Diana West, BA, IBCLC

Expertise

  • Adoptive Nursing
  • Anatomy and Physiology of Infant Feeding
  • Anatomy and Physiology of Lactation
  • Anatomy and Physiology of the Nipple
  • Breast and Nipple Assessment
  • Breast Surgery and Breastfeeding
  • Breastfeeding Dyad Assessment
  • Communication Skills for Breastfeeding Specialists
  • Complementary and Alternative Breastfeeding Treatments
  • Counseling Methods for Breastfeeding Specialists
  • Formula Feeding Issues
  • Galactagogues
  • Herbs and Breastfeeding
  • Humor and Breastfeeding
  • Induced Lactation
  • Infant Assessment for Breastfeeding
  • Latching Theory and Techniques
  • Low Milk Production
  • Maternal Assessment for Breastfeeding
  • Oversupply / Overactive Milk Ejection
  • Private Practice Lactation Consultation Business Issues
  • Professional Education for Breastfeeding
  • Psychology of Breastfeeding
  • Relactation
  • Suck Dysfunction
  • Supplementation of the Breastfeeding Infant
  • Tongue-Tie Assessment and Treatment
  • Working and Breastfeeding

Upcoming Conferences

  • Memphis Area Lactation Consultant Association
    August 7, 2013
    Memphis,
    Tennessee,
    United States
  • Olson Center for Women's Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
    August 14, 2013
    Omaha,
    Nebraska,
    United States
  • Ct. Children's Medical Center 2013 Conference
    September 6, 2013
    Hartford,
    Connecticut,
    United States
  • September 15, 2013 - November 15, 2013
    Online,

Previous Conferences

About the Speaker

Diana West, BA, IBCLC, is a popular international speaker at professional and parenting conferences. She genuinely enjoys speaking to both small and large audiences and has received consistently high scores on evaluation feedback. Her presentations are practical, well-organized, highly informative, and entertaining. She uses high-quality, vivid Powerpoint presentations, providing her own laptop and LCD projector upon request. Having participated in organizing conferences herself, she is highly flexible and empathetic to the pressure and requirements of conference planners. She provides paperwork and responds to communications promptly. She is available to speak in most locations, both in the US and internationally.

Official Bio for Brochure

Diana West is an IBCLC in private practice, co-author of the 8th edition of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk, and Breastfeeding After Breast and Nipple Procedures, and ILCA's Clinician's Breastfeeding Triage Tool.  She is the author of Defining Your Own Success: Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction Surgery.

Bio for Introduction

Diana West is an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) in private practice, co-author with Teresa Pitman and Diane Wiessinger of the 8th edition of La Leche League International's "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding." She is also co-author with Lisa Marasco of "The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk" and Dr. Elliot Hirsch of "Breastfeeding After Breast and Nipple Procedures," and ILCA's "Clinician's Breastfeeding Triage Tool." She is the author of the "Defining Your Own Success: Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction Surgery." She is on the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Clinical Lactation, a La Leche League Leader and the Media Director for La Leche League International, has a bachelor's degree in psychology, and is the administrator of the popular BFAR.org, LowMilkSupply.org, and LactSpeak.com websites. She lives with her three sons and one husband in the picturesque mountains of western New Jersey. 

Presentations

This speaker is pleased to provide presentations on the following topics to professional and parenting conferences. Presentations on other topics may be available upon request and subject to sufficient development lead-time. (For CERP topics, required paperwork will be provided promptly to meet CERP deadlines.)

Breastfeeding After Cosmetic Breast Surgery

90 - 120 minutes
CERP

A comprehensive discussion of breast augmentation and reduction surgeries and their impact upon lactation; discussion of incidence, motivations, surgical techniques, implications for lactation, psychological factors, breastfeeding management, and resources.

This is Diana's hallmark presentation based on her seminal work in this field.

Making More Milk

90 - 120 minutes
CERP

SHORT DESCRIPTION: A discussion of innovative new methods to increase milk production. LONG DESCRIPTION: With new research and innovations in the lactation field, there are now many more ways to increase milk production than in previous years. This talk presents the most promising of these new methods, with information about targeting the method to the underlying problem.

Assessing Milk Production and Milk Intake

75 - 90 minutes
CERP

A detailed discussion of maternal and infant breastfeeding assessment targeted to uncovering causes of low milk production. 

Knipple Knowledge

75 - 90 minutes
CERP

This session explores normal and potentially problematic anatomical nipple variations, nipple surgeries, conditions, and their effects on milk production, milk removal, and direct breastfeeding. Positional modifications and tools to facilitate latch for mothers with nipple variations, conditions, or a history of nipple surgery are discussed.

Helping Millennial Moms Breastfeed

60 - 90 minutes
CERP

A discussion of effective methods to interact with the new generation of breastfeeding mothers, known as "Millennial Moms," who have vastly different needs and communication styles from those who typically counsel them.

Identifying, Assessing, and Treating Infant Tongue Tie

75 - 90 minutes
CERP

A detailed discussion of identification, assessment, and treatment of anterior and posterior variations of infant ankyloglossia.

Helping Breastfeeding Working Mothers

60 - 90 minutes
CERP

A discussion of innovative methods to help mothers who work outside the home continue to breastfeed successfully.

Infant Causes of Low Milk Production

60 - 90 minutes
CERP

A discussion of infant causes for low milk production and treatments that target those causes.

Surprising Causes of Low Milk Production

60 - 90 minutes
CERP

A discussion of newly discovered and lesser known causes of low milk production.

Counseling Mothers About Low Milk Production

60 - 75 minutes
CERP

A discussion of counseling methods that are sensitive to the emotional journey and special needs of mothers who have low milk production.

Overcoming Breastfeeding Ambivalence

60 - 75 minutes
CERP

SHORT DESCRIPTION: A discussion of ways to talk to mothers about breastfeeding that is encouraging and persuasive without coercion. LONG DESCRIPTION: It can be difficult to know how to talk to mothers who are ambivalent about breastfeeding. This talk presents effective communication methods that help mothers explore their concerns and reach a more confident perspective about breastfeeding.

Raising Boys

60 - 90 minutes

A discussion of the ways in which boys differ from girls and how to parent them in a way that helps them develop into their best selves.

Contact Info

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Curriculum Vitae

Books

Diane Wiessinger, Teresa Pitman
July 16, 2010
Lisa Marasco
December 8, 2008
Elliot Hirsch
July 14, 2008
July 13, 2007

Speaking Services

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Nearest Airport: 
EWR

References