The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® and International Lactation Consultant Association® Recognize Inova Loudoun Hospital for Excellence in Lactation Care

Leesburg, VA — Inova Loudoun Hospital has received the IBCLC Care Award in recognition for staffing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board Certified Lactation Consultant^® (IBCLC^®) certification and for providing a lactation program for breastfeeding families. Only nine hospitals in Virginia received this international honor.  In addition, Inova Loudoun demonstrated that it has recently completed activities that help protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.

Esmé Hough, IBCLC Chair of the Board of IBLCE recently stated, “Agencies that are awarded the IBCLC Care Award have dedicated their efforts to promote and provide a lactation program that makes expert assistance available when the breastfeeding family needs it. This is achieved through encouraging and informing breastfeeding families about the benefits and management of breastfeeding as well as training health care professionals to assist families achieve their breastfeeding goals.”

IBCLCs focus on preventive care, so they are available during pregnancy to assess and provide information on how to successfully initiate breastfeeding. They continue that assistance after the baby is born by helping families overcome breastfeeding challenges, providing accurate information, and continuing to support them as their baby grows. They assist families returning to work or school, help families in more unusual situations such as breastfeeding more than one baby or nursing a sick or premature infant, and help train nursing staff to manage basic breastfeeding care.

“Our lactation consultants are passionate about providing information and support at a critical time for mothers and newborns,” commented Marissa Jamarik, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer, Inova Loudoun Hospital.  “We are pleased to have earned this international recognition and are proud to be one of the few hospitals in Virginia with this designation.”

According to Michele Griswold, President of ILCA, “IBCLCs help families realize the most precious bond with their children. They also assist families in providing their children with the best possible start in life. At ILCA, we are proud to support the IBCLC Care Award because we recognize the significant contributions of IBCLCs to improving global health outcomes at the local level.”

As allied health care professionals with the leading internationally recognized certification for professional lactation services, IBCLC professionals work in hospitals and birthing centers, clinics, public

health agencies, private practice, community settings, government agencies, and in research. There are currently more than 30,000 such professionals in 108 countries worldwide that are IBCLCs (www.iblce.org). The IBCLC certification program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).  NCCA accreditation represents a mark of quality for certification programs.

Media Contact: Reneé Brohard, APR, 540-454-3493

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Inova Loudoun Hospital, serving Loudoun County for over 100 years, is part of Inova, a not-for-profit healthcare system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research.

About Inova

Inova is a global leader in personalized health, which leverages precision medicine to predict, prevent and treat disease, enabling individuals to live longer, healthier lives. At Inova, we serve more than 2 million people each year from throughout the Washington, DC, metro area and beyond.

We are shaping the future of health through our integrated network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, outpatient services and destination institutes.  Our commitment to health and wellness is further reflected in our sustainable practices. Inova is home to world-class researchers, expert medical specialists and renowned scientists, who are driving innovation to improve patient care, prevent disease and promote wellness. For more information, visit inova.org, or find Inova on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.