FAQs

You have questions — here are the answers. Whether you're a lactation professional looking for education and community, an event organizer interested in booking a speaker, a family searching for trustworthy breastfeeding information, or just curious about my work — this page is for you.

 

If you don't find what you're looking for here, you're always welcome to reach out directly at Christine@EvolveLactation.org.

Who is Christine Staricka? 

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Christine Staricka is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with 25 years of clinical experience. She is the creator of The First 100 Hours® lactation framework, the host of the Evolve Lactation Podcast and Evolve Lactation Media, the author of Evolving the Modern Breastfeeding Experience: Holistic Lactation Care in the First 100 Hours, and the Director of Baby Café Bakersfield. She is a speaker and educator whose work focuses on evidence-based, ethically-grounded lactation care for professionals and families alike.

What does IBCLC mean? 

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The First 100 Hours® is a lactation care framework developed by Christine Staricka that reframes how clinicians approach early breastfeeding support. Rather than defaulting to products and interventions, The First 100 Hours® prioritizes physiology, process, and confidence — giving families the best possible start and giving clinicians a consistent, evidence-based approach to early lactation care. The framework is described in detail in Christine's book and is a recurring focus of her speaking and educational work.

What is The First 100 Hours® framework? 

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IBCLC stands for International Board Certified Lactation Consultant — the gold standard credential in lactation care. IBCLCs complete extensive clinical training hours, pass a rigorous international board examination, and are required to maintain their certification through ongoing continuing education. It is the highest level of professional lactation credential available worldwide.

Where is Christine based? 

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Christine is based in Madera, California, and is available for both in-person and virtual speaking engagements, presentations, and events nationally and internationally.

All About Evolve Lactation Media

  • Evolve Lactation Media is Christine Staricka's independent media platform for lactation care providers. It is published on Substack and includes Practice Notes (daily short-form clinical reflections available to paid subscribers), in-depth articles on lactation science and professional ethics, podcast episodes in audio and video format, and accessible research commentary. Evolve Lactation Media does not accept sponsorships from formula companies, pump companies, or any other industry partners — editorial independence is a core, non-negotiable value of the platform.

  • Evolve Lactation Media is designed primarily for lactation care providers — including practicing IBCLCs, aspiring lactation consultants, nurses, midwives, doulas, and other perinatal health professionals who work with breastfeeding families. Many of the resources, particularly free articles and podcast episodes, are also valuable for families who want to understand breastfeeding from a physiologically grounded perspective.

  • Lactation Practice Notes are short daily reflections written by Christine Staricka for lactation care providers. Each one focuses on a clinical scenario, a research finding, an ethical question, or a practical insight from the field — written to help you think more deeply about your work in just a few minutes a day. Lactation Practice Notes are available to paid subscribers of Evolve Lactation Media on Substack.

  • Yes. Evolve Lactation Media offers both free and paid subscription tiers on Substack. Free subscribers receive access to in-depth articles, podcast episodes, and selected content. Paid subscribers additionally receive Lactation Practice Notes every week. You can subscribe for free at any time and upgrade if you find the content valuable.

  • Conflicts of interest between the lactation products industry and lactation education are a serious and under-addressed problem in the field. Formula companies and pump manufacturers have long used sponsorships, partnerships, and promotional relationships with educators and clinicians to influence practice and normalize product-centered care. Evolve Lactation Media was built as an explicitly independent alternative — a place where education and commentary can happen without industry influence shaping the content. That independence is the foundation of everything published here.

  • Several things set Evolve Lactation Media apart: editorial independence (no formula or pump company sponsorships), a focus on physiology and process over products, daily engagement through Lactation Practice Notes rather than occasional content drops, and a commitment to integrating public health context alongside clinical practice. Christine's 25 years of clinical experience and her background in advocacy and professional ethics also shape a perspective that is harder to find in more commercially oriented lactation education spaces.

FAQs about the Book

What is Evolving the Modern Breastfeeding Experience about?

Evolving the Modern Breastfeeding Experience: Holistic Lactation Care in the First 100 Hours is Christine Staricka's book for lactation care providers and the healthcare professionals who work alongside them. It introduces The First 100 Hours® framework and makes the case for a physiologically grounded, process-centered approach to early lactation support — one that restores confidence in breastfeeding as both important and achievable, rather than defaulting to the product-focused and intervention-heavy approaches that have become too common in hospital and clinical settings.

Who should read this book?

The book is written primarily for lactation care providers — IBCLCs, nurses, midwives, and others who support breastfeeding families professionally. It is also valuable for aspiring lactation consultants who want to develop a strong clinical and philosophical foundation before entering practice. Families who want a deeper understanding of the physiology and principles behind good lactation care may also find it illuminating.

Where can I buy the book?

The book is available in multiple formats, including eBooks, at https://a.co/d/iVk2tBM

Speaking

Is Christine Staricka available for speaking engagements? 

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Yes. Christine is available for keynote presentations, breakout sessions, workshops, and virtual presentations at lactation conferences, healthcare continuing education events, hospital and clinical training programs, and professional association events. She speaks nationally and internationally.

What topics does Christine speak on? 

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Christine's speaking topics include: The First 100 Hours® early lactation framework; the WHO Code and digital marketing ethics for lactation professionals; NICU lactation support; conflicts of interest and ethics in lactation practice; oral function and infant feeding; breast biology and milk production across the lifespan; and prenatal preparation in Baby Friendly Hospital settings. Custom presentations can also be developed for specific audiences or event needs.

How do I book Christine to speak at my event? 

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To inquire about speaking availability, please reach out at Christine@EvolveLactation.org. Include your event name, date, format (in-person or virtual), expected audience size and type, and any specific topics or learning objectives you have in mind. Christine will respond to all inquiries..

Does Christine offer continuing education credit for her presentations? 

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This varies by event and format. Please include any CE requirements in your inquiry and Christine will work with you to determine what is possible for your specific event.

For Parents & Families

  • Christine's work is focused primarily on educating and supporting lactation care providers — the clinicians and professionals who help families like yours. If you're looking for direct clinical support, the best first step is to find a local IBCLC or reach out to your healthcare provider. That said, Evolve Lactation Media on Substack includes free content — articles and podcast episodes — that may help you understand breastfeeding more deeply and advocate for better support. You're always welcome here.

  • The International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) maintains a directory of IBCLCs at ilca.org. You can also search for Baby Café locations in your area for free, walk-in IBCLC support.