A doula’s impact on lowering Cesarean intervention
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...
Commitment to Inclusivity
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...
Pregnancy, Birth, Postpartum, and Breastfeeding: The Ripple Effect
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...
Are you ready to neuro-diversify your lactation practice this month?
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...
The Idea that Spawned an Entire Profession
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...
The Bridge Between Past Future: IBCLC® Day 2021
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...
Responding to FridaMom
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...
Amplify Black Voices
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...
USLCA’s Ongoing Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Two years ago, USLCA launched our new Mission, Vision and Values, so like most toddlers at this age we are continuing to push our boundaries (but in a good way!) At the heart of all of those statements is a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI). At...
Beyond the NICU
by Jessica A. Davis, BSN, RN, CCRN, IBCLC I realized that human milk and chest/breastfeeding had not been adopted as the standard of care for neonates born with congenital heart defects during my time as a bedside nurse in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit at...
