| USLCA—and ILCA, too—On the Move!
Effective February 16, 2009, the United States Lactation Consultant Association has contracted for its management services to be provided by a new firm, also based in North Carolina: IMI Association Executives. To learn more about the firm, you can visit their website at http://www.imiae.com/. We are pleased with the many years of service that were provided to USLCA and ILCA by FirstPoint Management Resources (FPMR). When the management contract came up for review, the ILCA Board opted not to renew with FPMR. The USLCA BOD unanimously agreed to move with ILCA. We are excited about the energy and enthusiasm we have seen at the new firm. They are eager to help USLCA strengthen its membership and promote the profession in the United States.
We are thrilled that our Executive Director, Scott Sherwood, will be moving to IMI to continue providing USLCA and its membership his excellent and professional service.
We will have enhanced database management and communication, making it easier to track memberships and address individual member concerns. On-line submissions for the annual conference will be easier. Voice Over Internet programming will allow for virtually cost-free, real-time "meetings." Surveys, bookstore purchases, on-line continuing education opportunities—all will be made easier.
The transfer of our website from the old server to the new will occur sometime in the next 7-14 days; date still to be determined. We may have to shut down all or parts of the USLCA website during that transfer. The shut-down may last for 24 to 48 hours. That date is still to be determined.
USLCA will have its own Discussion Board capability at the new firm, which will enhance our member services, mission, and vision.
FPMR and IMI—and especially, our Executive Director—are working diligently to effect a seamless transfer of management. The transfer is occurring just as USLCA gears up for its elections and By-Laws vote (Feb-Apr 2009), and IBCLC Day (Mar 4 2009).
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact any of us on the Board or contact our National Office, by phone at 919-861-4543, or by email: ExecutiveDirector@uslcaonline.org
Thank you for all you do for USLCA!
Board of Directors News
Board of Directors Election News
USLCA members will soon be asked (by separate email) to vote for 4 candidates for the USLCA BOD:
- President : Laurie Beck*, Texas
- Secretary : Karen Querna*, Washington
- Director of Professional Development: Barbara Robertson, Michigan
- Director of Marketing: Regina Camillieri, New York
*Laurie Beck and Karen Querna are nominated to be re-elected to the BOD since they were initially appointed. Their terms of office would then end in July of 2011. The President of USLCA is chosen within the Board. Laurie Beck was appointed Director of Professional Development to the initial USLCA Board and has now been selected by the Board to serve as President. Due to her appointed status, she still needs to be re-elected as a USLCA BOD member by the membership.
To read about the Nominations Committee and the process involved in identifying and selecting candidates, [click here]. After the UNC completed its work, two more USLCA BOD positions became open when the BOD members Crystal Stearns and Faith Ploude resigned due to personal reasons
- Treasurer : OPEN
- Director of Public Policy/Licensure : OPEN
USLCA NEEDS YOU!
The USLCA Board of Directors is seeking potential candidates for the Licensure/Reimbursement Committee, the USLCA Nominating Committee, and the USLCA Liaison Committee. If you want to help promote your profession, share your expertise, network with other IBCLCs, and have time to volunteer as a USLCA Board of Director contact us. If you have any questions call or e-mail Scott Sherwood, Executive Director for USLCA, or any one of the USLCA Board members. |
Membership Bylaws
In 2006 under legal guidance, the USLCA was incorporated as a 501(c) (6) organization of the United States Internal Revenue Code. The original bylaws necessary for incorporation were modeled after ILCA’s. Now that USLCA has been active for almost three years, the USLCA BOD is asking for membership to vote on bylaws that are specific to the needs of the IBCLC in the United States of America.
Voting for BOD Members and USLCA Bylaws
Be on the lookout in the next few weeks for a separate email with voting instructions for USLCA members. In the meantime, you can read the proposed bylaws by clicking here. If you have comments about the proposed bylaws, send them to Scott Sherwood at ExecutiveDirector@uslcaonline.org |
USLCA’s mission and vision are:
| Mission : |
To build and sustain a national association that advocates for lactation professionals |
| Vision: |
IBCLCs are valued recognized members of the health care team |
ILCA’s mission and vision are:
| Mission : |
To advance the profession of lactation consulting worldwide through leadership, advocacy, professional development, and research |
| Vision: |
A worldwide network of lactation professionals. |
USLCA was incorporated as a 501(c)(6). ILCA was incorporated as a 501(c)(3). read more
Liability Insurance Update
In 2008, 232 IBCLCs signed up for professional liability insurance through CM&F at the reduced-rate for USLCA members! That includes 127 new policies and 105 renewals. Do you have this important kind of professional insurance for the work that you do? If not, check this member-benefit out. You can apply online through a link on the USLCA website.
March USLCA BOD
Our USLCA BOD will be meeting March 26th to 29th in Raleigh, NC. In addition to discussing this past year’s accomplishments, they’ll be planning for the future. They’ll also have the opportunity to tour the new management home for USLCA, IMI Associate Executives.
If you have ideas, suggestions, concerns, etc. that you’d like the BOD to address, please contact any of the BOD members or Scott Sherwood, Executive Director.
CHAPTER NEWS: The Campaign Coordinator: Collaboration Between USLCA and IBLCE
The February 1st Chapter Conference Call featured guest Anna Utter, the Regional Director for IBLCE in the Americas. Anna spoke about an opportunity she is working on to blend the talents and efforts of USLCA and IBLCE through the establishment of a new position, the Chapter Campaign Coordinator. From the letter sent to USLCA chapter representatives:
USLCA and IBLCE are working together to advance the vision of IBCLCs as valued and recognized members of the health care team. This collaborative effort is designed to raise awareness about the lactation consultant profession, the value of the IBCLC certification and the benefits of membership in USLCA.
In order for this campaign to work, we need local coordinators to assist us. The USLCA chapter is invited to participate by appointing one of your members to serve as the Campaign Coordinator. read more
MARCH 4TH IS IBCLC DAY 2009
Have you made your plans for celebrating IBCLC Day 2009? ILCA Director of Marketing, Cathy Carothers, recently shared the following information:
ILCA is pleased to announce that the IBCLC Day 2009 materials are now posted on the ILCA website and available for downloading. In addition, several great new promotional items are available to help make your IBCLC Day a grand celebration!
ILCA’s 8th annual IBCLC Day, “IBCLCs: Promoting, Protecting, Supporting Breastfeeding BEYOND BORDERS,” will be celebrated March 4, 2009. IBCLCs, healthcare professionals, and other groups across the globe will honor the work of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and their unique role in serving mothers with evidence-based breastfeeding care. This year’s theme focuses on the diversity of settings for IBCLCs, highlighting their role in private practice, hospitals, birthing centers, public health and research settings -- in all the far corners of the world.
read more
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LEGISLATION
South Carolina Needs Your Help!
Breastfeeding is the gold standard of infant feeding due to multiple health benefits to mother and baby. This method of feeding is endorsed by many professional groups including The World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the USDA, and many others. South Carolina has encouraged breastfeeding and acknowledged it as a public right. The South Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition and the South Carolina Breastfeeding Action Committee are partnering to introduce legislation to support breastfeeding in the workplace in the next legislative session. We need your help.
"Tell SC to Support Mothers in the Workplace" by signing our petition. You can help make this petition a success - please share this petition with your friends and family. Petitions will succeed only by word of mouth, and every signature makes a difference! Forward our sample email below, or simply send your friends this link:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/tell-sc-to-support-mothers-in-the-workplace.
Thank you again for making a difference in the lives of South Carolinians!
Note: This item came to us from USLCA BOD member (and SC resident) Debbie Costello, who confirmed that signatures from other states are welcome!
Health Policy Issues Highlighted on the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Website
The NCSL website includes an A-Z listing of information on legislative action in the states, research and the effects on public policy, and state innovations by topic. The links will take you to legislative reports, other publications, presentation slides, audio conferences, and summaries of past and upcoming meetings. There are also links to non-NCSL publications. While breastfeeding does not appear in this A-Z list, following the link to “Maternal and Child Health” and then “Policy Topic List” brings you to another A-Z list that does include breastfeeding. This is the link to the listing of state breastfeeding legislation, as well as some other informational links.
CONFERENCE LISTINGS
The SWAG 2009 USLCA Benefit Conference: March 6-7, 2009
If you haven’t already signed up for the SWAG USLCA Benefit Conference, it’s not too late. The early registration period ended last month, but there’s still time to sign up for the conference.
The 2009 Conference theme is “Right from the Start: Breastfeeding and Skin-to-Skin” and will feature Nils Bergman, MD; M. Jane Heinig, PhD, IBCLC, RLC; Jane A. Morton, MD; and Ulfat Shaikh, MD, MPH. To see the conference brochure, click here.
For more information, email Anne Garrett or Sue Wirth at SWAGconferences@aol.com
RESEARCH YOU CAN USE: Three Studies "Proving" What We’ve Known All Along
Impact of Maternity Leave on Breastfeeding
If you live in California, you are in one of only 5 states in the US providing paid pregnancy leave that can be extended for infant bonding. A recent study in the January 1 st edition of Pediatrics, “Juggling Work and Breastfeeding: Effects of Maternity Leave and Occupational Characteristics,” looked at whether maternity leave and other work-related characteristics affected breastfeeding duration. Not surprisingly, maternity leaves of less than 12 weeks after delivery were associated with higher odds of breastfeeding failure. The study concludes “postpartum maternity leave may have a positive effect on breastfeeding among full-time workers, particularly those who hold non-managerial positions, lack job flexibility, or experience psychosocial distress.”
Elective Repeat Cesareans Associated with Adverse Neonatal Outcomes
As we learn more about the special health needs of the near-term infants, a trend seen in some communities to schedule elective Cesarean deliveries between 37 and 39 weeks gestation raises serious questions. A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at the health concerns brought about elective repeat Cesarean deliveries of these near-term infants, including respiratory and other adverse neonatal outcomes.
Integrating Lactation Consultants into Primary Health Care Services: Are Lactation Consultants Affecting Breastfeeding Success?
And one more study in the “Yes, we knew that” department… The September/October issue of Pediatric Nursing provides a literature review of studies assessing the value of the IBCLC in duration of breastfeeding. While authors suggest further study with larger sample sizes and better study design, they conclude that the IBCLC does have a positive effect on breastfeeding outcomes.
Thurman SE, Allen PJ. Integrating lactation consultants into primary health care services: are lactation consultants affecting breastfeeding success? Pediatr Nurs 2008 Sep-Oct: 34(5): 419-25.
TIPS: TECHNOLOGY IN PRACTICE
Once again, this month’s eNews brings you a smorgasbord of resources and opportunities. Check them out!
MCH Library Knowledge Path on Spanish-Language Health Resources Here’s another of the Maternal and Child Health Library Knowledge Paths—this one is a listing of Spanish Language Health Resources. Included are links to health hotlines/helplines, websites, publications and databases for healthcare professionals and consumers.
Breastfeeding Guidelines Now Available on Government Website
The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) has now posted its breastfeeding protocols on the National Guideline Clearinghouse website. Click here to read the ABM press release.
Statehealthfacts.org Provides Health and Health Policy Data on All 50 States
How does your state compare to others as far as breastfeeding rates, including exclusivity? Check out Statehealthfacts.org, from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Statehealthfacts.org has data on more than 600 health topics including nicely graphed breastfeeding data from the Breastfeeding Report Card.
Assessment and Monitoring of Breastfeeding-Related Maternity Care Practices – An Opportunity for Comments!
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is seeking public comment on the proposed 2009 follow-up to the initial mPINC Survey, titled “Assessment and Monitoring of Breastfeeding-Related Maternity Care Practices in Intra-partum Care Facilities in the United States and Territories.”
Funding for the mPINC was originally only for one year, due in part to the lobbying efforts of the formula companies. The CDC had planned for this to be an on-going survey.
The results of the mPINC have already been used to good advantage by IBCLCs wanting to improve the maternity care practices in their local hospitals.
The Federal Register notice of CDC’s submission for comment can be found here. Comments must be received by April 3, 2009.
Carolina Breastfeeding Institute’s New Breastfeeding Exclusive Newsletter
Miriam Labbok , MD, MPH, FACPM, IBCLC, FABM , Director of the Carolina Breastfeeding Institute (CBI), has started a newsletter, the Breastfeeding Exclusive. While much of the first issue is devoted to North Carolina breastfeeding news, it promises to be another good source of information IBCLCs can use. The CBI “was established January 2006 as the Center for Infant and Young Child Feeding and Care. CBI exists to further statewide, national and global understanding and support for the mother/child dyad as key to the achievement of optimal infant and young child feeding and associated reproductive health.” If you are interested in subscribing to this quarterly e-publication, send an email with your contact information to: cbi@email.unc.edu
Online Gallery of “ Normal Non-Sexual Breast” Photos at 007b.com
Breasts come in all shapes and sizes. Here’s a website with many photos of different breasts, including some breastfeeding photos. The website gives permission to download and use the breastfeeding photos for free, on one condition:
YES, you can use these pictures free IF AND ONLY IF... you use them to promote breastfeeding in some manner or to talk about it in a positive manner!
The use of these pictures is prohibited if your aim is to
- present breastfeeding in a neutral light
- present breastfeeding in a negative light
- use them in an adult context or to promote immoral sexual acts
A New Consumer-Led Effort to Promote Informed Choice and Transparency in Maternity Care: The Birth Survey
By Jacqueline Levine, LCCE, CLC, CD(DONA), FACCE, BA
CIMS Grassroots Advocacy Committee
The World Health Organization ranks the United States 41st in maternal mortality and 29 th in infant mortality among 141 developed countries (WHO, 2006). The WHO is talking about us…about mothers and babies in this country, where the publicly-held idea of healthcare has always been that we have the very best that’s available. There were more than four million births in the US last year; that’s four million mothers and four million babies who should be able to find optimal care, but as the dismal rankings by the WHO show, maternity care needs plenty of improvement. There is growing agreement among government agencies, researchers, healthcare facilities and consumers alike that a policy of transparency is a critical component of any effort to repair and reform our healthcare system. For parents-to-be, transparency is a fine place to start. read more
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