History of the Coastal Bend Breastfeeding Coalition
The Coastal Bend Breastfeeding Coalition (CBBC) came in to existence by the inspiration of the late Eutie Burnett, RN, CLC and the former director of Driscoll Children’s Hospital WIC program, Monica Stender, RD, LD. From the first meeting in April of 1998 with a consensus of five members to 2008 with a contact list of over 50 participants, the Coastal Bend Breastfeeding Coalition continues to thrive. Current representation includes members from the La Leche League of Corpus Christi, the health department, all local hospitals with maternity services, local WIC offices, the pediatric residency program at Driscoll Children’s Hospital, both nursing education programs, local pediatricians and obstetricians and the Navy Relief Society.
Initial goals were public, professional and patient education, promotion of mother-friendly worksites and Baby-Friendly hospitals, and continuing education. Dr. Thomas Hale, Dr. Marianne Neifert (AKA “Dr. Mom”), and Dr. Pamela Berens, all national experts on breastfeeding, have been sponsored to provide continuing education for health professionals and the community. Providing hospital staff education in lactation management has always been a high priority for the Coastal Bend Breastfeeding Coalition.
Over the past ten years, CBBC has become the community’s voice and presence for breastfeeding advocacy, promotion, and support. With diverse methods and strategies, we have forwarded the simple assertion that all babies deserve their mother’s milk and all families deserve the support to be successful in their choice of breastfeeding as the optimum method of infant feeding.
CBBC List of Officers 2008
President: Sara Carrión, MS, RD, CSP, LD, CLC
Didactic Program Director/Instructor Human Nutrition
Human Sciences Department
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
sara.carrion@tamuk.edu
Office (361) 593-2205
Vice President: Patricia Olenick, RNC, CNM, PhD
Nurse Midwife, Coastal Bend Women’s Center, Corpus Christi, TX
Assistant Clinical Professor, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, TX
Cell (361) 779-4722
Treasurer: Nancy Graves, La Leche League Leader
Home (361) 985-0359
Secretary: Aislynn Campbell, Doula in private practice
Cell (361) 548-3373
Click here to view our by laws.