Camie Goldhammer

Camie Goldhammer, the country’s leading Native American expert on breastfeeding, will be speaking in Wisconsin as part of Great Lakes Intertribal Council’s “Breastfeeding: The Traditional Way” Program, sponsored by W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The goal of the program is to improve breastfeeding duration rates for tribal communities in Wisconsin by normalizing breastfeeding as the traditional and natural way to nourish and nurture our young.

Two speaking events will take place in Wisconsin. On Thursday, June 15 from noon to 3 PM, Camie will speak at Ho-Chunk Gaming, Wisconsin Dells. She will provide a special event for professionals from 10-noon on June 16 at the Lake of the Torches Casino. This will be followed by an event that is open to any interested community members, from 1-3 PM. All events are free of charge.

Camie will address “The Cultural Aspects of Breastfeeding”. Some topics will include:

• Sacred Teachings: Understanding Self Care in Tribal Communities
• Reforming Breastfeeding Education to Serve the Needs of American Indian Populations
• Breastfeeding as Food Sovereignty
• Supporting Vulnerable Mothers
• Breastfeeding Friendly Communities
• Family Support and Self Care through Sacred Teachings
  

Camie is a social worker and Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) from the Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribe in the State of South Dakota. She founded the Native Breastfeeding Coalition of Washington, is an active member in both the Native America Women’s Dialogue on Infant Mortality and the Equal Start Community Coalition. Camie’s expertise is in historical and complex traumas and their impact on attachment, bonding and parenting practices among American Indian and Alaska Native families. Her experience includes nursing both of her daughters and donating over 7000 ounces of breastmilk over the last 5 years to milk banks serving infants and families in need.

The following sponsors contributed to the funding for this program: Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, Northwoods Breastfeeding Coalition, Lake of the Torches Casino, and Ho-Chunk Nation Gaming-Wisconsin Dells.

For information, please contact Jennifer Ledferd at 715-588-1091 or jledferd@glitc.org