Abstract
The countdown is officially on! Over 700 attendees are expected to convene at the 2020 International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) Conference in Houston, Texas, USA, 8–11 July 2020. Our focus and theme for the conference is SUPPORT.
At the 2019 conference, we asked our attendees what “support” meant to them. Of course, we heard many different answers because support can mean many things. It can be the way a new parent supports and nurtures their infant. It can be the way ILCA members and lactation professionals support families. And, of course, it can also be the ways ILCA supports you, its members, as you provide much needed care to your communities. No matter how you describe it, what we know is that it takes a community to provide support, and to support one another. The objectives of #ILCA2020 are to:
Apply skill development and global networking among lactation specialists in an inclusive environ-ment;
Recommend research related to human lactation and encourage its integration in clinical practice;
Integrate greater development of cultural humility among lactation specialists;
Use ethical, evidence-based practice that protects the wellbeing of breastfeeding/chestfeeding/lactating families in diverse contexts;
Practice breastfeeding/chestfeeding as the biological norm for feeding and nurturing infants and young children;
Provide equitable access to lactation, skilled lactation care, and the IBCLC profession;
Provide support for families’ informed decisions regarding lactation; and
Outline lactation-supportive practices in health care, social services, and community settings.
The #ILCA2020 website is now available and registration is open! You can find all of the session details, schedule, and event information there. Please check it out and we hope you will decide to join us! ILCA also provides scholarships to qualified individuals to attend the conference if they are unable to attend on their own. Find out more by visiting our conference website at www.ilca.org/conference. We look forward to seeing everyone in Houston!