Nancy Embry, RN, and Barbara Malott, RN, of Conway, both lactation specialists in the Conway Regional Women’s & Infants’ Department recently earned their International Board Certified Lactation Consultant credentials (IBCLC).
The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners provides an international certification board with more than 28,100 certified consultants in 102 countries. At the beginning of 2016 there were approximately 15,144 IBCLCs in the United States with 85 of these lactation consultants residing in Arkansas.
The path to acquiring IBCLC certification is long and in-depth requiring formal education, 90 hours, in specified health science subjects, human lactation and breastfeeding along with at least 1,000 hours of clinical practice and experience in providing care to breastfeeding families. Candidates then must pass an in depth examination on a variety of lactation and breastfeeding topics in order to be recognized as an IBCLC.
Conway Regional’s Lactation Services currently employs two full-time Lactation Consultants and one pool Lactation Consultant who provide both inpatient and outpatient lactation support services to our patients and families. This team also operates the Conway Regional Lactation Store and breast pump rental service in addition to coordinating the Great Start Lactation Club, a free monthly breastfeeding support group.
The IBCLC credential identifies essential members of the maternal-health care team whose focus is to protect, promote and support breastfeeding to benefit women, children and families worldwide.
Photo : Lactation consultants Barbara Malott, RN (left) and Nancy Embry, RN, (right) celebrate their newly-acquired International Lactation Consultant Certifications. They are shown with Mary Salazar, RN, Director of Conway Regional’s Women’s and Infant’s Services.