Meet Chris Betzold

Introducing Christine M. Betzold NP, MSN, IBCLC...

Her Background...

As an RN Christine spent three years at Vandenberg AFB working in OB, Medical/Surgical, and ICU. Once honorably discharged, she attended the number one ranking school, University of California, San Francisco and received her Master's degree with honors. Her nurse practitioner* certificate was obtained from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. She completed the lactation consultant (breastfeeding) program at University of California, San Diego.

Her philosophy...

Even as a young child, the nurturing and caring profession of nursing appealed to Chris.. As a nurse for over 20 years her work continues to appeal to her as a profession that cares for people from a positive perspective of, "what is normal". She provides holistic health care looking at the person in context with his or her environment, family and culture. Educating her clients about their health remains an important component of her practice. She says, "As a lactation expert, I can think of no other health behavior that is more normal or healthy than breastfeeding a baby. I care very much about my clients. "

Eventually she would like work in a University setting while she completes her training by getting a Doctorate degree in nursing. With this degree, she feels she will be better prepared to do breastfeeding research. With her research, she hopes to improve the quality of care that breastfeeding mothers are recieving.

On the Home front…
Chris is happily married to her husband Blake and is the mother of two boys, Nick and Andrew, and a little girl named, Thea. Her children are the joy of her life. She is currently employed by Cadeceus Medical Group in a role that combiners her careers as both a nurse practitioner and a lactation consultant. In this setting, she is able to provide cutting edge care to breastfeeding dyads.  She is a member of the Orange County Breastfeeding Coalition, which sponsored the grant used to study the program outlined on this website. 

 

*Nurse practitioners in general emphasize promoting healthy behaviors or wellness through education. It differs from the study of medicine, which studies what is abnormal, i.e., diseases and its treatment. Nurse practitioners are trained to treat people with normal illness, as an extension of the nursing role.