I nominate Rebecca Swanson for her exceptional dedication as a Lactation Consultant at the Swedish Ballard Childbirth Center. Rebecca was a labor/delivery and postpartum nurse at Swedish for 10 years and then became an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She has been one of our lactation nurses for the past 15 months and has proven instrumental in helping families feel confident about feeding their newborn.

Breastfeeding is one of the most stressful parts of having a newborn and Rebecca is skilled at alleviating the anxiety surrounding breastfeeding. She makes individualized feeding plans for families, offers evidence based information in an encouraging, positive cheerleader for new parents.

Rebecca comes to work very early (6am) in an effort to help those moms that may be getting discharged in the morning get extra lactation support when they need it. Rebecca always goes above and beyond - visiting patients many times throughout a day, spending extra time finding specific resources for patients, or calling patients to check in with them.

Rebecca partners with nurses and providers to ensure that her lactation care supports the plan of care for patients. She is excited about sharing information and education with her colleagues and inspires us be better nurses. She is extremely passionate about doing what is best for newborns and families.