November 2023

A Message from the Chair

Greetings and welcome to returning and new members of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition (KBC)! I am deeply honored and humbled to serve as your new KBC Chair. 

A little bit about me. I am a Certified Nurse-Midwife, a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice. My work is aimed at offering full-scope midwifery services including cesarean section assistance, limited OB/GYN ultrasound, and basic infertility evaluation and treatment. I’m currently a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist (CBS) awaiting results for my IBCLC exam! 

I applied to serve on the KBC Board for the opportunity to serve communities better. This includes being aware of the needs of the community, especially of mothers who breastfeed, and proposing productive changes.

I’ve been happily married for 28 years, and have two handsome sons, two beautiful grandsons, one gorgeous granddaughter, and a wonderful daughter-in-law. I am very thankful for all the KBC members, board members, and staff who continue to support, promote, and protect breastfeeding and the KBC Vision!

Thank you,

Nora Elizalde, APRN, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC

Brianna Blackford’s blog post “Family-Forward Workplace Policies Matter” was published in the Kansas Society of Human Resource Management Q3 newsletter. Brianna shared her perspectives on why implementing family-forward policies is key to employee retention and satisfaction. To learn how businesses can gain a competitive edge through family-forward workplace practices, click here.

On Friday, November 3, First 1,000 Days Kansas, a program of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, held the final First Fridays Policy Round Table of 2023. The policy discussion was Momnibus and maternal mortality. If you missed it, the recording is below. Please click here to sign up for First Fridays Policy Updates for 2024.

• Allen, Greeley, and Pawnee County Health Departments received the “Breastfeeding Friendly Local Health Department” designation! There are now nine local health departments with this designation. We can’t wait to see who is next! For more information about this designation, click here.
• Sabine Omann Day Care Home, in Geary County earned the “Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Provider” designation from Child Care Aware of Kansas. For more information about the designation and resources for child care providers, click here 
• Gold “Breastfeeding Employee Support Award” winner Family Practice Associates of Western Kansas, Dodge City. For more information about this designation for employers, click here.

CoverHer Hotline - The hotline helps individuals figure out if their insurance company is incorrectly charging them for breastfeeding supplies and lactation consultations, and provides support and information on how to get these services covered. The webpage includes sample appeal letters and a form to request individual support. 

Continued conversation from the KBC 2023 Conference: ABM Protocol #33, “Lactation Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning Plus Patients" was published in 2020. This thoughtfully written protocol addresses approaches to respectful care for this population that commonly reports negative experiences. It also delves into the complexity of care for individuals who desire to lactate during transitional care. Further, it provides a detailed approach for the induction of lactation and co-lactation.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine announces Clinical Protocol #21: Breastfeeding in the Setting of Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder (Revised 2023). Read the press release here.

Vanessa Flood, KBC Education Director, at the Community Care Network Conference.

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Suggestions for future publications are welcome at info@ksbreastfeeding.org.

Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition

ksbreastfeeding.org