Liz Maseth has been a nurse for 46 years. She currently serves as the nurse program coordinator for the lactation team at Akron Children’s.
When Liz Maseth joined Akron Children’s in 2007 as the outpatient lactation consultant in Maternal Fetal Medicine, she was no stranger to nursing. With a career spanning 46 years, Liz has experience working in labor and delivery, NICU, Special Care Nursery, ICU, ER, home care and as a float.
Although she was brought on to provide lactation care in the organization’s NICUs and Special Care Nurseries, her role has evolved into the nurse program coordinator of the lactation team at Akron Children’s.
“I have nurses who are international board certified lactation consultants (IBCLC) working with our team to provide support for our mothers who desire to provide breast milk for their babies,” said Liz. “Many of these mothers are medically fragile and need support while they are walking through a NICU journey. We support mothers by building relationships and providing a sounding board for their concerns.”
Liz provides outpatient education and support for expectant and post-partum moms. Some of that support and education includes helping moms establish a milk supply, use a breast pump, and adjust feeding positions to help babies latch onto the breast.
In addition to her program coordinator role, Liz also provides outpatient education and support for expectant and post-partum moms. Some of that support and education includes helping moms establish a milk supply; use a breast pump; adjust feeding positions to help babies latch onto the breast; breastfeed twins or triplets; breastfeed a premature or special needs baby; and manage nutritional needs to ensure babies are growing and gaining weight.
Liz is chair of the Breastfeeding Quality Improvement Project and the Greater Akron Breastfeeding Coalition. She is past president of the Ohio Lactation Consultants Association, serving on the Ohio Breastfeeding Alliance as part of the United States Breastfeeding Committee.
“I chose this branch of nursing because of the research showing the benefits of human milk for the baby and mother. The field of lactation research is a newer science and continues to grow,” said Liz. “I’m a lifelong learner and want to provide education to mothers and families so they can make an informed choice about their feeding decisions.”
Liz chose this branch of nursing because of the research showing the many positive benefits breastfeeding provides to both the baby and mother.
Liz works with mothers with medically complicated pregnancies and mothers whose babies may need to be admitted to the NICU after they are born. Her outpatient practice includes mothers who desire to pump exclusively and may have issues with maternal milk supply or moms and babies having issues with breastfeeding,
“Human milk is an ever-changing living substance that not only benefits the baby but provides long-term health benefits to mothers as well,” Liz said.
As a mother of 6 and grandmother of 10, Liz has lots of personal experience caring for babies.
“I have worked with the most amazing mothers throughout my career. It’s been an honor to help support them as they learn to be mothers and guide them through their NICU and/or post-partum journey,” she said.
Akron Children’s lactation team has won the International Board of Lactation Education award and International Lactation Consultants Association international award.
Interested in pursuing your lactation certification? Visit IBLCE to to learn more. To learn more about nursing careers at Akron Children’s, visit careers.akronchildrens.org to learn more.
