Pacify is excited to announce our first 2021 recipient of the Diversity in Lactation Consulting Scholarship, Jacqueline Lambert! Jacqueline is a Breastfeeding Coordinator with Delta Health Alliance, a Certified Lactation Counselor, a Certified Childbirth Educator, and a Certified Doula in Merigold, Mississippi. We asked Jacqueline to share her story - read on to learn why she wants to become an IBCLC!
Why I Want to Be an IBCLC
It wasn’t until I started working in WIC as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor that I realized my love for helping mothers and babies. I started studying and reading all the articles I could about breastfeeding. In 2014 when I became a ROSE Community Transformer my passion to work with my community and the mothers intensified. I realized that to serve my community and my families I needed to expand my knowledge around the science of breastfeeding.
My journey led me to becoming a CLC, CCE, and Doula. After becoming certified as a lactation counselor I decided I wanted to do more. In my research, I realized that the number of African American IBCLCs was very minimal and it was even fewer in Mississippi. In my county the nearest IBCLC was 6 hours away, making it hard for our families to receive the help they needed.
WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE TO MAKE AS AN IBCLC?
The impact I want to make is simple - to reduce cultural disparities in breastfeeding. I now realized for me that someone had to speak up for our communities but it had to be someone who looks like them, who understood the culture and was not afraid to be a voice for them. I hope to make an impact by helping to reduce those disparities in the African American community.
WHY IS WINNING PACIFY'S DIVERSITY IN LACTATION SCHOLARSHIP SO MEANINGFUL TO YOU?
It finally helps me live the dream of helping my community more fully. Winning this scholarship will help prepare for the exam and help with the expense in taking the exam.
This scholarship will help me assist with infant feeding difficulties, offer evidence based research, and just to be the best resource available in my community. I hope to continue to provide care for families for years to come.
About the Diversity in Lactation Scholarship
In line with our core values of health equity and clinical excellence, Pacify is committed to playing an active role in promoting diversity within the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) community.
The Diversity in Lactation Consulting Scholarship was established in partnership with the DC Breastfeeding Coalition and aims to provide financial assistance to aspiring IBCLCs from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in the professional lactation field.