Be the Change - Susan Spencer, Redding

For many women, having a baby brings with it more joy, emotion and exhaustion than they could possibly be prepared for. When the going gets rough, new mothers need large doses of support and encouragement. Over the past 30 years, hundreds of new moms have found Susan Spencer's shoulder a very comforting place to lean on.

As the founder and supervisor of the Breastfeeding Support Center in Redding, Susan helps new mothers get past the first difficult days of parenthood, and continues offering support as the families grow.
"My passion for doing my job comes first from my own experience as a mother. I lived far from my own family and found little support as a new mother, leaving me to feel lonely and overwhelmed," says Susan. A later experience with a co-worker, whose significant other dropped her off at the hospital when she went into labor with instructions to "call when it's over," really ignited Susan's desire to help new mothers.

"I was heartbroken that she experienced labor and the birth of her child without any support," she explains. Susan trained to become a doula (labor support person), and has since attended many births, focusing on giving each mother the support she deserves.

Susan says that after attending the birth of her best friends' child, she decided to become a childbirth educator to "inform women of the many choices they had, but no one told them about." Her specialty is empowering women to take charge of this very important time in their lives. "My professional mission is to provide every mother with the loving support, encouragement and information to be the best mother she can be. My personal mission is to honor God in everything I do," she says.

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments,
but what is woven into the lives of others. –Pericles

Susan started her career as a volunteer for the WIC program in Mendocino County in 1979, working her way up to program manager. After a long absence, Susan returned to her hometown of Redding in 1993, and started as a volunteer with Shasta County WIC. She finished her college education, then took on the challenge of becoming an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. "Many people discouraged me from the challenge because I was not a nurse. I had no desire to become a nurse...I wanted to help women be successful at breastfeeding," she says. After a year of intense study, Susan passed the board exam and earned her IBCLC credential.

When Susan initially came up with the idea of opening a Breastfeeding Support Center, she knew it would require a substantial amount of money to make it happen. After much prayer and thought, she drew up the plans. Not long after, Susan met with Muffy Berryhill of First 5 Shasta, explained her ideas and hoped for the best. With the help of the Breastfeeding Coalition, a successful grant was written which led to the opening of the Breastfeeding Support Center in 2002.

Today, in addition to breastfeeding help at the center, new parents can find childbirth and infant massage classes, friendship and play groups, a parenting resources lending library, and a baby clothing trading station. The center also offers baby sling loans, breast pump rentals, referrals, a place to feed, weigh and play with your baby, and more.

Susan credits her own mother, who successfully raised seven children to adulthood, as her biggest inspiration. She also gives thanks to her former supervisor Carolyn Nathan, who continually encouraged her to follow her dreams and to continue her schooling.

Susan's biggest wish for the world: "That everyone would stop, take a breath, and understand that ‘this' is not all there is." In order to take care of herself, Susan makes sure she takes time to enjoy listening to uplifting speakers. She also loves movies and reading, and is busy training her new dog Dexter.

As her dream grows, Susan reflects, "I feel more passionate about helping moms today than I did ten years ago." With new mothers being born every day, the need for volunteers to help is growing as well. The center offers free volunteer breastfeeding peer counselor trainings; the next one is being held the weekend of March 14th & 15th.

For more information about the Breastfeeding Support Center or about volunteering at the center, call (530) 245-6466 or stop by 1220 Sacramento St. in Redding.

Writer Pamela Jorrick enjoys finding inspiration in the beautiful people and places around Northern California.