OUR MISSION: TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION THAT ADVOCATES FOR LACTATION PROFESSIONALS. OUR VISION: IBCLCS ARE VALUED RECOGNIZED MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH CARE TEAM. |
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USLCA
E-news May 2008/ Issue 9 |
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From the President: Good News—and More Work to Be Done
There is good news and not so good news. What do you want to hear first? Let’s go to the good news! As many of you know, the CDC released their most current national breastfeeding statistics. Those figures revealed that as a nation we met and surpassed our Healthy People 2010 goal of 75% of our moms initiating breastfeeding by 2 percentage points! That’s right—77% of U.S. moms are choosing to breastfeed! This means that we achieved the 2010 goal two years early! I think it is appropriate that this news has come during the time that the HP 2020 goals are being set. I hope this encourages those responsible for the these goals to be optimistic and even bold in their recommendations concerning not only percentages for initiation and duration of breastfeeding, but also in recommending the type of lactation care that should be available to women and their infants in whatever setting they receive health care. And that brings us to the not so good news. Moms initiate breastfeeding at a higher rate than ever before, but they do not continue to breastfeed any longer than mothers have in past years. The duration rates remained flat. I believe this is because women are not given total lactation care—the type of care that not only encourages them to breastfeed, but also provides the protection and support that will enable them to continue breastfeeding for, as the AAP recommends, at least a year and as long thereafter as is mutually desired by the mother and the infant. And that is where we come in. Every mother in every state, in every facility in which she receives care should have access to the care of an IBCLC. This IBCLC should be empowered to assist in the design of or participate in the direct provision of care that the evidence shows will extend the duration of breastfeeding. We have the skills and the knowledge. Join me as we continue to make strides in letting our voice be heard. One Voice! Glenda Dickerson RN, MS, IBCLC |
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CONFERENCE/EVENT UPDATES Greetings from Las Vegas! Don't miss this exciting opportunity to attend the first ILCA/USLCA co-sponsored conference. Even if you have just missed the Early Bird registration (May 15th was the deadline), there is still plenty of time to register for this exciting event. If you have attended ILCA conferences in the past, you are in for a treat. If you have never attended an ILCA conference, you are in for an experience of a lifetime! ILCA conferences are always exciting and this one will be one of the best. There are more speakers and sessions than ever before! read more. " Providing Lactation Care – Seeking Quality, Efficiency, Reimbursement" – Workshop Update! As noted in the April eNews, as part of USLCA’s dedication to help the lactation consultant profession to move forward and gain acceptance and appreciation, a special workshop, led by BOD member Maureen Dann, RN, PNP, IBCLC, has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 23rd, from 8:00pm to midnight. USLCA President, Glenda Dickerson, MS, RN, IBCLC, will present opening remarks and be followed by an exciting lineup of speakers: read more.
IBCLCs in the News! Perhaps you have seen the following news items that feature three ILCA/USLCA members in their work as IBCLCs. Positive press about what we do helps us move in the direction of USLCA’s vision: IBCLCs are valued recognized members of the health care team. Pat Shelly, RN, MA, IBCLC: The “Breast Whisperer” in the Washington Post Check out this story of Pat at work—how she takes mothers where they are and provides help and support for where they wish to go with breastfeeding. Liz Flight, RN, IBCLC, and Robyn Roche-Paul, IBCLC: “Group Promotes the Benefits of Breastfeeding” on the HamptonRoads.com website This article about former USLCA Board Member Liz Flight and her co-worker Robyn Roche-Paul mentions their affiliation with ILCA and credits Liz as a “founding member” of USLCA. Way to go, ladies! If you see articles that feature USLCA members, please send them to eNewsEditor@uslcaonline.org.
TIPS: TECHNOLOGY IN PRACTICE: Focus on Leadership Editor’s Note: This issue’s TIPS come from a quarterly newsletter for another organization I have worked with over the years, Family Voices. Family Voices is a “national grassroots network of families and friends speaking on behalf of children with special health needs. Our children are also part of the wider world of children. With an Improving Understanding of MCH grant, Family Voices works to encourage partnerships between families and professionals for children's good health.” While much of what this organization is about is not directly related to the lactation consultant and the focus of USLCA, the Spring issue of their newsletter, Bright Futures: Family Matters is devoted to leadership, and three of the links are relevant to our work as LCs: MCH Leadership Skills Development Series The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has created a Maternal and Child Health Leadership Skills Development Series. This series was designed to support Maternal and Child Health practitioners, but the modules are appropriate for a broader audience. Ask Me 3, a website devoted to improving health literacy, has 3 good questions for patients to ask their doctors, pharmacists and other health providers—including lactation consultants, as well as tips for improving patient/provider communication. The three questions are:
Lactation consultants would do well to keep these three questions in mind as we work with mothers and their babies. Identifying the main problem or concern that brings a mother to our care is obvious. Not only is it important for us to help her come up with a plan to improve the situation, it is also critical that she understand why we have made the suggestions. This empowers her to make choices when we are not there with her. Good leaders—including IBCLCs—are good communicators. The Seven Challenges Workbook provides a basic course in the art of communication that begins with good listening. The Seven Challenges Workbook is available for free in three languages (English, Spanish & Portuguese). |
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