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About
Sharon
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Sharon's
personal philosophy is
that childbirth &
breastfeeding
are natural, normal, womanly
functions, and that our bodies
are perfectly designed and very
capable of doing what is required
to
naturally bear and nourish our
children to optimize their health
nurturing and well
being.
Her greatest desire is to assist
women in learning to trust their
bodies
as well as their maternal
instincts in order to attain their
own personal mothering goals.
Sharon's
focus for the past 30+
years has been dedicated towards
the education and support of
women & their families.
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Sharon
Mattes, IBCLC, RLC, LLLL, AAHCC,
has been
a mother and strong breastfeeding advocate for thirty six years. She and
her husband Paul, have been married 40+ years,
and were blessed with three
sons,
beautifully birthed and breastfed, now all grown, and by their sons' fantastic wives, as well as
three wonderful, intelligent, beautiful, and
talented (and breastfed) grandchildren.
The
Mattes family has participated as active members of Peace Lutheran Church in Garland
since their sons were young babies.
Sharon's hobbies include music, reading, movies, nature-walking and traveling with husband Paul.
She
especially enjoys being their #1 fan -
listening to their three grown sons play
and sing in their 6-piece local Dallas
Southern Rock Band, Southbound.
Aron - Ryan - Odin Mattes playing
Addison City Limits 4-07
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Ashley (10), Sadie
(7), Mason
(4)
Grandchildren
4-2005
Paul
and Sharon Mattes - vacation
Chienchen Itza, Cancun
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Sharon's
interest and enthusiasm for breastfeeding began when
she was expecting her first
baby. Her neighbor invited her to attend
their local La Leche League meeting in Richardson.
Hoping to to
avoid some of the more common difficulties and feel prepared
for nursing a baby, she rode along with several expectant mothers.
She found that the La Leche League group
/ meeting
offered all the information and support that she could hope for.
An unexpected bonus was the warm friendships she developed with her peers.
This was a caring group of women who shared a gentle, open, respectful
and responsive
approach to breastfeeding and child rearing. |
Some
group members & Leaders of the Garland La Leche League
Accredited
by La Leche League International as
a Volunteer Group Leader
and Counselor in 1973, Sharon served 7 years on LLL of Texas Area Council
as District Advisor for Group Leaders, Assistant
Coordinator of Leader Applicants,
as well as 4 terms as Dallas Area Chapter Leader. She
remains active with TX
Council Area, and as a Group Leader with the Garland Area La Leche League.
Sharon continues to be well-known locally as a valuable
resource to the
thousands of area moms who have sought her advice on breastfeeding
and
good mothering in her capacity as a volunteer counselor, in addition to her work
as a Prenatal Childbirth / Parenting
Educator & a Lactation Consultant.
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Sharon has taught for the last 12 years classes in The Bradley Method®
of Natural Childbirth, Prenatal classes on Parenting the Newborn & Breastfeeding.
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Since becoming an Accredited and Affiliated, Childbirth Instructor in 1997
for The
Bradley® Method of Husband Coached Childbirth
(AAHCC)
Sharon has taught over 500 couples seeking both
prenatal childbirth
classes and prenatal parent education.
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Presenting
In-service programs
for local hospital staff services and student health care
professionals is one of Sharon's favorite pastimes. She feels this 'calling' to
share her knowledge on current breastfeeding techniques with professionals, and
health
caregivers as well as lay
breastfeeding helpers. Curricula include programs
presented as a speaker for WIC / La Leche League Workshops and Conferences,
DONA
approved
Doula Training Trainings,
Pediatric rotations for Parker College
of Chiropractic Medicine, and The
Association of Texas Midwives' at their Annual Midwifery Conference.
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Sharon
maintains membership in the following organizations:
ILCA
(International Lactation Consultants Association)
DLCA (Dallas Lactation
Consultants Association)
USLCA (United States Lactation Consultant Association)
LLLI (La Leche League International)
AAHCC
(American Academy of Husband Coached Childbirth)
ICEA (International
Childbirth Education Association)
LAMAZE (Lamaze International)
CERC (Childbirth Educators Resource
Council of Dallas)
ATM (Association of Texas Midwives)
DONA (Doulas of North America)
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updated 5-2010
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