Happy IBCLC Day! The International Board of Certified Lactation Consultants Day falls on the first Wednesday of March. And it’s a great day to recognize those that helped you to reach your breastfeeding goals.
With that in mind today, I wanted to share many of the ways that IBCLCs love to help empower you to meet your personal breastfeeding goals.
We are there to help you even before your little one arrives.
Taking a prenatal breastfeeding class with an IBCLC is a great way to get off on the right breastfeeding foot. Not only will it help you feel more confident right from the start but also can provide you the tools to recognize any issues you might have so you can get the support you need right away.
We aren’t just here for you when the baby is brand new.
Getting ready to go back to work? Thinking of starting solids? We love to help mamas and babies throughout the entire feeding journey.
We love to support moms and babies not only in times of joy but also through the tough times.
Let us be your shoulder to cry on. We are here for you. Breastfeeding is hard work, especially at the beginning. We know that, and we are here to help you get through it.
We want you to meet your goals—whatever they might be.
Whether you want to breastfeed for two months or two years, we are here to meet you where you are.
We want to help you with your simple and complicated issues.
You don’t need to have a major crisis to call an IBCLC—sometimes you might have a question, or you just want someone to come and make sure you’re doing things right. Other times you call because of something more complicated like low milk supply or nipple pain.
We want you to feel good about your decisions with no judgment.
Whether you want to formula feed, combo feed or exclusively breastfeed we are here to give you the most up-to-date information on how to any of these things safely and correctly.
Data from the CDC’s latest Breastfeeding Report Card show that in 2011, 79 percent of newborn infants started breastfeeding, 49 percent were breastfeeding at 6 months and 27 percent were breastfeeding at 12 months. The CDC promotes professional breastfeeding support (such as IBCLCs) to help mothers start and continue breastfeeding to meet personal goals and national health recommendations. CDC monitors professional breastfeeding support, and this year’s Breastfeeding Report Card shows that the number of IBCLCs – professionals who specialize in clinical management of lactation – nearly doubled from 2006 to 2013! For new mothers that means more support all around to help you meet your breastfeeding goals.
IBCLC’s are your biggest fans. So today is the day to show your IBCLC some love!
Jennifer Lezak is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She studied and received her training at UCSD, close to where she grew up in San Diego. She mentored under several very experienced IBCLC teachers in different areas of practice in various hospitals and private practices around Southern California. Currently, you can find Jennifer through her private practice Milkmade LA, Loom – a hub for new parents, and Kaiser Permanente on Sunset Blvd. Jennifer Lezak regularly attends conferences and workshops to keep her knowledge and skills current. She has worked at several hospitals around Los Angeles, including Cedars Sinai Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital and has spent many years in Private Practice. She offers her services in Private Practice visiting clients at their homes, also with many local OB Doctors, Pediatricians, and clinics around Los Angeles in their offices. Before she found her calling as a Lactation Consultant, she received a BA from SDSU in English Literature. The proud mother of two boisterous young boys, ages 8 and 10, she understands the fears that go along with becoming a new parent as well as the challenges that parents face as their families expand. Jennifer loves helping new parents not only successfully breastfeed, or help to support breastfeeding, but to also manage the daily tasks of surviving motherhood while also finding a balance with their family’s every changing needs. Through Jennifer Lezak’s work she hopes to nurture a community where new mothers can find answers, become empowered, and form lifelong friendships.
