It’s World Breastfeeding Week!
Union Institute & University is proud to join with the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action in the celebration of World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), August 1-7, and the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) in the celebration of National Breastfeeding Month during the month of August. The WBW 2021 theme is Protect breastfeeding: a shared responsibility, celebrating breastfeeding and its contribution to the survival, health, and wellbeing of all.
This celebration is the opportune time to highlight the Union Institute & University innovative, online career path through the Bachelor of Science in Maternal Child Health: Human Lactation (MCHL) and the Master of Arts in Human Lactation Studies (LACT) programs, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
Lisa Akers
Dr. Lisa H. Akers, Union’s Program Chair, points out that our alumni, students, and faculty are committed to the protection of breastfeeding and its contribution to the survival, health, and wellbeing of all.
“Our goal at Union is to provide students with the skills and training necessary to build a solid foundation in order to make a difference in the lives of families around the globe as providers in the human lactation field. Union’s commitment to an evidence-based curriculum provides a strong foundation in research methods, healthcare ethics, evidence-based practice, and experiential learning. Our CAAHEP accredited Pathway 2 programs are led by scholar-practitioners who are leaders in the field of human lactation. Our faculty combine theory with practice to prepare students to become advanced practitioners in the field of human lactation.
Many of our graduates go to work in a clinical setting such as a hospital, obstetric office, or pediatric office. Others have chosen to work in the public health setting for federal programs such as the USDA Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program. Still, others have gone on to open their own private lactation practice or nonprofit organization.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding and human milk. “Breastfeeding and human milk are the normative standards for infant feeding and nutrition. Given the documented short-and long-term medical and neurodevelopmental advantages of breastfeeding, infant nutrition should be considered a public health issue and not only a lifestyle choice. The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirms its recommendation of exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complementary foods are introduced, with the continuation of breastfeeding for 1 year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant.” (Source: (Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.)
Dr. Ruth Petersen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity states, “Breastfeeding provides unmatched health benefits for babies and mothers. It is the clinical gold standard for infant feeding and nutrition, with breast milk uniquely tailored to meet the health needs of a growing baby. We must do more to create supportive and safe environments for mothers who choose to breastfeed.” (Source: Why Breastfeeding Matters.)
Adriana Velarde
A champion and advocate of breastfeeding is alumna Adriana Cuevas Velarde, a midwifery trainee, certified lactation consultant, and 2020 graduate of the LACT program. “Over the years in my midwifery and lactation educational journeys, I’ve had the privilege of serving families at different moments in their pregnancy and birth experiences. I have observed the impact that breastfeeding support provides in the immediate postpartum period and beyond. It is so rewarding and humbling to witness new parents meet and surpass their breastfeeding goals!
My passion for breastfeeding comes from the respect I have for pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Birth and lactation are not just normal physiological processes, but they’re also powerful emotional ones for birthing people to experience.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Today is the day to expand or choose a new career in Union Institute & University’s innovative and 100% online career path in the rewarding field of human lactation. Explore Union’s Bachelor of Science in Maternal Child Health: Human Lactation (MCHL), or the Master of Arts in Human Lactation Studies (LACT) programs.