Linda Kubick is a lactation consultant at the Huntley Hospital. I met Linda just a week or so after I gave birth to my first child in December 2016. I was having a lot of issues with breastfeeding, so I attended the Wednesday night support group at the Huntley Hospital. From the moment I walked into the room, I felt welcomed and supported. Linda was incredibly helpful and supportive as I worked through my breastfeeding journey. At one point, I needed to supplement with formula and I mentioned this to Linda. She reassured me that I needed to do whatever possible to feed my baby and if that meant that I had to use formula, then so be it. In the world of breastfeeding, this is a very sensitive subject. Linda didn't judge me for a second, which was exactly what I needed. I needed her support and she gave that to me, 100%. I regularly attended her support group for the first three months of my daughter's life.
Fast forward to April 2018. I had another baby and I wanted to keep track of his weight gain, so I attended the Wednesday night group and to my surprise, Linda was still running the group. When I walked in, Linda gave me a huge hug and asked how my daughter was (by her name). I was so surprised that she remembered me and my daughter. We hadn't been to the group in 8 months. She was genuinely happy to ask about my daughter and to meet my son. This is the core reason that I think Linda is deserving of recognition. I really felt that she was there to help and support me and every other mom who was in that room. She remembers the women who attend her group and makes personal connections with each mom. Breastfeeding can be very stressful, especially for a new mom. Linda eased that stress for me. I knew that I could ask her anything and she would help me, without judgment or hesitation.