During the weeks leading up to the 2012 ILCA Conference, we will be highlighting a number of conference speakers.  Watch this space every Friday for more profiles.

Louise Dumas, RN, MSN, PhD

Honorary professor-researcher in Nursing sciences, at the Université du Québec en Outaouais (Western Quebec), Louise has studied in Canada, USA, and Sweden. Most of Louise’s researches have been focused on perinatal practices, breastfeeding, and patient education. As guest researcher at the Karolinska Institutet, she is part of a research team studying Russian swaddling, skin-to-skin and early mother-infant interaction.  Louise has published many articles and book chapters and presented numerous conferences throughout the world. Louise is also lead assessor for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiatives, one of the Canadians at the WHO-BFHI committee for industrialized countries. Louise has received many awards for the excellence of her work at the clinical, administrative, teaching and research levels. Yet, Louise remains a simple and open person, passionate for breastfeeding and Baby-Friendly Initiatives. She is also the proud mother of two adult children and grand-mother of two grand-children aged 3 and 8 years old.

You can hear Dr. Dumas speak on Thursday, July 26 from 2:30-3:30pm in a plenary session entitled “Skin to Skin Care: Safe Transition for All Mothers and Babies”. She will also be giving a concurrent session at both 2:00-3:00pm and 3:30-4:30pm on Friday, July 27th called “Best Practices to Reduce ‘The Stress of Being Born'”.

ILCA looks forward to welcoming Dr. Louise Dumas.