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ILCA  affiliate

 

 NEWS ARCHIVES SELCA

 

FY 07-08

 

 

  
 

Summer 2007 Highlights

Meeting at Wellstar Cobb

SELCA President’s Letter

 

Greetings SELCA Sisters!

I hope your summer is going well.   August is almost upon us and I hope you are planning on being at the August meeting at Cobb hospital.  Check the SELCA website for details.  This is the meeting where traditionally we hear the latest information from the ILCA conference, so you don’t want to miss it!

 

I want to thank Arlene Toole and the outgoing board members for their service to SELCA.  They have worked hard for us and I appreciate their efforts.  The new board is looking forward to serving you as well.  One of my goals is to recapture some of our long lost past members.  It is so great to see many new faces at our meetings, but we need to have experienced, wise mentors available for them.  Won’t you make it your goal to urge past members to return?

 

I would also ask that you contact me if you have breastfeeding issues that need to be discussed or topics you would like presented at meetings.  I want nothing more than for SELCA to be a vibrant and growing organization where we, as professionals, can learn from and support each other.

 

For those that don’t know me, my breastfeeding background began with La Leche League in 1976.  I became a LLL leader in Chicago in 1978 and “retired” in 1986 when I completed nursing school.  I thought I was done with breastfeeding, but ended up working with babies and moms in the newborn nursery and then 13 years in NICU.  Five years were spent in home care as an LC covering 27 metro Atlanta counties.  I’ve now been the LC at Dekalb’s new hospital at Hillandale for 2 years.  I’ve been involved in SELCA about 15 years,  became board certified in 1992 and NCC (high risk neonates) certified the same year. 

 

Over a 30 year span in breastfeeding, I’ve seen a lot and yet, the basics of breastfeeding remain the same.   There have been many advances, but there are still the same issues today as “back then”.  We still battle hospital protocols, lack of compliance with policies, and personal biases with staff.  Physicians, generally speaking are still more bottle/formula oriented.  But, we continue our work because it is a passion.  We know the impact that breastfeeding can have on the mom, the baby and society. 

 

That is one of the main reasons I value SELCA, I know there are “like” minds.   I can get validation and support for what I’m trying to do.  I can take pride in being in a recognized profession.  AND, I’ve met some WONDERFUL people!!!   I’m looking forward to seeing you in August!!!

 

Kris Harwood

  

 
 
FY 06-07

Spring 2007 Highlights

 

Spring 2007

Arlene Toole IBCLC, RLC

 

Well its finally spring.  I know now why I love living in Atlanta so much.  It is the weather and the beautiful springs we have.  The year has gone by fast.  I have loved being SELCA’s president.  I am happy to say that I will be turning my job over to a very capable, Kris Harwood.   Being president is probably the easiest job because our board members are the best. They do their job, don’t complain and actually volunteer to help when needed.  I have to say a special thanks to Diane for our website.  She has worked very hard and we have gotten a lot of complements on it.  She has also posted our SELCA resource directory, which took a lot of time and work.

I hope that you have enjoyed our speakers this past year.  I want to say thanks to Reedy at our last meeting.  She spoke on breastfeeding in China.  Her pictures were wonderful.  Carol Westbrooks has led our group in several “hot topics” for lactation consultants this past year.  I hope you have enjoyed these “sharing” discussions.  If you have any ideas of subjects that you would like to discuss please let Carol know.

As always, thanks to Barbara Curl from Medela, for her refreshments at our last meeting and thanks to Jamie for hosting at their “new” women’s center at Dekalb Medical.

Please plan on attending our next day meeting. It will be held in a new location at Gwinnett Hospital System Resource Center.  Check our website for details. www.selca.info

Congratulations New SELCA Officers

07-08 Fiscal year of service begins August 1, 2007

Thanks to 06-07 Outgoing Executive Officers

President: Arlene Toole will be in Past President position for

Recording Secretary: Dawn Houston

Treasurer: Catherine Raymond

Membership Secretary: Diane Frederick

 

 

Winter 2007 Highlights

 

Walmart Similac Seminars

Letter to CEO

 

Walmart & Similac Seminars

 

UPDATE:

Several SELCA members attended area Walmart stores on Feb 3. Most members reported no overt presence of ABM representatives at the stores. Did SELCA have an impact? Hmmmm..

 

 

International Code of Marketing Breast Milk Substitutes

 Violation Update:

 

WalMart and the "All Things Baby" promotion includes advice on infant nutrition and feeding by Similac according to their website. Events called "Baby Solutions 1-2-3" and tagged as "Baby Seminars" are being held at the following WalMart stores in Georgia. The events will take place February 3, 2007. Breastfeeding supporters are planning to have a "nurse-out" hand out breastfeeding positive flyers at certain area WalMart stores. Contact  Jessica Parker for more information.

The following link to the WalMart All Things Baby is "broken" to avoid promoting the website through search engines. Copy and paste the link to your address bar.   http://walmart.triaddigital.com/All-Things-Baby.aspx

 

 

 

Fall 2006 Highlights

President's Letter

 

For those of you that missed our August meeting, you missed a lot of good information.  I always learn so much from my peers.  Those that went to the ILCA conference and presented said that this years conference was one of the best they had ever been to.  Thanks to Becky Lyons, Carol Westbrooks, Jamie Ray and Ann Grider for presenting.  

 As most of you know we will be having our next meeting in Dalton.  I know a few of you may not be able to attend because of the distance but I hope that you will make an effort and come.  I think that it is important that we have our meetings at different locations.  By varying our locations other lactation consultants outside the Atlanta area are able to learn about SELCA and benefit from our great speakers.  So, if you can, please make an effort to attend.  This will be a day meeting. 

If you love speaking and have a topic that you would like to speak on please let us know.  If you are a SELCA member and speak at one of our meetings you will receive a 1year SELCA membership free!  We’re such a talented group and I want all of us to share our knowledge and expertise. 

 

Arlene Toole

 

 

Summer 2006 Highlights

President's Letter

I am on a Task Force from ILCA to look into obtaining licensure for LC’s.  Several members of the task force already have bills written in their states to get this passed.  We are way behind in GA.  I would like to hear from anyone that would be interested in getting involved and see that LC’s become more credible by receiving licensure.  As you may know, unless you are licensed  most LC’s are unable to charge for their services making them less marketable in the hospital or health department setting.  I feel that we are where Nutritionists were 25 years ago.  We need to get involved and see how we can get licensure in GA. 

We will need someone to sponsor the bill and also people to help write up why we need this in our state.  I talked to Senator Joseph Carter and he suggested us asking Nancy Schaefer or Renee Unterman to lead the charge on this issue.  I know neither of these people but would love to hear from someone that does.  If anyone has any suggestions or knows of someone else in the senate that would help, please let me know.

Arlene Toole IBCLC  atoole@gmh.edu