Breastfeeding: Turning the Tide New Zealand

Bridget Ingle is a Lactation Consultant of 23 years working in private practice in Brisbane. She has a background in paediatric nursing, midwifery and as a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor with ABA before her certification as an IBCLC in 1992. Bridget has worked continually in the field of breastfeeding, lactation support and education since then and has completed orofacial myology study. Bridget has considerable experience and special interest in all causes of suck anomalies, at-breast feeding line use, and cleft lip/palate. Bridget is co-founder of ASTLiT. 

Nils Bergman’s primary professional interest revolves around Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), and the underlying perinatal and developmental neuroscience. His diverse background explains his broader public health approach to supporting and promoting the global dissemination of maternal-infant skin-to-skin contact. With Midwife Agneta Jurisoo, Nils developed and implemented KMC for premature infants right from birth, with dramatic improvement in survival of premature babies.

He continues researching this and has given keynote addresses on KMC at International conferences in six continents. He has a diploma in Child Health, a masters degree in Public Health, and a Doctoral degree in Clinical Pharmacology.

Jill Bergman holds a degree in Geography and English and a higher diploma in Education. She has worked as a teacher, missionary, counselor, guider and youth leader, in three cultures and using three languages. Nevertheless, her top priority is her family, and three children. All along she has been working with Dr Nils Bergman on Kangaroo mother care and has written a book – “hold your prem” a workbook for skin to skin contact for parents of premature babies, as well as scripted and produced four films on KMC.

Dr. Alison Stuebe is Associate Professor of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine. She has published multiple peer-reviewed articles on the association between lactation and long-term maternal health outcomes. Her current research includes the clinical management of breastfeeding difficulties and the role of oxytocin in women’s health. In the clinical arena she serves as Medical Director of Lactation Services for UNC Healthcare, where she leads an interdisciplinary team of UNC clinicians that is developing new approaches to management of breastfeeding difficulties. Dr. Stuebe is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology Committee on Obstetric Practice, chairs the External Communications Committee of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and is a member of the board of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. She has been American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology certified since 2010.

William Sears, one of America’s most renowned paediatricians, is the father of eight children, author of over 40 books on childcare and Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine.

A paediatrician for over 35 years, Dr. Sears received his paediatric training at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital in Boston and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the largest children’s hospital in the world, where he served as Associate Ward Chief of the newborn nursery and Associate Professor of Pediatrics. In addition to writing many books and scientific articles, Dr. Sears is a medical and parenting consultant to Baby Talk and Parenting Magazines. Dr. Sears is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and a fellow of the Royal College of Pediatricians.