Amy Barron Smolinski holds an MA from Union Institute and University, where her thesis explored re-emerging Sacred Feminine manifestations in the lives of contemporary women. Amy’s volunteer work as a Certified Lactation Counselor and community activist for breastfeeding mothers and babies have shown her how each mother’s breastfeeding journey with each of her children is a reclamation of her connection to her inner wisdom and power as a woman and a mother. Amy is an actress, director, and audio book narrator, and she teaches theatre classes to children in the U.S. Military community in Germany, where she resides with her husband and four sons, the youngest of whom is still breastfeeding.
Tamra Heald holds a BS in Christian Ministry from Hope International University and spent two years working at Wilshire Ave. Community Church as the Director of Children’s Ministries, serving families and children from birth through sixth grade. After the birth of her first child, Tamra became passionate about supporting families in a different way; through encouragement and mentorship of new mothers and their families to help reach their breastfeeding goals. Currently, Tamra is the Program Director for Mom2Mom KMC, a secular breastfeeding support and advocacy group that serves the large U.S. Military community stationed overseas in Germany. She enjoys exploring Europe with her husband and two children, the youngest of whom is still nursing.
Research has established that peer support is the most effective support for breastfeeding mothers. Mom2Mom KMC is a breastfeeding peer support group for families stationed overseas in the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) in Germany. Our vision is for a community-wide culture where breastfeeding is the normal and accepted way to nourish and nurture human babies. Over the past four years, Mom2Mom KMC has made great progress toward that culture change through a comprehensive grassroots effort of peer mentoring, online and social media presence, and forging partnerships with the medical facilities, lactation professionals, and other community resource organizations in the KMC. Breastfeeding mothers in the KMC have access to trained lactation professionals and peer support 24 hours a day through a closed Facebook group, weekly Breastfeeding Cafes, and trained peer mentors. Lactation professionals are rigorous in ensuring that the information offered is accurate and supported by evidence-based research. Mom2Mom KMC hosts an annual CLC training, and maintains a database of community lactation professionals willing to help mothers with complex breastfeeding issues. In addition, the organization works with community resources and local medical facilities to advocate for policies that follow best practices for breastfeeding support. Mom2Mom KMC is an entirely self-sustaining, volunteer-run organization, operating on a small budget; all services are provided free of charge. This presentation will offer a template for building a seamless network of support for breastfeeding families in any community, with a special emphasis on the specific needs of military families.
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