Debbie Albert, BSN, PhD, IBCLC Like so many of you, I used to approach this time of year with a sense of overwhelm. Much is expected of us daily, and Breastfeeding Week/Month activities just add that extra layer of responsibility that can put us over the edge....
Genny Stiller PNP, IBCLC Here's the thing, as a military spouse, I know one thing for certain. We. Will. Move. Living a nomadic lifestyle doesn't prevent me from dreaming, creating, and building things. However, it does make having a private lactation practice a...
Molly Green, Professional Doula The purpose of a doula is to provide continual care for a birthing person that allows them to feel safe in their desired space, supported in their choices, and satisfied with their experience. This used to be a lofty description to go...
Dear USLCA Colleagues, Recently, our esteemed colleague Elizabeth Kirts Smith shared thoughts on her journey through the breastfeeding world, personally and professionally, as well as the many ways that the pregnancy, birth, and lactation processes intertwine. Her...
Elizabeth Kirts Smith, MPH, ICCE, IBCLC, RLC When I began my certification process to become a childbirth educator in 2000, there was a small section on breastfeeding. We learned the basic information and were guided towards breastfeeding being the best way to feed a...
Genny Stiller PNP, IBCLC April is Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month! If you’re wondering how this relates to lactation, sit back, and hold on tight to your phone or whichever device you’re reading this on, because I’m going to tell you all about it. In this post, I’m...
Chele Marmet, Lactation Institute Co-Founder “I had no idea that your brilliant idea would take the rest of our lives,” Ellen Shell told Chele Marmet many years after the two cofounded the Lactation Institute in Los Angeles, CA in 1979. Chele’s brilliant idea was...
by Christine Staricka, BS, IBCLC, RLC, Trained Childbirth Educator Did they know what they were doing, the women who founded the IBCLC credential and launched a profession? Did they understand they were creating a pathway for incredible ideas for making a difference...
The recent advertisement from FridaMom, produced for the 2021 Golden Globe awards, depicts the raw truth behind the experience of many lactating parents, especially in the early days. The edited version that aired was a bit more conservative than its original...
by Nichelle Clark, IBCLC, CBS, Founder, Black Breastfeeding 365 The origins of Black History Month can be traced back to 1915, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Then, in 1976, President Gerald Ford...