When I had my first baby I automatically breastfeed. Since my sister had breastfed I just did it naturally without hesitation. With the second baby since she had Jaundice and I didn't know any better I only formula fed. The difference in immunity was so obvious that when I had the third baby I automatically went back to breastfeeding. While attending a breastfeeding class at my local WIC office, I was offered a job working pastime to help encourage other mothers to breastfeed. Not only did I enjoy helping other mothers with their breastfeeding concerns I also found something I was good at!
The United States Department of Agriculture has education programs that offer scholarships to women who want to expand their education. Through these scholarship programs and the education reimbursement programs that WIC offered I was able to go back to school.
WIC hired me as a breastfeeding mentor. Then a WIC Receptionist. Then I became a Peer Counselor, WIC Nutrition Assistant II, a Certified Lactation Educator, a Peer Counselor II, and Then I got a scholarship for a Lactation Consultant Course and finally this July I was able to sit for the exam for International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant.
I would like to thank so many people who helped me and believed in me. Thank you to Suparb Chiaravanont for teaching me to focus! To Susan Aldana who will always be my mentor. To my family who put up with me and supported me. To all my friends who were forced to help me with homework. To The WIC Nutrition Corps and the Soroptimist Foundation who gave me my scholarships. Thank You from the bottom of my heart