I have four children and two grandchildren. I've been working with breastfeeding women in
Southern Nevada since 1996.
My Great Grandparents settled in Southern Nevada
more than 100 years ago.
I became a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) in 2002.
I've been a International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) since 2006.
My journey in helping women breastfeed easy
and successfully started when my 4th baby was hospitalized at birth. Thanks to La Leche League and books by Dr. Marilyn
Grams, MD, I learned how to bring in a large milk supply by pumping only. When the RNs saw how much milk I was bringing
into the NICU for my baby, they started to send women who weren't pumping enough milk to me for advice.
Once my baby got out of the NICU, home, and breastfeeding well, I looked for breastfeeding counseling education
and opportunities and found it in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. I took the week long Breastfeeding
Peer Counselor training and started working for the program in December 1996. I was supervised and received continuous education
and training by an IBCLC.
Thank you Vivian Jupp & Anne Franz!
I have literally worked
with thousands of women and their babies during my time with the WIC program. I was the only breastfeeding counselor
for the program in the Clark County area during the years 2000 to 2006.
I
was promoted to WIC Lactation Specialist in 2002.
In 2006 my duties started to include lactation training of WIC staff and training and supervision of
breastfeeding peer counselors. I have also trained nurses in Maternity and labor & delivery at UMC and Centennial
Hills Hospitals for the University of Nevada, Reno Cooperative Extension program.
While I am happy that I breastfed all four of my children and
enjoyed that time with them, it did not really prepare me professionally in lactation.
Many people mistakingly believe that if a woman has breastfed
a child then she can help others breastfeed. This is not necessarily true. Everyones personal experience is different
and what worked for me, breastfeeding my children, may or may not work for others.
This is often the reason that women get some much conflicting advice and information on breastfeeding. Other
people, including nurses at the hospital, are often just telling them their own personal advice which may or even may not
have worked for them.
