ABM Lifetime Member Profile: Nancy E. Wight, MD, IBCLC, FABM, FAAP

Nancy E. Wight, MD, IBCLC, FABM, FAAP, San Diego Neonatology, Inc. Medical Director, Sharp HealthCare Lactation Services

ABM: Why did you become a member of ABM?

Wight: I was inspired by the quality and vision of the founding members and wanted to be a part of the journey.

ABM: What is ABM‘s greatest strength?

Wight: It’s members and all they do in so many arenas (clinical care, research, teaching, mentoring, health planning, etc. etc.)!

ABM: What inspires you to promote, protect and support breastfeeding?

Wight:  As a physician, I care about the health of my community in all its forms and breastfeeding is the best health insurance.

ABM: What advice can you offer to physicians who are interested in learning more about breastfeeding?

Wight: Join ABM, join ILCA, join your local breastfeeding coalition. Find a breastfeeding ‘champion’ in your area to act as a mentor for you.

ABM: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?

Wight: I am most proud of the fact that as a clinician and educator I have influenced others to follow in my footsteps and EXCEED my accomplishments.

ABM: What is a current challenge for you in your work?

Wight: Keeping up with the incredible increase in human lactation research and literature over the last 10 years while working full-time (including nights!) as an ‘elder’ clinical neonatologist.

ABM: What can ABM offer physicians worldwide?

Wight: A vast wealth of peer knowledge and support.

Thank you, Dr. Wight.  We look forward to featuring additional Lifetime and Gold Members on the ABM Blog each week.

Join us at the 18th Annual International Meeting to be held November 21-24, 2013 in Philadelphia.

ABM Member Profile: Featuring Caroline Chantry, MD, FABM

ABM: Why did you become a member of ABM?

Chantry: To attain more knowledge, skill and inspiration; to promote, protect and support breastfeeding, because surely it is an important cause.

ABM: What is ABM‘s greatest strength?

Chantry: Its membership which possesses vast expertise, experience and enthusiasm, and spans the globe.

ABM: What inspires you to promote, protect and support breastfeeding?

Chantry:  Breastfeeding has the potential, by far, to make the most impact on maternal and child health of any preventive intervention.  ABM helps me in many ways, e.g. with information and tools, but also by reinforcing the importance of what I do.  Sometimes at work I feel like an army of one, and ABM is full of reinforcements at the ready – I can call on them by phone, email or read the journal!

ABM: What advice can you offer to physicians who are interested in learning more about breastfeeding?

Chantry: ABM  conferences help, starting with “What Every Physician Needs To Know About Breastfeeding”; there are several online courses also.  You also need hands-on experience.  Find an expert to shadow and also just starting helps mothers and babies to get your own experience of what works. Every dyad is unique.

ABM: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?

Chantry: I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve ABM previously as President and for many years on the protocol committee. I am also proud of some of my research that ultimately I hope will help breastfeeding dyads.

ABM: What is a current challenge for you in your work?

Chantry: Still, in 2012, my hospital is resisting BFHI because they want the free formula!  Ethical blinders!

ABM: What can ABM offer physicians worldwide?

Chantry: The protocols are available for all physicians.  ABM‘s real treasure is the community of experts and advocates that are its membership.  It is small enough that you can actually get to know many of the members and access their expertise and share yours.

Thank you, Dr. Chantry.  We look forward to featuring additional Lifetime and Gold Members on the ABM Blog each month.

Join us at the 17th Annual International Meeting to be held October 11-14, 2012 in Chicago.

ABM Member Profile: Featuring Rima L. Strassman, MD, FABM

ABM: What is ABM‘s greatest strength? 

Strassman: ABM‘s strength is its network of support and knowledge in the area of breastfeeding medicine.

ABM: What inspires you to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding?

Strassman: The satisfaction I get from helping mothers accomplish their goals in parenting their infants and making breastfeeding a part of that. ABM helps me do this by sharing knowledge and offering support from peers doing the same thing.

ABM: What advice can you offer to physicians who are interested in learning more about breastfeeding?

Strassman: Attend ABM meetings including the WEPNTK pre-conference course, look for other lactation/breastfeeding conferences, and read the ABM listserv.

ABM: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?

Strassman: This is a tough question to answer, but I suppose becoming a Fellow of ABM and being acknowledged by people I admire within the organization as someone who deserved that honor.

ABM: What is a current challenge for you in your work?

Strassman: Finding time to do as much as I would like to assist nursing mom and baby dyads while still attending to the practice of general pediatrics and meeting the needs of these patients as well as those with nursing issues and questions.

ABM: What can ABM offer physicians worldwide?

Strassman: ABM can offer physicians the knowledge needed to support breastfeeding as well as support and networking for those who already have the knowledge.

Thank you, Dr. Strassman. We look forward to featuring additional Lifetime and Gold Members on the ABM Blog each month.

Don’t forget to register for the 17th Annual International Meeting to be held October 11-14, 2012 in Chicago. Early-bird rates end August 15.