GOLD Speakers

Sonya Boersma, BN, MScN, RN, IBCLC

• Country: Canada

Biography:

Sonya has supported new families for over 25 years. She runs a busy, independent practice, Lactation Care (Canada), supporting parents with infant feeding, and delivering breastfeeding workshops for professionals.

Sonya has a broad range of experiences supporting healthcare professionals to provide evidence-based care. As a provincial Health Promotion Consultant, Sonya assisted health care organizations to implement the WHO’s Baby-Friendly Initiative, coordinated development of provincial breastfeeding protocols including Informed Decision Making: Infant Feeding, and led the creation of widely used resources such as Infant Formula, What You Need to Know, adapted in four provinces. She facilitated numerous workshops all around the province of Ontario, strengthening the skills and confidence of healthcare providers.

As an RN/IBCLC, Sonya’s career spans the whole peri-natal continuum from major urban centers to the far north, from publicly funded to independent practice. Her experiences range from serving as a birth doula, to teaching residents and physicians about breastfeeding, with ongoing care for clients throughout. On her website, she offers free resources available for parents and professionals, such as a swaddling resource for parents and its companion for professionals.

In her spare time, she’s likely with family in Ottawa, or outside hiking, cycling, gardening, or cross-country skiing.