News

Vail Health Family Birth Center Receives Lactation Care Award

The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) and International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) have recognized Vail Health’s Family Birth Center for excellence in lactation care. The Family Birth Center has received the IBCLC Care Award in global 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, Vail Health demonstrated that it has recently completed activities that help protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.

“This is a testament to the Family Birth Center team’s dedication to promoting breastfeeding and the health of newborn babies,” said Will Cook, Vail Health President and CEO. “Only six hospitals in Colorado hold this prestigious recognition currently. Congrats to the outstanding Family Birth Center team.”

IBCLCs focus on preventive care, so they are available during pregnancy to assess and provide information on how to successfully initiate breastfeeding. They continue that assistance after the baby is born by helping families overcome breastfeeding challenges, providing accurate information, and continuing to support them as their baby grows. They 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, and help train nursing staff to manage basic breastfeeding care.

“The vital care that IBCLCs provide globally to breastfeeding families helps babies get off to the best start at life. Care facilities recognize this and ensure families receive quality lactation support by employing IBCLCs,” said Brooke Gilliam, BSN, RN, IBCLC, Chair of the Board of Directors of IBLCE. “Having this ongoing support from skilled lactation professionals and the facilities that support them is invaluable. The benefits of breastfeeding are well known to have a great impact on families, communities, and the world. Thank you for your dedication to the families served and commitment to advancing global public health.”

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 nearly 37,000 such professionals in 134 countries worldwide who are IBCLCs (www.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.

“IBCLCs are the global professional standard in the clinical management of breastfeeding and lactation across diverse settings,” said Iona Macnab, BA(Hons), LLB, IBCLC, President of ILCA. “By honoring facilities that employ IBCLCs through the IBCLC Care Award, we spotlight the substantial role these professionals play in advancing health outcomes within communities worldwide.”