| Diane Wiessinger | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Cornell University |
| Occupation | breastfeeding advocate |
| Years active | 1985 - present |
| Organization(s) | La Leche League International, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant |
| Known for | essay "Watch Your Language!" |
Diane Wiessinger is an American breastfeeding advocate, author and researcher who is known for her essay "Watch your language!", which asserts that breastfeeding is normal, not superior. The term "Wiessingerize" in the circles of breastfeeding advocates means to talk about breastfeeding as the norm to which other forms of nurturing and nourishing children is compared.
Biography
Diane Wiessinger received her Master of Science Degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University in 1978. She married John Wiessinger and has two sons, Eric and Scott.
Career
Diane Wiessinger became a La Leche League Leader in 1985. In 1990 she became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. In 1992 she opened her private lactation consultant practice.
In 1996 Wiessinger wrote her seminal essay "Watch your language!", pioneering research into the language that is used to describe breastfeeding. More than a decade later her astute observations were backed up by academic research.
In her 2010 book with Diana West and Teresa Pitman for La Leche League International, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, 8th edition, Wiessinger, West, and Pitman re-wrote La Leche League International's landmark book about breastfeeding for the new millennial generation.
In her 2014 book with Diana West, Linda J. Smith, and Teresa Pitman for La Leche League International, Sweet Sleep: Nighttime and Naptime Strategies for the Breastfeeding Family, Wiessinger, West, Smith, and Pitman examined the risks and safety of bedsharing for breastfeeding mothers as a strategy to improve breastfeeding outcomes, and provided strategies to make bedsharing safer and easier.
References
- "Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC Ithaca, NY". LactSpeak. Archived from the original on 2013-08-25. Retrieved 2013-08-11.
- La Leche League International (2010). The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 496. ISBN 9780345518446.
- "The World of Latch On: One Leader's Journey". LLLI. Retrieved 2013-08-11.
- Wiessinger, Diane H. (March 1996), "Watch Your Language!", J Hum Lact, 12 (1), Sage Journals: 1–4, doi:10.1177/089033449601200102, PMID 8715226, S2CID 12453800
- Smith, Julie P.; Dunstone, Marc D.; Elliott-Rudder, Megan E. (December 2008), "'Voldemort' and health professional knowledge of breastfeeding – do journal titles and abstracts accurately convey findings on differential health outcomes for formula fed infants?" (PDF), ACERH Working Paper (4), Australian Center for Economic Research on Health, archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-25, retrieved 2011-11-02
- Wiessinger, Diane; West, Diana & Pitman, Teresa (2008). The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, 8th edition. Ballantine Books. ISBN 9780345518453.
- Wiessinger, Diane; West, Diana; Smith, Linda J. & Pitman, Teresa (2014). Sweet Sleep: Nighttime and Naptime Strategies for the Breastfeeding Family. Ballantine Books. ISBN 9780345549914.