WBWC is happy to announce Jacquana Smith as its new Director of Lactation. Jacquana brings both her knowledge (degrees in psychology and public health) and her “latched-on personal experience” to Chapel Hill.
A 29-year-old mother of four children — ages 7, 5, 3, 1 — Jacquana has been nursing babies nonstop since her first child was born. “I have literally been lactating since May 2012,” Jacquana said. “I hit seven years nursing this month!” Born in New York City, and raised in a small town in Ohio. Jacquana’s focus on families grew while earning her B.A. degree in psychology at the University of Cincinnati and continued while obtaining a master’s degree in public health. Jacquana’s passion is deeply rooted in research, education, and planning. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), she is passionate about lactation and the need for equality and dismantling systemic issues that prevent babies from access to human milk. She has a passion for fighting for inclusion of all families and dedication to infant feeding and birth justice. Jacquana serves as the Conference Program Coordinator 2020 for the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA). She has served as a La Leche League leader on the USA council, and Director of La Leche League USA Breastfeeding Helpline. Jacquana and her husband, Myrell, met at the sweet age of 16 and enjoy exploring museums, homeschooling, and trying new foods with their four kids, Malia, Olivia, Laila, and Mattias.
Jacquana sees not just WBWC patients, but can see any mom in the community who needs help with breastfeeding support through WBWC’s Mother Infant Lactation Center (MILC). Jacquana is very interested in community building, bridging the gap in outcomes and making sure all families have the support they need to meet their own breastfeeding goals via an evidence-based care approach.
Jacquana is also teaching community educational classes including “Breastfeeding Basics” and “Express Yourself”, a class on pumping and returning to work. She will also be training IBCLC students going through the Mary Rose Tully Training Initiative at UNC.
She wants to increase support and education of those in marginalized and underserved communities, when it comes to human milk feeding. “My aim is to support the bigger initiative to dismantle inequalities and reproductive oppression, so that families can feel empowered to make healthy decisions for themselves and their children.” Jacquana’s public health studies included a focus in maternal and child health. She also completed a practicum analyzing research on experiences around milk-sharing, in collaboration with and expresses much gratitude to Dr. Aunchalee Palmquist, at UNC Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute. Jacquana said being a mother was the biggest reason she was led into the lactation field. “I wouldn’t be where I am without my children,” she said. “The first person I saw nurse was myself. I remember my goal being three weeks [of nursing my first child]. I fought hard in the beginning to figure it out and keep going. Families need help. There needs to be more support for families to feed their babies human milk.”