Hope and the Future in Lactation Support
Some personal thoughts for you today
We got together in person today to review her IBCLC re-certification packet. My friend (we’ll call her Jane) wanted to talk things through and feel confident that she had everything in order to submit in advance of the Sept 30 deadline.
When I arrived to the cafe, I was so relieved to discover she had printed out all of her documentation and brought it in a folder. I can’t imagine trying to sort through all of this in a digital format. You see, I’m 50, and though I’m fully capable when it comes to technology and the online world, many of us at this age and beyond are simply more comfortable with hard copies.
Jane’s one of us here in the 50+ crowd. In fact, Jane is older than 75 - and she’s not even my only IBCLC friend over 75! Both of them became RNs in the 1960s, keep their nursing licenses current, and practice regularly as clinical IBCLCs. Both state often that they can’t imagine not having this “work” in their lives.
We should all be so lucky to reach our 70s and 80s (and beyond?) and remain certified and registered to serve families in lactation support.
As we went through all of Jane’s paperwork, we were talking about lactation support and the changes we’ve seen over time. We touched on frustrations, but we mostly talked about things that bring us hope.
At a time when current events can feel overwhelming if you let them into your mind and nervous system constantly, it’s so helpful to remember what brings us hope and to focus on it.
Here are some of the things we came up with:
mothers, fathers, grandparents, and babies who are oblivious to the “noise” of the world, at least for a little while when they are brand-new and getting to know one another
we know so much more about breastfeeding, milk, pumping, and skin-to-skin than we did even 15 years ago
there are some brilliant minds in our field and they have so many ways to communicate their ideas, research findings, and messages to all of us and the world
we have such amazing new ways to communicate and share with one another, plus we still have the old-fashioned way: getting together in person!
I have always believed what I was taught early in my lactation career: when it all begins to feel like more than we can handle or impact, just turn your gaze to the dyad in front of you. Let them be your guide to remembering what is important, what you can do, and what humanity truly is.
A great way to live The reason behind the name “Evolve Lactation” is no secret: I want us to always be learning and to have the skills and resilience to adapt to what families need. This year has felt like a big evolution for me professionally, and I have no plans to interrupt that.
In fact, I am feeling the call to expand.
Before my uncle and godfather passed away earlier this year, I thanked him for showing me these things. He was just 20 when I was born, so he had a great influence on my life and I got to see him prove that:
it’s cool to be smart
it’s good to get away from where you grew up (even if you one day end up back there!)
you can change directions in your life and be really good at very different things
teaching is everything (in each of his two significant professional careers, he became an adjunct professor of those subjects and left behind curricula and programs that will continue to impact students for many years)
This career has given me the opportunity to do all of those things, and like my friends who are in their 60s, 70s, and 80s and continuing to keep current their RN licenses and IBCLC certifications, I intend to carry on teaching, counseling, and sharing what I’ve learned for many more decades.
Wherever you are, stick with me, and we’ll do it together, ok? It’ll be better that way:)
