Wadley recognized for excellence in lactation care

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The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) and International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) have recognized Wadley Regional Medical Center for excellence in lactation care.
Known as The BirthPlace of Texarkana, Wadley has received the IBCLC Care Award in recognition for staffing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) certification and providing a lactation program for breastfeeding families. In addition, the hospital has activities that help protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. Wadley has a long tradition of promoting breastfeeding and became the first hospital in Texarkana to be designated as a Texas Ten Step Facility by the Department of State Health Services and the Texas Hospital Association in 2004 and later in 2010 the first hospital in Texarkana to be designated a Mother-Friendly Worksite. The Texas Ten Step program recognizes hospitals that implement policies that are aligned with the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
Regina Maria Roig-Romero, Board Chair of IBLCE states, “Facilities that receive the IBCLC Care Award have taken initiative to improve the overall health of their patients by making breastfeeding a priority and implementing lactation support programs. An important part of providing excellent breastfeeding care is having expert assistance available when the breastfeeding family needs it. IBCLC professionals are the best suited to help families achieve their breastfeeding goals.” Carlotta Endsley has held this certification for 19 years and was the first in Texarkana to achieve. “Educating and supporting moms who make the decision to breastfeed is important to me,” says Carlotta. “I have taught classes at Wadley for over 25 years and I still love it.” The breastfeeding class is offered every other month and the schedule of classes can be found on wadleyhealth.com. With a passion to promote and support breastfeeding, Carlotta began a Breastfeeding Support Group last August that is held on the first Tuesday of every month at 6:00 pm and she makes herself available to all breastfeeding mothers. Consequently, Wadley will have three additional certified lactation educators in August.
Carlotta is available during pregnancy to assess and provide information on how to successfully begin breastfeeding through her classes and continues assistance and support after the baby is born and as the baby grows. According to Michele Griswold, President of ILCA, “IBCLCs help families realize the most precious bond with their children. They also assist families in providing their children with the best possible start in life. At ILCA, we are proud to support the IBCLC Care Award because we recognize the significant contributions of IBCLCs to improving global health outcomes at the local level.” “One important goal at Wadley is the skin-to-skin bonding time immediately following birth including very soon after a C-section,” says Antonette Reed, director of Maternal Child services. “This is accomplished in part through delayed bathing of the newborn and promoting ‘no separation’.”
As allied health care professionals with the leading internationally recognized certification for professional lactation services, IBCLC professionals work in hospitals and birthing centers, clinics, public health agencies, private practice, community settings, government agencies, and in research. There are currently more than 28,000 such professionals in 105 countries worldwide that are IBCLCs (www.iblce.org), a program independently accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). NCCA accreditation represents a mark of quality for certification programs.
For more information about the IBCLC Care Award program, contact IBLCE at award@iblce.org or for Wadley’s breastfeeding offerings, please visit www.wadleyhealth.com or contact Carlotta Endsley at (903) 798-8025.

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