Overselling Breast-Feeding

My guest today is Kimberly Durdin IBCLC, SMW. She has been supporting families as a La Leche League Leader and Breastfeeding Peer Counselor for the WIC program in Brooklyn, NY over 23 years ago and as a doula. She was part of the BLESS Project (Breastfeeding Lactation Education Support Services) at historic Howard University Hospital in creating their first ever lactation clinic providing 24 hour lactation services free of charge for HUH families. Before leaving D.C., Kimberly was named one of the Top Lactation Consultants in the area by Washington Families Magazine.

Kimberly worked as a LC for the Watts Healthcare Corporation 5 site WIC Program after moving to Los Angeles, where she trained staff, oversaw breastfeeding peer counselors, and provided one on one LC care for families throughout South LA. In 2009, She joined the groundbreaking company The Sanctuary Birth & Family Wellness Center, and acted as the Director of Lactation Services and created The Sanctuary New Moms Group, a popular and powerful community space for new mothers that she has lead weekly, as well as conducting childbirth education curriculum for out of hospital birthing families. She taught this class twice a week as well as a program for hospital birthing families she created entitled Enhanced Pregnancy. She has been an LC for twelve years and has begun teaching a 45-hour Lactation Consultant Exam Prep Course, as well as mentoring IBCLC candidates.

Kimberly recently stepped out on her own, attending births as a Student Midwife and Doula, expanding her role as a birth and breastfeeding advocate, speaker and organizer. She has recently signed on to be the “Expecting and New Parent Expert” at WellBaby Center which hosts her weekly Mom’s support group The Mama Tent.

The topic we will be broaching today is the New York Times article by Eleanor Davis: Over Selling Breast-Feeding.