About the Owner, Diana West, IBCLC

LactForms has been owned and operated solely by me, Diana West, IBCLC, since 2012. I developed the first versions of many current LactForms as a partner of a New Jersey lactation consultation practice (Mahala Lactation) and kept the intellectual property rights to them when leaving the company. In the decade since then, I've greatly expanded the form offerings, upgraded to many new versions, and am always thinking about ways to make them and this website better.

Why forms? Well, I'm a little weird... I really enjoy making them! I design and develop all the forms myself, with help from my techie sons and other experts as needed. I love the intricacy of lining up the spaces and the challenge of including important info in limited space. I learned how to create professional PDFs with the Adobe's Creative Cloud products. And with my background as an IBCLC in practice for over 20 years, I enjoy thinking through the necessary components of a lactation consultant day-to-day practice and designing better ways to streamline the lactation consultant's charting, billing, and reporting process.

I also enjoy developing websites, so this site andDianaWest.com are entirely my own creations (for better or worse, lol). Feedback and corrections always welcome and appreciated!

As a single mom with grown kids, this business is one of the main sources of my very limited income. Your business is greatly appreciated!

My Professional Background

Breastfeeding my own three children was a deeply rewarding and enriching experience that inspired my passion for helping parents discover the joy and fulfillment of parenthood through breastfeeding. It wasn’t always easy (in fact, sometimes it was pretty tough), but it taught me how to be a better mother in many ways. The power of breastfeeding to positively transform families never ceases to amaze me, and it continues to drive me to help parents in every way possible.

I’m an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) in New Jersey, USA, with twenty years of experience working with breastfeeding parents and babies. I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a certificate in Religious Studies from Meadville Lombard Theological School. I began my career as a La Leche League Leader (volunteer breastfeeding counselor) in 1998, and then became an IBCLC in 2002, recertifying in 2022. I am also a certified childhood sexual education trainer.  

I'm the author of many books (some translated into several other languages), articles, and a seminal research study about trans male birth and lactation experiences. 

                                 

These publications opened the door for invitations to lecture at professional lactation conferences around the world, which was a tremendous opportunity to meet passionate breastfeeding advocates in many countries.

Between 2013-2018, I owned and managed LCinPP (Lactation Consultant in Private Practice) Clinical Day, an annual educational conference in Philadelphia, USA, concentrating on lactation clinical skills. I have been on the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Clinical Lactation and I was a member of the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) and Monetary Investment for Lactation Consultant Certification Board of Directors. I was the Director of Media Relations for La Leche League International for six years. I previously worked as the Inhouse Lactation Consultant for PumpinPal and the Education Coordinator for Breastfeeding Conferences.