Calendar

June 13
Deadline for Scottsdale hotel reservations

June 20
Deadline for submissions for July issue of eGlobe

July 1
Deadline for standard Conference rate

July 14
ILCA Pre-Conference Day

July 15-18
ILCA Annual Conference

Research

World Breastfeeding Week

A good resource for preparing community activities for this year’s theme is the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding booklet which was enclosed with the May issue of JHL. Additional copies of the booklet are available for purchase from the ILCA office for $10 plus shipping. More information about this year's WBW theme, can be found at www.waba.org.my/.

Call for Applicants

ILCA Liaison Positions

Openings for volunteer Liaisons for several organizations will occur in July 2004 when the term of the current ILCA Liaison expires. [more].

Members needed to serve on Nominations Committee

Are you well connected to IBCLCs around the world? Would you be willing to serve on the Nominations Committee? Duties include helping to identify qualified candidates for open ILCA Board positions, reviewing applications, and assisting in development of a candidates’ list for the 2005 ILCA Board election. All business is conducted by email. The period of service is August 2004 through early 2005. If you are interested, please contact Nominations Chair, Maureen Fjeld at info@ilca.org

Publications

2004 ILCA Conference and Annual Meeting
Best Practices: Supporting Breastfeeding Worldwide
Scottsdale, Arizona, USA July 14 to 18.

Find a roommate – join a tour to the Grand Canyon

To find a conference roommate or to read touring tips from members who live in and around Scottsdale, check ILCA’s discussion board at www.ilca.org. Did you know that Scottsdale is only four scenic hours from the Grand Canyon? Look on the board for the topic Local Attractions where several ways to visit the Grand Canyon are listed, including the opportunity to join a mini-van tour with others from the conference.

Map out your schedule for Scottsdale!

ILCA’s website has a handy tool for planning your days at the ILCA conference. The Conference Program Planner allows you to look at sessions, read the presenter’s abstract and then add sessions you want to attend to your personal itinerary.

You can also add notes to yourself as reminders of committee meetings and other activities. Your personal itinerary can be changed or updated as often as you like. A printable itinerary link will provide a page showing the complete itinerary formatted for printing. You can also transfer your itinerary to a Palm Pilot, Windows CE device, or Web-enabled phone. The program planner is on the Conferences page at www.ilca.org.

Choosing sessions for the 2004 Conference

To help you choose your sessions, here’s a preview of speakers and topics from Anne Garrett, ILCA’s conference program planner. You might want to print this out to refer to, as you highlight your choices on the program, or add them to your Planner.[more]

ILCA member Titilayo C. Abiona, MB.Ch.B, FMCPH from Ile-Ife, Nigeria is the recipient of the Eli Hormann Memorial Fund grant for 2004 to assist with her attendance at the ILCA Conference. [more]

Resource Room launches on the ILCA website

Resource Room, a new website feature for members only, currently has helpful resources for supporting the employed breastfeeding mother. Planned additions to Resource Room include sources for teaching materials and handouts, and JHL reviews of books and films.

ILCA Board endorses BFHI

The ILCA Board of Directors has formally endorsed the WHO/UNICEF Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, which is evidenced-based minimum standards for promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding in hospitals and community health centres worldwide. Share your successful strategies and ask questions about implementing the BFHI in your institution via ILCA’s discussion board.

ILCA is registered with iGive.com!

You’ve probably noticed the iGive.com icon at the bottom of the ILCA website home page. This is a reminder that when you shop online at any of the 500 stores at the Mall at iGive.com, a percentage of every purchase you make is donated directly to ILCA. Sign up today at iGive.com for a free membership (there’s no cost or obligation) so that your regular online purchases can raise funds for ILCA programs.

Working Mother magazine to feature working mother support groups

Starting in September 2004, the US magazine Working Mother will include a new two-page report called Working Mother Newsletter which will regularly feature working mother support groups.

If you run a group for employed breastfeeding mothers, here’s an opportunity to promote it! The editors are interested in hearing what makes your working mother support group unique, and what advice or group activity you would like to share with other groups. Write to editors@workingmother.com. If enough IBCLCs contribute, an entire article on supporting employed breastfeeding women might result!

West Nile Virus, Breastfeeding and Use of DEET

With mosquito season imminent in North America, here are two websites which provide information about West Nile Virus (WNV) and breastfeeding, to help respond to clients' questions. The issue of whether pregnant and breastfeeding women should use DEET insect repellant is also addressed.

US Centers for Disease Control :
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/breastfeeding.htm
Health Canada:
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/westnile/pregnancy.html

Free CDs of radio program on status of US Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign

A California radio station is offering free CDs of its recent program, hosted by ILCA member Arly Helm, on the Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign in the United States. [more]