The Lactation Institute

Lactation Institute History

Chele Marmet began functioning clinically with breastfeeding dyads in 1968, after the birth of her first child. Extended breastfeeding, for even three months, was extremely rare in the late 1960's to early 1970's. Almost all physicians promoted bottle feeding and had no breastfeeding knowledge. Mother's who needed breastfeeding help from all over the United States found Chele via word of mouth. Providing this clinical help, always pro bono, was Chele's formal breastfeeding education. The more she did, the more she learned. By 1977, Chele was seeing breastfeeding dyads in her home seven days a week, as well as providing lectures/in-services/education to physicians, nurses, and other health related professional groups.
One day in 1977, after providing a full day of in-services at a Los Angeles hospital, she had an epiphone that the world needed a new allied health professional, the lactation consultant(LC). She understood that every hospital worldwide that offered maternity services needed LC's on staff, as well as pediatric offices, health clinics, etc...
The next day, she said to her friend, Ellen Shell, that she had a brilliant idea and Ellen had to do it with her. Now Ellen says she had no idea then that Chele's idea would take the rest of her life.
Chele and Ellen put their heads together to figure out just how to begin creating a new allied health profession worldwide. The Lactation Institute(LI) is an outgrowth of Chele's epiphone and clinical knowledge, plus Ellen's administrative skill. They decided that they would create a role model for the LC profession.
After two years of preparatory work e.g. incorporating as a non-profit corporation(501(c)(3)) and getting malpractice insurance for as yet a non-existent profession, they opened the LI in 1979. The LI's three goals were so well thought out at that formative time that they have never needed updating. They are: 1) To work with mothers and babies who encounter breastfeeding problems.2) To create a master's degree level training program for LC's and as soon as possible, affiliate with a University so that students could become degreed in this new allied health profession.3) To do clinical research that could be shared at large so breastfeeding mothers and babies, as well as health professionals, could benefit from this research.These goals have stood the test of time.
In October 1979, Chele and Ellen began a training program for LC's and simultaneously a breastfeeding clinic for mothers and babies. From 1983 to 1985, they additionally worked with Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena California to create a degree program for LC's. That program was formalized in March of 1985. Because our students came to us from all over the world, we designed our educational program into an intensive format - each class lasting one week in our LI facility plus a semester's worth of other assignments that could be completed from their homes so that it could meet the needs of students near or far. Students could choose to take a single course, several courses, or the full Bachelor's degree or Master's degree. From the beginning and until today, we believe that LC's need an extensive didactic and thorough supervised clinical education.
The LC is trained to act independently in developing a treatment plan for each specific breastfeeding situation while at the same time recognizing that all medical care remains under the attending physician(s). A team approach between physician and LC is needed for the mother and baby to receive optimal care.
Today, the LC profession is recognized worldwide. There are currently, as of January 2024, over 36,000 International Board Certified Lactation Consultants(IBCLC) in over 130 different countries. The Lactation Institute is where it all started.

About the Directors

Chele Marmet, BS, MA, IBCLC (Ret.), FILCA
Director of Education and Clinical Services
Chele conceptualized (1977), originated, and pioneered the professionof lactation consulting. After two years of preparatory work, Chele and Ellenopened the Lactation Institute and Breastfeeding Clinic (1979) in LosAngeles, California, which was created to be the role model for theprofession Chele envisioned. The Lactation Institute provided:1) The first training program worldwide in lactation consulting,2) A high risk referral breastfeeding clinic,3) A wealth of clinical research. From 1983 – 2007, in conjunction with Pacific Oaks College inPasadena, California, Chele and Ellen created (1983 – 1985), administeredand taught (Adjunct Faculty March 1985 – 2007) the first bachelor’s andmaster’s degree programs worldwide with a specialization in lactationconsulting.
From 1983 – 1985, Chele was an instrumental founder of both theInternational Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) — theexamining body for LC’s — and the International Lactation ConsultantAssociation (ILCA) — the professional association for LC’s. Additionally,she served on the ILCA board of directors from 1989-1992. Other organizations Chele participated in founding include the World Alliance forBreastfeeding Action (WABA; 1990), the United States BreastfeedingCommittee (USBC; 1998), and the Breastfeeding Taskforce of Greater LosAngeles (1994; now known as Breastfeed LA). From 1985 – 1997, Chele was the Director/Coordinator of the UCLA Clinical Lactation Program in the Department of Pediatrics. From 1994, for 15 years, she served on the CA Department of Health Services,Breastfeeding Promotion Advisory Committee (BPAC), an advisorycommittee for the state of CA. Chele is an internationally respected speaker, educator, researcher,clinician, and author, in addition to conceptualizing and pioneering thelactation consultant profession.
Ellen P. Shell, B.A., M.A., IBCLC (Ret.)
Director of Administration
Ellen was an instrumental founder and pioneer of the lactation consultant profession. With Chele, she established and directed the Lactation Institute. She created the first training program (1979) and the first degree (BA and MA) programs (1985) for lactation consultants. Past professional positions include: Adjunct Professor, Pacific Oaks College (1985-2007), Professor of Lactation Consulting at the Lactation Institute, and a practicing IBCLC for more than 20 years. From 1989-1995 she was a member and treasurer of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). She is a published author of two books, several book chapters, and peer reviewed journal articles, and has presented lectures at numerous professional conferences. She has been recognized by several organizations for her work on professional ethical standards.

Manual Expression of Breast Milk: The Marmet Technique

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