July 11, 2023 — Englewood Health has been recognized by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) and International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) for excellence in lactation care.
The IBCLC Care Award puts Englewood in elite company, honoring its commitment to staffing professionals who hold the prestigious IBCLC certification* and for providing a robust lactation program for breastfeeding families. In addition, Englewood Health demonstrated that it has cultivated programs and activities that help protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.
“Helping families prepare for and succeed at breastfeeding begins even before the baby is born,” said Valerie M. French, MBA, BSN, RNC, senior director of nursing for maternal/child health at Englewood Health. “At the Karen and Gary Singer Family Family Birth Place, we are committed to providing professional lactation support that is an integral part of our maternal-child services. Our specialists educate parents about the benefits of breastfeeding during pregnancy and provide support and assistance after the birth of their child.”
“Our team of lactation consultants support families during and after pregnancy, enabling them to successfully initiate breastfeeding and overcome any breastfeeding challenges they might face,” said Arthur Gross, MD, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Englewood Health. “We’re happy to see that important work recognized by the IBLCE and ILCA.”
Breastfeeding provides proven and substantial health benefits to both mothers and babies. At Englewood Health, IBCLC professionals assist families returning to work or school; help families in more unusual situations, such as breastfeeding more than one baby or nursing a sick or premature infant; help train nursing staff to manage basic breastfeeding care; and continue to support families as their baby grows.
*As allied healthcare professionals with the leading internationally recognized certification for professional lactation services, IBCLC professionals work in hospitals and birthing centers, clinics, public health agencies, private practices, community settings, and government agencies. They also help in research. There are currently nearly 36,000 IBCLCs in 131 countries worldwide (iblce.org). The IBCLC certification program is accredited by the NCCA, the accreditation arm of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence. NCCA accreditation represents a mark of quality for certification programs.