastfeeding information to mothers. He has graciously allowed us to republish it here. The vast majority of women who wean prematurely do so out of fears of inadequate milk supply. New mothers are in an incredibly vulnerable state and tend to blame every hiccup, every cry, and every fussy baby on herself and her milk supply. This often leaves new mothers feeling that they are failures because they were unable to breastfeed their babies and guilty because they are giving
HIPAA is a fairly complicated law that boils down to dictating how the health care industry treats personally identifying information for patients. Lactation consultants tend to use the word clients vs patients to describe those who they work with, but HIPAA laws still apply. Any question of the ap
Recently, I discovered that nursing moms who are struggling with breastfeeding have started drinking lactation smoothies and shakes to boost their milk supply. Where was this magic when I was struggling to make enough milk for my babies? Seriously,…
In this post I will show you step by step for you to conquer potty training a 2 year old no matter if its a boy or a girl or if its summer or winter.
The amount of breast milk a woman produces after childbirth depends on a variety of factors. For example, stress and dehydration can decrease the milk supply. In this week’s blog, Shivani Patel, M.D., discusses four common lactation-reducing factors and how to fix them. Learn more.
I've never been a serious snacker, but lemme tell you, it's nearly midnight (we're wide awake waiting for the squishy baby to realize it's night time) and I am shamelessly devouring one of those microwave pasta things. Yes I had supper. Big supper actually. But keeping up your breast milk supply takes calories.
No matter how prepared you are for breastfeeding, once your baby arrives, you may have a lot of questions and concerns. Many moms wonder what position they should use for nursing, and while there is no right or wrong answer, there are a few common positions you might want to try.
The Most Common Mistakes New Breastfeeding Mothers Make The world of motherhood is filled with so many new and unknown aspects. Breastfeeding is at the top of the list of things that are foreign to
About 86 percent of young children do not have a sufficient diet.
I’ve been writing a blog for longer than I’ve been a doula! It’s been a critical element of my business success. It’s a way of expressing my ideas and a brilliant marketing tool that builds trust and rapport with potential clients.
I knew what I was doing, I had six years experience with breastfeeding. I thought I knew all I needed to know, or all there was to know about breastfeeding.Apparently, that was not the case and there were five tricks to help a newborn breastfeed that I had never heard of before, or seen. Thanks to the lactation consultants at the hospital, I was able to get some colostrum into my newborn before leaving the hospital. Not as much as I, and the nurses and lactation consultants would have liked. But, my third child was very sleepy for the first few days of life.
Jain surgical hospital blogs, where we share valuable insights, updates, and expert perspectives to empower your wellness journey.
The biggest post-baby change somehow sneaks up on you. You see, having a newborn can mean you’re always surrounded by people, and yet you also feel very isolated at the same time. A former client once said, “I’m never alone. I’m alone all the time.”
"Ketogenic diet? advisable for those sedentary people who wants to lose body fat and lower the markers associated with cardiovascular disease"
Your Breasts Can Remember Your Last Pregnancy
How do you know who is giving you sound advice or just taking your money? Certified quality lactation care will not be cheap – like any other expense for baby, it should be planned and budgeted for. And let’s face it, most people spend the cost of a consult buying paper towels and an impulse kayak a
What not to eat when breastfeeding? Is there a breastfeeding diet? Learn if mom's diet affects baby: gassy foods, caffeine, milk supply & alcohol too!
Most people know that having goals is important, but few know what SMART goals are or why setting SMART goals is important.
I’ve read a lot of articles lately about how mothers should hibernate for a few weeks to a few months (depending on which article you read) immediately following a child’s […]
Fenugreek has been used for centuries to increase milk supply in lactating mothers. As more and more mothers are taking fenutreek to help with milk supply, there are of course more and more opinions being spread stating that fenugreek is either amazing, or detrimental to milk supply. Because there are more anecdotal ex
Hands down- the easiest way to make lactation cookies! Pre-made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to boost your milk supply!
Looking to increase your milk supply? Find out how with our ultimate lactation cookie recipe!
August 1, 2013 officially kicks off World Breastfeeding Week and with so many Richmond moms advocating for breastfeeding, there’s no wonder we have so much great information to share on our Richmondmom.com site! You will find lots of stories throughout the week from Real Richmond Moms who know what it’s like to breastfeed – including …
Nursing a child until he’s ready to stop offers physical and emotional benefits. By Diane Wiessinger.
Spread the love123 123SharesWe all want our babies to be as healthy as possible and Breast Milk is like liquid gold. We want our milk to be full of nutrients that will deeply nourish our children so they can grow well and get everything they need from us. Adding lactation recipes to an already healthy diet […]
Lactation cookies! Boosting your milk supply with delicious cookies, that just so happen to be super healthy too. No refined sugar!
