Over 200 Attend
14th Annual Breastfeeding Conference in Dalton
Dalton, GA – From across Georgia and beyond, over 200 individuals convened Wednesday, March 27th at the Dalton Convention Center for the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition Annual Conference, which began with a warm welcome from Dalton Mayor Dennis Mock.
“Lactation consultants, registered nurses, dietitians, La Leche League leaders, peer counselors and other professionals and volunteers who work with breastfeeding moms are here from Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama,” said Patty Spanjer, coalition president.
Now in its 14th year, the annual conference is an opportunity for participants to gain new knowledge and techniques for helping mothers fully reach their breastfeeding goals.
Carol Hendrix, WIC breastfeeding coordinator for the North Georgia Health District, said, “The goal of our coalition is to promote breastfeeding as the norm, and this conference helps us further promote the education for professionals in the field of lactation so that they can better serve breastfeeding families.”
According to Spanjer, breastfeeding is one of the most important gifts a baby can receive; and this year’s conference speaker, Marsha Walker, agrees.
“Human milk is the foundation of a person’s health,” explained Walker. “It’s important from the very beginning that we start off a baby with their immune system, brain development and other factors on the right trajectory, because whatever we start from the beginning, follows that person their entire life. In other words, we’re programming babies for health.”
An international board-certified lactation consultant to breastfeeding families since 1976, Walker spanned a wide range of subjects at the conference, including clinical challenges, advocacy, systems changes, and breastfeeding as a public health issue.
Executive Director of the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy, Walker is a prominent speaker and author of numerous publications, including works on the hazards of infant formula use and the book Breastfeeding Management for the Clinician: Using the Evidence.
For more information about the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition and the annual breastfeeding conference, log onto https://nwgabfcoalition.com.
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Marsha Walker Bio
Walker is a registered nurse and international board-certified lactation consultant. She maintained a large clinical practice at a major HMO in Massachusetts, is a published author and an international speaker. Consulting with hospitals, providing in-service presentations, speaking at conferences and workshops and advocating for breastfeeding at the state and federal levels occupy her professional time. She is currently on the board of directors of the Massachusetts Lactation Consultant Association and is the Executive Director of the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy.
About the Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition. The coalition began on March 11, 1993 when the first official meeting was attended by 16 interested persons in Dalton, Georgia. The NWGABF Coalition has produced two DVDs. “Getting Started with Breastfeeding” and “Breastfeeding: A Guide to Success” See sales section. The NWGABF Coalition plans and hosts an annual conference for lactation specialists and professionals. The Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition meetings are attended by La Leche League Leaders, IBCLCs, WIC employees, doctors, dietitians, nurses and anyone interested in promoting breastfeeding. We meet once a month.
Pictured in the above photo from left to right: Carol Hendrix, IBCLC, WIC Coordinator for the North Georgia Health District poses with conference speaker Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and Patty Spanjer, LLLL, IBCLC, President, Northwest Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition at the coalition’s 14th Annual Breastfeeding Conference at the Dalton Convention Center on March 27, 2019: http://nghd.org/pr/34-/1083-programming-babies-for-health.html
About Us: The North Georgia Health District is part of the Georgia Department of Public Health. One of 18 health districts in the state, the North Georgia Health District (District 1-2) is comprised of six counties: Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield. Many public health programs and services exist throughout the district, all of which are designed to meet the needs of the people of North Georgia. Learn more about us at www.nghd.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.