Specialized Care with a Home Town Feel: Dani Gilligan, LPN-CLC
Dani Gilligan, LPN-CLC
The reason Dani Gilligan, LPN-CLC decided to become an LPN, she said, was because she wanted to help patients any way she could. Then, she was present at her best friend’s delivery of her newborn, and Gilligan said she knew that she wanted to be there for mothers to help in both the good and bad times.
Gilligan has worked at Gothenburg Health for the past seven years. In August 2019, she decided to take the extra step to become a Certified Lactation Counsellor (CLC) through the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP). She said that she travelled to Texas for week-long classes and training. At the end of that time, Gilligan took the test. “It was a little nerve wracking because it was so much information to digest,” she said, but she was able to pass it on the first try.
As a CLC, Gilligan said she provides support and teaching to moms and spouses about nursing and lactation before and after delivery. “Many people assume that it is supposed to be easy since it is a natural way to give your baby exactly what he/she needs, but it is not always easy, especially at the start. That is where I can provide support and guidance,” she said.
Gilligan was a young mom once herself, but she said she had a good support system. When asked why she decided to become a CLC, she said, “I have been with patients before and after they have given birth. I’ve seen their struggles and thought it would be good for them to have someone to call.”
While Gilligan is required to get 18 credit hours of continuing education every two years, she said her ultimate goal is to become International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). She is required to have a minimum of 500 hours of directly supervised lactation-specific, clinical practice before taking the exam.
Gilligan lives in Gothenburg with her husband of 19 years, Tyler, and her four children: Jaycee (20), Kaleigh (18), McKena (14) and Maddox (12). She said she enjoys being able to work in town and have the flexibility to tend to her children’s need and attend their events.
