What is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)?
An IBCLC is a health care professional who specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding.IBCLCs are certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners Inc. under the direction of the US National Commission for Certifying Agencies.IBCLCs work in a variety of health care settings including hospitals, pediatric offices, public health clinics, and private practice.Why a Mother Might Need an IBCLC
Most moms have it in their plan to breastfeed, but they need to be informed of the physical and emotional roadblock that may lay ahead. Lack of resources and family support in the first few weeks can make breastfeeding challenging for some mothers. Breast-feeding is a learned process for the mom and baby. It requires lots of patience and practice. Moms should take breast-feeding one day at a time. They must be informed of this prior to having the baby so they can be prepared.
Breastfeeding for six months or longer was associated with a lower risk of childhood leukemia compared with children who were never breastfed or who were breastfed for a shorter time, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics. Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer and accounts for about 30 percent of all childhood cancers. Still, little is known about its cause. Breast milk is meant to exclusively supply all the nutritional needs of infants and current recommendations include exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of life to optimize growth, development and health.
While a large number of women quit or reduce smoking upon pregnancy recognition, many resume smoking postpartum. Previous research has estimated that approximately 70% of women who quit smoking during pregnancy relapse within the first year after childbirth, and of those who relapse, 67% resume smoking by three months, and up to 90% by six months.
Breastfeeding Report card for State of Texas- 2014
In state of Texas during year 2014:
78.4% of mothers Initiated breast-feeding with the birth of their newborn baby.
38.9% of mothers exclusively breast-fed their babies for the first 3 months.
16.8% of mothers exclusively breast-fed their babies for the first 3 months.
42.9% of mothers breast-fed their babies for the first 6 months.
20.9% of mothers breast-fed their babies for the first 12 months.