Christy Martens, IBCLC

The Bow Island & District Health Foundation was pleased to be able to provide financial support to Christy Martens. (Shown in the photo are Christy Martens, Brenda & Brantley Klassen). This educational grant (made possible with funds raised by past Foundation Garage Sales) will enable Christy to re-certify as an International Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in her role as a Public Health Nurse in the Bow Island area. The following is a letter from Christy which she has given us permission to share:

I would like to express my sincere thanks for providing grant funding to alleviate the costs of continuing education and recertification required to maintain my IBCLC designation. I believe that access to preventative and educational healthcare is one of the greatest investments we can make in our community. When young families receive timely support close to home, we can reduce the burden of isolation, prevent long-term problems and support the physical, emotional and social health of the next generation. I would like to share with you a statement from a family that I had the privilege of working with this past winter.

"As a first-time mom in a rural community, I would have been lost without access to a lactation consultant. I really didn't know what was normal or not normal when I first started my breastfeeding journey, so it was wonderful to have Christy in our community to help me with latching issues, identifying a tongue tie, referring us to specialists, helping me find a correct flange and nipple shield size, exploring different nursing positions, and educating and helping me navigate many issues like mastitis and thrush.

Having a lactation consultant like Christy in our community has made the transition into motherhood so much easier. In the first month, having her be able to come to the comfort of my home and assist me rather than traveling a distance to receive care was so beneficial as a struggling post-partum mom. I know many moms in our community have benefitted greatly from having access to a local lactation consultant." (Brenda Klassen - with permission to share)

As I complete my education hours and re-certify, I look forward to onging work within the community. Rural nursing is both rewarding and challenging, and I am grateful for the community support that makes it easier to obtain the skills and knowledge required to provide high quality specialized care. Thank-you for your generosity in making this happen!

Christy Martens, RN BN IBCLC

Bow Island Community Health Services

Public Health Nursing

‍

‍

‍