Centegra Health System joins the International Lactation Consultant Association in celebrating IBCLC Day on March 7. This year’s theme,  ”IBCLCs Make an Impact,”  highlights how the expertise of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) can make a difference in the health and well being of children and their mothers.IBCLCs have years of training and continuing study to enable them to inform, assist and support women duringpregnancy, early days after birth and as the baby grows including: getting off to a good start with breastfeeding,continuing to breastfeed after returning to work or school, breastfeeding a premature or sick infant, and preventingand managing challenges that might occur.  IBCLCs also train and support other health workers and educators so that they may assist mothers in the present and in the future. IBCLCs develop health programs and campaigns, too.According to Cathy Carothers, president of the International Lactation Consultant Association, “How an infant is fed can have a lifelong impact on their health. Mother’s milk helps develop a strong immune system that can respond to fight off infections. The rising incidence of obesity and diabetes will have a major impact on health, and both these conditions are more likely to develop in children and in mothers when babies are not breastfed. IBCLCs make an impact on the quality of breastfeeding care provided by health services where they are employed and thus an impact for children and mothers.” 

The Centegra Breastfeeding Resource Center is staffed by RNs who are international board certified lactation consultants. The patient-friendly center is designed to help moms with their breastfeeding questions, product choices and clinical support needs. Located on the ground floor of Centegra Hospital-Woodstock, the single-room Center includes various services to:

• Promote healthy mothers and healthy babies
• Assist mothers and babies during private, one-to-one outpatient consultations
• Be a convenient resource for standard and hard-to-find breastfeeding products
• Conduct private bra fittings for nursing bras
• Provide McHenry-based Medela products, supplies and accessories for sale or lease
• Answer general questions and concerns about the breastfeeding process

The Centegra Breastfeeding Resource Center, the first of its kind in McHenry County, serves all new moms in the community, whether they deliver at a Centegra-based hospital or not. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding for between six months and a year to help babies fully develop. Research also shows that the longer a baby breastfeeds, the healthier both the mom and baby are.

To schedule an appointment, call  877-CENTEGRA (236-8347).