2015 Speakers & Topics
Amy Barron Smolinski holds an MA from Union Institute and University, where her thesis explored re-emerging Sacred Feminine manifestations in the lives of contemporary women. Amy’s volunteer work as a Certified Lactation Counselor and community activist for breastfeeding mothers and babies have shown her how each mother’s breastfeeding journey with each of her children is a reclamation of her connection to her inner wisdom and power as a woman and a mother. Amy is an actress, director, and audio book narrator, and she teaches theatre classes to children in the U.S. Military community in Germany, where she resides with her husband and four sons, the youngest of whom is still breastfeeding.
Tamra Heald holds a BS in Christian Ministry from Hope International University and spent two years working at Wilshire Ave. Community Church as the Director of Children’s Ministries, serving families and children from birth through sixth grade. After the birth of her first child, Tamra became passionate about supporting families in a different way; through encouragement and mentorship of new mothers and their families to help reach their breastfeeding goals. Currently, Tamra is the Program Director for Mom2Mom KMC, a secular breastfeeding support and advocacy group that serves the large U.S. Military community stationed overseas in Germany. She enjoys exploring Europe with her husband and two children, the youngest of whom is still nursing.
Research has established that peer support is the most effective support for breastfeeding mothers. Mom2Mom KMC is a breastfeeding peer support group for families stationed overseas in the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) in Germany. Our vision is for a community-wide culture where breastfeeding is the normal and accepted way to nourish and nurture human babies. Over the past four years, Mom2Mom KMC has made great progress toward that culture change through a comprehensive grassroots effort of peer mentoring, online and social media presence, and forging partnerships with the medical facilities, lactation professionals, and other community resource organizations in the KMC. Breastfeeding mothers in the KMC have access to trained lactation professionals and peer support 24 hours a day through a closed Facebook group, weekly Breastfeeding Cafes, and trained peer mentors. Lactation professionals are rigorous in ensuring that the information offered is accurate and supported by evidence-based research. Mom2Mom KMC hosts an annual CLC training, and maintains a database of community lactation professionals willing to help mothers with complex breastfeeding issues. In addition, the organization works with community resources and local medical facilities to advocate for policies that follow best practices for breastfeeding support. Mom2Mom KMC is an entirely self-sustaining, volunteer-run organization, operating on a small budget; all services are provided free of charge. This presentation will offer a template for building a seamless network of support for breastfeeding families in any community, with a special emphasis on the specific needs of military families.
Asti Praborini, MD, Pediatrician, IBCLC has 25 years of experience as a pediatrician, which has convinced her that nothing is more important and valuable than breastfeeding for both mother and baby. As a national speaker, she continues the campaign promoting the benefits of breastfeeding, despite formula marketing that is pervasive in the country. She established the first hospital-based lactation team in Indonesia that works ultimately to help mothers breastfeed their babies, and now leads three lactation teams in different hospitals. She is practicing frenotomy for anterior as well as posterior tongue tie and lip tie, established her own method for hospitalization of nipple confusion, supplementation, adoptive nursing, and many others. She also devoted her time to give pro bono service to the poor in the pediatric clinic of LKC Dompet Dhuafa and received the LKC award in 2011. She is now the chairwoman of the Indonesian International Lactation Consultant Association.
Optimal breastfeeding is at the top of the list of effective preventive interventions for child survival. Unfortunately, bottle feeding with formula, which is inferior to breastmilk, has contributed to lower breastfeeding rates. Initial exposure to bottle feeding can lead to nipple confusion. Hospitalization for nipple confusion is a method to restore healthy breastfeeding. This program has helped many mothers and babies achieve a happy and healthy breastfeeding relationship. Mothers and babies, who come into our Lactation Clinic and complain of breast rejection, are advised to be hospitalized. In hospital they practice skin to skin, and if indicated, frenotomy for tongue tie or lip tie will be done after parents consent. Counselors visit mother and baby to help them have a good latch. Supplementation is done via lactation aid, and galactogogues, and acupuncture help mothers to restore their milk supply. Both mother and baby are discharged from the hospital after the baby has established a good latch. In our clinics, there were 58 cases of nipple confusion between January – December 2012, 53 cases (91.4%) led to successful breastfeeding.
Barbara Morrison, PhD, CNM is an associate professor in the Janice M. Riordan Distinguished Professorship in Maternal Child Health at Wichita State University School of Nursing, Wichita, KS, USA. Dr. Morrison’s mission is to advocate, educate and inspire health care reform to enhance physiologically and ecologically appropriate care for the mother-newborn dyads especially as it relates to establishing breastfeeding, frequent Kangaroo Care (KC) and holding, and optimal attachment. Dr. Morrison’s research interests include the impact of breastfeeding and KC on psycho-neuro-endocrine development of newborns and parents, and implementing best evidence-based breastfeeding and attachment practices in hospital birthing and postpartum units and in the community. Dr. Morrison shares her research and passions through presentations, writings, radio shows and her website www.DrBarbCNM.com.
Most of the lactation text books have a paragraph on the Prolactin Receptor Theory suggesting that after delivery of the placenta prolactin levels increase as progesterone levels decrease. The prolactin is then captured by the prolactin receptor triggering a jak-stat5 translation process within a lactotroph creating a component of breastmilk. Unfortunately, explanations of the Prolactin Receptor Theory rarely address the up-regulation of prolactin receptors, the impact of oxytocin on prolactin release, nor the impact of skin-to-skin care and frequent breastfeeding during the first several postpartum day on prolactin release and up-regulation of prolactin receptors. This presentation will expand the Prolactin Receptor Theory and discuss postpartum care and practices to promote earlier lactogenesis II and increased milk volume.
Bethany Sasaki is an advanced practice nurse, lactation consultant and the co-founder of Midtown Lactation Consultants (MiLC). Her nursing background includes pediatrics, women’s health, emergency/trauma nursing and clinical research. She is currently completing the nurse midwifery program at Frontier Nursing University. She plans to continue conducting breastfeeding research focusing on nipple wounds and breast infections. Bethany and her husband Brent live in Sacramento California, USA with their 5 year old son named Leo and 3 year old daughter named Piper.
Background: Use of lanolin has become a cultural norm while the evidence is conflicting on its safety and efficacy. Little to no evidence is available on the relationship between lanolin and infection.
Methods: This is a feasibility study, using case control retrospective chart review, examining lanolin use and the development signs and symptoms of nipple or breast infection in breastfeeding mothers with nipple pain. Fungal infection versus bacterial infection was suspected according to the corresponding effective treatment.
Results: Lanolin users were suspected to have a 62% infection rate, as compared to non-lanolin users at 18%, odds ratio 7.5 (2.4-23.4). Though not significant, fungal infection may have been more frequent than bacterial infection based on effective corresponding treatment.
Conclusion: A randomized control trial is called for to determine if frequent lanolin use increases the risk of nipple or breast infection.
Dr. Pound is a Clinical Investigator at the CHEO Research Institute, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Ottawa, and the Resident Research Coordinator for the Pediatric Residency Program at the University of Ottawa. She is a specialist in the field of Consulting Pediatrics and has presented at national meetings, and published in the area of breastfeeding, and has authored a position statement on breastfeeding for the Canadian Pediatric Society.
Canadian physicians are ill-equipped to support breastfeeding mothers as their confidence, attitudes and knowledge are known to be suboptimal. We developed, delivered, and evaluated a combination of continuing professional development (CPD) activities targeting specific gaps uncovered in our previous Canadian physicians’ breastfeeding assessment, with the ultimate goal of encouraging participants to integrate new skills and knowledge in their practice. Methods We developed and delivered an interactive workshop to facilitate physicians’ ability to support patients’ breastfeeding practices. We distributed communication tools to improve information retention. We performed phone outreach 4 to 8 weeks post workshop to reinforce take-home messages, gather information on implementation of breastfeeding support practices taught at the workshop, and to gather information on physicians’ current perceptions and practices. Participation, satisfaction with the CPD activities and learning were tracked through questionnaires and follow-up phone outreach. We aimed to recruit 30 to 40 physicians but recruited 7. Results Workshop participation increased participants’ confidence in breastfeeding counseling skills, improved their knowledge, and was associated with a desire to change clinical practice. The workshop was rated as relevant, interesting, effective, and helpful. Conclusion Physician recruitment was much more difficult than anticipated, and a large selection bias was inevitable as only physicians with a keen interest in learning about breastfeeding participated in the study. However, our participants rated the intervention very positively. Given the difficulty in recruitment, a more feasible approach needs to be adapted and evaluated. In future, we will target the intervention at residency level.
Cathy Carothers is co-director of Every Mother, a non-profit organization providing lactation training for health professionals. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 1996, she has provided more than 600 training events and conference presentations in every U.S. state/territory and several countries. She is past president of the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA), a fellow of ILCA, and past chair of the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee. She chairs the design team for the equity initiative in the lactation consultant profession, and chairs the Monetary Investment for Lactation Consultant Certification (MILCC), which works to reduce financial barriers to the IBCLC exam. She has directed several national breastfeeding promotion and support initiatives for the U.S. federal government, including the national USDA WIC peer counseling program, and national workplace support initiatives through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She was honored with the 2014 National Leadership Award from the National WIC Association.
Sherry L. Payne has a bachelors of nursing and a masters in nursing education from Research College of Nursing in Kansas City, MO. She is a midwifery student and is pursuing doctoral studies in nursing education with Walden University. She is a lactation consultant and a certified nurse educator. Upon completion of her midwifery studies, she plans to open an urban prenatal clinic and birth center. Ms. Payne founded Uzazi Village, a nonprofit dedicated to decreasing health disparites in the urban core. She owns Perinatal ReSource an education, training and consulting firm. She is an editor for Clinical Lactation Journal, and sits on the board of the National Association of Professional and Peer Lactation Supporters of Color (NAPPLSC). She presents nationally on perinatal and nursing education issues. Her career goals include increasing the number of midwives of color and improving lactation rates in the African American community through published investigative research and application of evidence based clinical practice and innovation in healthcare delivery models.
In July 2014, for the first time, stakeholders from 12 countries across the world and major underrepresented communities gathered to explore global barriers that make it difficult to attain the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) credential. Hosted by the three international organizations – IBLCE®, ILCA®, and LEAARC – the Summit contributed to a much larger movement to dismantle inequities within the field. This session will explore how the Summit contributed to this larger movement, how this movement is gaining momentum, and ways in which lactation professionals and organizations can work to reduce inequities. It will also present major findings from the 2014 Lactation Summit. The session is led by Cathy Carothers, chair of the design team for the initiative, and Sherry Payne, the 2014 Lactation Summit facilitator.
Cynthia Good, MS Clinical Psychology, is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Clinical Counselor, author, consultant, and internationally recognized speaker, and has served as an expert witness. She is the Director of LifeCircle Counseling and Consulting, LLC where she provides lactation-compatible mental health care focused on the perinatal time period. She is also a Certified Diversity Executive, is Certified in Acute Traumatic Stress Management and is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Midwifery at Bastyr University where she teaches counseling skills. Cynthia has a strong interest in the emerging field of lactational psychology. She brings the evidence and insights of psychology and lactation consulting to her presentations, providing information and teaching skills that are essential to understanding and effectively responding to the complex psychosocial realities of families living in diverse contexts. The focus of her presentations includes equity, diversity, and inclusion; infant feeding rhetoric; perinatal mental health; perinatal loss, grief, and trauma; counseling techniques; ethics; serving as an expert witness in lactation-related court cases; cultural competence and humility; vitamin D; and more.
The limited time in which many lactation specialists work with breastfeeding families means that only a portion of the support and information that is needed can be provided. Therefore, a critical goal of brief breastfeeding encounters must be the initiation and nurturing of a process of learning and change that the family can sustain on their own after the encounter is over. This goal is also central to solution-focused brief therapy. This presentation offers an introduction to key concepts and techniques from solution-focused brief therapy and describes how they can be applied—in a non-psychotherapeutic manner—to the provision of breastfeeding support and lactation consulting. It includes practical tools that any lactation specialist can routinely use to work more effectively with breastfeeding families when time is limited, such as helping clients set goals that can be measured, looking for exceptions to the problem, and keeping track of progress through the use of scaling.
Denise Altman is a private practice lactation consultant and owner of All The Best in Columbia, South Carolina. Prior to that, she has worked in a variety of roles in the healthcare system from staff nurse to clinical educator, with experience in Maternal/Child Health since 1992. She has authored numerous articles for parents and healthcare professionals in print, as well as two medical textbooks, and has served on the Editorial Review Board for the Clinical Lactation journal since the first issue in 2010. She has established herself as a business mentor and enjoys coaching other small and microbusiness owners about methods for success. Her website is DeniseAltman.net. On a personal note, Denise is the mother of three children, and has been married since 1994.
Healthcare is undergoing waves of rapid change, from a local to global standpoint. Many IBCLC's are finding themselves in challenging work environments, or maybe without work at all. If the numbers present on social media groups such as Face book or Linked in are an indicator, more and more IBCLC's considering or starting their own private practice are growing each year. However, many don't have a business background, and aren't sure where to begin. In addition, it's very easy to spend a lot of money without planning properly; leading to a tremendous debt load before the business has a chance to stabilize. This session will cover the basics needed for starting and sustaining the PPLC.
Diana West is an IBCLC in private practice. She is the co-author of “Sweet Sleep: Naptime and Nighttime Strategies for the Breastfeeding Family,” the 8th edition of La Leche League International’s “The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding,” “The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk,” the clinical monograph “Breastfeeding After Breast and Nipple Procedures,” and ILCA’s popular “Clinician’s Breastfeeding Triage Tool.” She is the author of the “Defining Your Own Success: Breastfeeding After Breast Reduction Surgery.” She is on the Editorial Review Board for the “Journal of Clinical Lactation,” a La Leche League Leader and the Director of Media Relations for La Leche League International. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and is the administrator of the popular BFAR.org, LowMilkSupply.org, and LactSpeak.com websites. She lives with her three sons and one husband in the picturesque mountains of western New Jersey in the United States.
What do mothers really think about the services they receive from their lactation consultant? What do they want but aren’t getting? This session presents the results of a high volume survey of mothers’ opinions about IBCLC services. The answers will help participants focus their practice for better effectiveness, clinical outcomes, and client satisfaction.
Jaye started her career in lactation in 1995 becoming a Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) through Lactation Institute and then became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in 2000. Jaye specializes in LGBTQ Issues as they relate to lactation, parenting, cultural acceptance and gender neutral language. As part of the LGBTQ community herself, she has personal and professional experience with LGBTQ issues which lends her a unique perspective and insight to the LGBTQ world.
Discussion will include: Induced lactation; Co-nursing; Transgender Lactation; Gender neutral language; Counseling skills; Case studies for LGBTQ lactation.
Jeni Stevens is a PhD candidate from the University of Western Sydney. Jeni is a mum of four boys, a Registered Nurse and Midwife who has worked in Sydney Hospitals since 2007. Two years ago she became a lactation consultant, and has a passion in educating people about breastfeeding. She has previously completed research which focused on midwives and doulas perspectives of the role of a doula.
Background:
Skin to Skin Contact (SSC)
The WHO and UNICEF recommend that the mother and newborn should have skin-to-skin contact (SSC) immediately after birth, including after a caesarean section if the woman is alert and responsive (Baby Friendly Health Initiative, 2012, World Health Organization and UNICEF, 2009). Skin-to-skin contact can be defined as placing a naked infant onto the bare chest of the mother (or father) (Crenshaw et al., 2012,Finigan and Davies, 2004, Velandia et al., 2010, Velandia et al., 2012, Hung and Berg, 2011, Nolan and Lawrence, 2009, Gouchon et al., 2010).
Aim:
To provide insight into how to implement SSC in theatre.
Results:
Immediate SSC can be provided safely in the operating theatre with the collaboration and education of staff, mothers and partners. Consent needs to be confirmed and the mother needs to be prepared before her CS. Once the baby is born and determined to be responding normally and if the mother is alert and responsive, the baby is moved immediately to the mothers’ chest and dried. The midwife then makes sure the baby is secure and monitors them. A literature review also provided some evidence, however limited, demonstrating an increase in maternal and newborn emotional wellbeing, an increase in parent/newborn communication, reduction in maternal pain/anxiety, physiological stability for the mother and newborn and improved breastfeeding outcomes (Crenshaw et al., 2012, Finigan and Davies, 2004, Velandia et al., 2010, Velandia et al., 2012, Hung and Berg, 2011, Nolan and Lawrence, 2009, Gouchon et al., 2010, Stevens et al., 2014).
Conclusion:
If maternity services are not able to provide immediate SSC following a caesarean section, many women and their newborns may miss out on the potential benefits conferred by SSC (Li et al., 2012).
Joy Noel-Weiss is a retired La Leche League Leader, an RN and IBCLC, and an assistant professor at the School of Nursing, University of Ottawa, in Canada. Her nursing background includes working with families in community and hospital to provide postpartum and breastfeeding support. Professor Noel-Weiss has researched newborn weight loss, self-efficacy and breastfeeding, and ethical dilemmas among lactation consultants. Joy collaborated with Trevor MacDonald to lead a team from community to complete a research study that explored transmasculine individuals experiences with pregnancy, birth, and infant feeding.
Trevor MacDonald is a transgender man from Manitoba who birthed both his children at home and breastfeeds them. In 2011, he began writing a blog that quickly became popular with both transgender individuals and health care providers looking for information on transgender reproduction and infant feeding. Trevor started the first online support group for trans* individuals interested in birth and breast/chestfeeding. He has written tip sheets published by La Leche League Canada and has been quoted in numerous lectures, seminars, and university courses on gender and reproduction. He is the research coordinator and interviewer for a University of Ottawa project focusing on the experiences of transmasculine individuals with pregnancy, birth, and infant feeding.
Transmasculine individuals are labelled as female at birth, but they identify and transition to the masculine side of the gender spectrum later in life. Many transmasculine individuals take testosterone to develop a deeper voice, a male distribution of body fat and muscle mass, and male patterns of hair growth. Some individuals opt for sex reassignment surgeries which might include chest contouring surgery, hysterectomy, and/or phalloplasty. Transmasculine individuals who have not had a hysterectomy are in a unique position – they identify as male, but they can choose to become pregnant. We completed a qualitative research study to explore their experiences with pregnancy, birth, and breast or chest feeding. The aim of this presentation is to share the results of the study regarding the participants’ experiences with feeding their babies and to provide practical information about working with lactating transgender clients and patients.
Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, and the CEO of Praeclarus Press, a small press specializing in women's health. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is Editor-in-Chief of the journal, Psychological Trauma and was Founding Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Lactation. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in Health and Trauma Psychology, Past President of the APA Division of Trauma Psychology, and chair of APA’s Publications and Communications Board.
We do not live in a perfect world. Many new mothers have experienced abuse and adversity as children. They often wonder whether they will perpetuate the cycle of violence that they have experienced. They may also have a history of depression and wonder whether this has harmed their children. Fortunately, we can offer new mothers hope. Recent studies have found that breastfeeding helps mothers mother—even when there is a history of abuse. It not about the milk; it’s the physical act of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding improves maternal sleep, lowers the risk of depression, lessens anger and irritability, and even attenuates the negative effects of past sexual assault. Breastfeeding offers mothers a chance to do things differently—to be a different kind of parent. When it comes to overcoming adversity, breastfeeding makes all the difference.
Katrien Nauwelaerts graduated as a prehistoric archaeologist in 2005. She's the mother of three breastfed children and the administrator of the Dutch breastfeeding-website Borstvoeding Aardig, https://borstvoeding.aardig.be. Katrien worked as a volunteer breastfeeding-counsellor, provincial coordinator and training manager for the Belgian breastfeeding organisation Borstvoeding vzw between 2010-2014. Up tot 2018 she was the founder and president of Aardig Leven vzw, a non profit ecological organisation. In 2013 she became an IBCLC. Since 2013 she's working as a lactation consultant at her own private practice Borstvoeding Aardig. She became a nutritionist and a herborist in 2014. Katrien shares her experiences and knowledge on lactation consulting as a public speaker since 2014.
Teenage mothers are perfectly able to breastfeed. Yet fewer young mothers initiate
breastfeeding compared with older mothers. And the ones who start with breastfeeding
switch more often over to formula during the first month postpartum.
Young mothers are more often influenced by their environment (family, friends) in their
feeding choice:
- Myths and prejudices about breastfeeding,
- Shame or fear of breastfeeding in public,
- Concerns about how to combine school and work,
- Latch-on- or pump problems.
Lack of confidence and low self-esteem are common in this group, so they often get
overruled by adults (grandparents, teachers, health workers) who "just want to help them"
and give formula advice.
Proper information, preferably in the form of peer counseling, is necessary to raise
breastfeeding rates among those youngsters.
Practical information is necessary, adapted to their specific situation of still-developing
adolescents and young mothers. Also needed, is awareness of the persons who will assist
in the education of her child: partner, mother, a good friend.
Training of healthcare workers and schoolteachers may also be needed, to clean up
prejudices about teenage-parenting and to ensure that she will be treated in a
breastfeeding-friendly way. If she can finish her education she gets more job
opportunities!
The school infrastructure, school curriculum, teachers and childcare-facilities have to be
flexible enough to support the choice to combine education and breastfeeding at the same
time.
Support and proper information throughout pregnancy and during the first six weeks
postpartum are crucial to make breastfeeding more likely to succeed. But ideally,
awareness occurs even though before a teenager is pregnant: as part of the health
education in schools!
Laurel Wilson, BS, IBCLC, CCCE, CLE, CLD, CPPFE, CPPI owns MotherJourney in Morrison, Colorado. She has her degree in Maternal and Child Health – Lactation Consulting. With twenty-five years of experience working with Parents in the childbearing year and perinatal professionals, Laurel takes a creative approach to working with the pregnant family. She is a co-author of best-selling books, The Greatest Pregnancy Ever: The Keys to the MotherBaby Bond and The Attachment Pregnancy: The Ultimate Guide to Bonding with Your Baby. She currently spends a great deal of her time working with hospitals seeking BabyFriendly Status as a consultant and educator. She strives to provide the latest techniques, research and programs to her clients. Laurel is a board certified as a lactation consultant, childbirth educator, labor doula, lactation educator, Prenatal ParentingTM Instructor, and Pre and Postpartum fitness educator. She served as the CAPPA Executive Director of Lactation Programs for 16 years and trained Childbirth Educators and Lactation Educators for CAPPA certification. She is on the Board of Directors for the United States Breastfeeding Committee, a Senior Advisor for CAPPA, and also on the Advisory Board for InJoy Health. Laurel has been joyfully married to her husband for more than 25 years and has two amazing sons, whose difficult births led her on a path towards helping emerging families create positive experiences. She believes that the journey towards and into parenthood is a life changing rite of passage that should be deeply honored and celebrated.
As the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana increases around the world, the potential for babies to be impacted by this herb during breastfeeding increases exponentially. In the United States, several states have recently legalized or are on the path to legalizing the consumption of marijuana (cannabis). This trend has led to more lactation consultants and healthcare professionals being faced with the question, "Is it safe for me to use marijuana while I breastfeed?" The answers given vary widely and this is due largely to myth, bias, and poorly conducted and accessed research. The Medications and Mother's Milk Guide considers cannabis to be an L5, contraindicated for breastfeeding while Lactnet states that it is preferable for users to continue breastfeeding and yet minimize the baby's exposure to smoke. These widely differing recommendations lead healthcare professionals to scratch their heads and face the knowledge that they just don't know what to say to mothers. Additionally, there are reports of social services removing babies from homes due to mother's marijuana use while breastfeeding. This presentation looks at the most recent research and policies surrounding this controversial herb
Lisa Marasco has been working with breastfeeding mothers for 35 years and has been Internationally Board Certified since 1993. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Development with specialization in Lactation Consulting and was designated a Fellow of ILCA in 2009.
Lisa is co-author of Making More Milk: The Breastfeeding Guide to Increasing Your Milk Production, a contributing author to the Core Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Lactation Care, and a Cochrane Collaborative author. She is employed by WIC of Santa Barbara County while she continues to research, write and speak. In addition, Lisa is affiliated with La Leche League of So. Calif/Nevada, and serves on the Breastfeeding Coalition of Santa Barbara County.
Topic: Deciphering the Lactation Curve - [View Abstract]
Insulin plays a major role in lactation, yet our understanding of how it works has not been well understood. As diabetes rates soar, so do questions on how insulin problems may impact lactation. New research is starting to shed light on these questions, opening both our understanding and our ability to work more proactively with affected mothers. This session will examine the role of insulin, our newest understandings, implications for mother and strategies to support mothers at risk.
Sometimes lactation starts off robustly and continues well, other times it does not. Sometimes it starts off poorly and builds well, other times it never reaches full steam. When milk production experiences change from one baby to the next, it is difficult to understand why. This talk reframes the conversation about milk production in a way that helps capsulize the impact of various factors on the course of lactation.
The only active LLL Leader in Poland, first after 20 years. Monthly has about 400 contacts from mothers who she helps via phone, mail, skype or in personal meetings. She helps mothers not only in Poland but also Polish mothers abroad. Author of many popular articles about breastfeeding. She also leads breastfeeding workshops for doulas and meets with parents in childbirth classes. She supports mothers since 2008 and as a LLL Leader since 2011. She's a passionate with what she's doing. Personally, happy wife to Rafał and mother of 3 smiled children who she homeschools.
Poland is a country in the middle of Europe. Although there is a rich history of breastfeeding in Poland, the statistic are poor right now. With 99% of mothers beginning breastfeeding after a labour, only 14% breastfeed after 6 months. Why does this happen? How does breastfeeding support and education look in this beautiful country? What are the common beliefs? What organization do we have and who helps mothers? These are the questions for which you will find answers in this presentation.
Maya Bolman was born and raised in Minsk, Belarus. Certified as IBCLC in 2001, she currently works as inpatient lactation consultant at Hillcrest Hospital Cleveland Clinic. Since 2009, she also works as lactation consultant in a large pediatric and breastfeeding medicine practice. In addition to that, Maya gives presentations and workshops in United States and in Europe. Maya became the IBLCE Country Coordinator (2009-2011) for Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Latvia, and helped in preparation of 14 IBCLC candidates to pass the certification exam and become the first IBCLCs in their countries. Currently she is the Chair of ILCA Multicultural Committee. Maya lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Milk expression is common in the United States, but in the modern era it focuses on mechanical expression. In Russia, there has been a long tradition of hands-on techniques which encourages mothers to turn to specialists trained in hand expression and breast massage techniques to resolve breastfeeding complications including engorgement, plugged ducts and mastitis.. Two main principles of therapeutic breast massage in lactation include mobilization of fluid with massage toward the axillae to facilitate lymph circulation and alternating gentle massage and hand expression to facilitate milk removal. These techniques provide a simple, readily accessible method that can be easily taught to mothers and lactation consultants. The purpose of this presentation is to enhance knowledge of techniques for relieving discomfort caused by engorgement, plugged ducts, and mastitis in lactating women. The latest research findings on the role of therapeutic breast massage for breastfeeding mothers will be presented.
Maya Vasquez is nurse manager of the Birth Center at San Francisco General Hospital in California. She previously served as lactation consultant and project manager for the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, and led a multidisciplinary task force to achieve Baby Friendly Certification and re-designation. She works with a diverse patient population, and enjoys learning about the broad variety of human experience through her clients. Maya is passionate about reducing health disparities by increasing access to quality care, especially through improved maternity care. She has three adult children and two grandchildren, and lives with her husband near San Francisco.
Cultural humility proposes that health care providers engage in a life-long process of self-reflection and learning in order to better understand the multifaceted identities of their clients. The concept was first described by Tervalon and Murray-Garcia as a reply to the more common concept of cultural competence. Cultural humility suggests that rather than attempting to memorize the myriad practices and beliefs of the many clients, providers to see themselves as students of their patients and allow the patient to guide the provider in creating the best plan of care for each individual. For example, among lactation consultants in the United States there is a commonly held belief that Latino mothers prefer to both breast and bottle feed, leading many lactation consultants to believe that this community will never exclusively breastfeed. This may lead to decreased educational efforts directed at the Latino community, since they may be seen as futile, and may affect the long-term health of vulnerable communities. This presentation will explore the concept of cultural humility, and discuss how lactation consultants may use it to better appreciate the multi-dimensionality of each client’s individual experience.
Melissa Cole is a board-certified lactation consultant, neonatal oral-motor assessment professional and clinical herbalist in private practice. Melissa is passionate about providing comprehensive, holistic lactation support and improving the level of clinical lactation skills for health professional. She enjoys teaching, researching and writing about wellness and lactation-related topics. Her bachelor’s degree is in maternal/child health and lactation and her master’s degree is in therapeutic herbalism. Before pursuing her current path, Melissa’s background was in education and cultural arts, which has served her well in her work as a lactation consultant and healthcare educator. She loves living, working and playing in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her 3 children.
Topic: Infant Gut Health: Common Concerns and Useful Support Strategies - [View Abstract]
For some mothers, insufficient milk supply impacts their ability to fully breastfeed their infants. Many of these mothers seek holistic options to increase their milk supply. Amongst some women, placenta medicine and/or postpartum placenta consumption as a purported galactogogue is a practice on the rise. There is some limited historical research, and more recently some phenomenological data, about the practice of placenta as a galactogogue. However little is truly known about the benefits and risks of placentophagy. Even less is known about whether or not placenta can be viewed as a galactogogue. This presentation aims to review the existing literature and purpose a further call for research in regards to placenta as a galactogogue.
This session will focus on common concerns regarding infant digestive health and useful support strategies that care providers can incorporate into their work with families. We will discuss what's normal and what's not in regards to stooling, spit up/reflux, colic/fussiness, and more. Many parents are coping with babies that are uncomfortable and unhappy due to gut health concerns. Dealing with a such a baby is emotionally and physically draining. Having a basic understanding of infant gut health and care strategies that optimize comfort and aid in overall digestive healing can be useful tools for any type of practitioner working with infants.
Renee is a board certified lactation consultant in private practice. She has been working in the field of lactation since the birth of her first child in 1990--as a La Leche League Leader, postpartum doula and IBCLC. She draws from her background in education and child development every time she works with a breastfeeding dyad. Since becoming certified in 1997, Renee has supported moms through home, hospital and clinic visits, drop-in groups in the Seattle area and phone and Skype consultations internationally. She has the great fortune to work closely with several local Drs. who do excellent frenotomy. Renee is thankful to live in breastfeeding-friendly Seattle, close to her 2 grown daughters.
Lactation consultants and other breastfeeding helpers often find themselves in the uncomfortable position of disagreeing with a client's healthcare provider. No matter what the discipline or the nature of the disagreement, it can be very difficult to address in the moment at a consultation. It's even more treacherous when the HCP is the one who referred the client to you in the first place. How do you continue your great relationship with the provider? How do you help your client without being antagonistic? How do you maintain your client's trust in both you and her provider? In this presentation, Renee will share her journey with these tricky issues. Discover how she has learned from the mistakes she's made along the way, and how active listening has helped her relationships with both healthcare providers and clients.
Sandy LaVonne Jamieson became passionate about nutrition when her first baby suffered a series of painful ear infections which were cured by dietary supplements after allopathic medicines failed. She was an avid breastfeeding mom, La Leche League Leader, and currently works for the United States Women, Infant, Children Nutrition office helping moms and babies to meet their breastfeeding goals. She is the mother of six breast fed children and seven and eight-ninths grandchildren. Sandy is working to help babies regain their birthright.
An often overlooked component of breastfeeding education is nutrition. Professionals and moms seem to ‘know’ that breastfeeding is ‘best,’ but very few are aware of the critical differences between breast milk and formula. Consequently, they succumb to slick promotions that take advantage of their ignorance and convince them that artificial formula is so close to breast milk that it‘s ok to supplement or wean from breastfeeding completely. Find out what makes breast milk the original super food and learn how to teach parents nutrition basics that will help them make correct infant feeding decisions. A printable handout for parents is included.
Sushma is a pediatrician, neonatologist, and lactation consultant with over 35 years of experience in addressing the challenges of reducing neonatal & infant mortality in a diverse country like India.
She has been a Professor Emeritus and Head of Pediatrics and Neonatology Department at T N Medical College and B Y L Nair Hospital, Mumbai - one of India’s largest public multi-specialty hospitals. She has to her credit over 100 research papers and publications in leading national and international journals. Working here, gave her an opportunity of closely interacting with people of all socio-economic, cultural, linguistic, and religious backgrounds.
She is a national assessor for Baby Friendly Hospital and senior faculty & trainer for IYCN, KMC, Breastfeeding & IBCLC program. This has helped her to spread the message of breastfeeding in the community in both the urban slums and in rural areas.
Currently she is a Board Director of the International Lactation Consultants Association, the President of the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India, Maharashtra and the Expert Advisor for the National Neonatology Forum, India for breastfeeding promotion. These have provided her with new platforms to live her passion of expanding the reach of breastfeeding & IYCN practices.
The key to best breastfeeding (BF) practices is continued support and counselling for lactating / breastfeeding mothers by mother support groups (MSG) and peer counsellors thereby saving many lives and reducing neonatal mortality worldwide. MSG’s are a vital link between breastfeeding women and the healthcare system. MSG’s services in developing countries are generally based in the community, but in India, they are based in maternity homes/ hospitals. In our institution, they acted as strong breastfeeding advocates working closely with health professionals to introduce early initiation of BF, exclusive breastfeeding, early skin to skin contact and introduction of breast crawl after birth. The impact of MSG services was marked in early detection, prevention and management of breast and nipple problems in postpartum mothers. The contribution of MSG’s was strengthened by the positive acceptance and collaboration from the concerned departments along with strong hospital policy of baby and mother friendly initiative.
Veronique Darmangeat has a private practice as a certified Lactation Consultant in Paris, France. She proposes both home visits and office consultations. She also offers continuing education sessions for IBCLC Lactation Consultants, is part of a team offering initial lactation consultant training for candidates for the IBLCE exam, and does training in hospitals. She has in addition created “Lactissima”, a consulting service for businesses which proposes breastfeeding support programs for their employees returning from their maternity leave. She is the author of two books: L'Allaitement Malin and Allaiter et reprendre le travail.
The gag reflex is usually situated far back in the infant’s mouth to allow them to bring the nipple almost to the junction of hard palate and soft palate. However, certain babies present a very sensitive and hyperactive gag reflex and which causes gagging more easily. For these babies, a good, deep latch can stimulate this gag reflex. In order to avoid gagging, infants will develop a shallow latch taking less breast tissue into the mouth. This can result in low milk transfer, painful feedings for the mother and a possible decline in milk supply. This presentation will assist the lactation professional in utilizing various approaches to avoid undesired consequences of hyperactive gag reflex in a breastfed infant, and will ensure that they have the skills necessary to work with families facing this feeding challenge. Veronique will explain methods of desensitizing the gag reflex, using modified position and latch techniques, and maintaining milk supply. As part of this presentation, Veronique will take the listener through relevant case studies encountered in her work as a private practice IBCLC.
Dr Virginia Thorley is a pioneer of the breastfeeding movement in Australia. She was the first breastfeeding counsellor in Queensland and in 1985 was in the first cohort in the world to certify IBCLC. In 2008 she was one of the first Fellows of the International Lactation Consultant Association (FILCA). She has two Research Higher Degrees in History (MA and PhD) and her current research interests include influences on mothers' infant-feeding decisions, wet-nursing, milk-sharing and milk banking. Dr Thorley is an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of HPRC at the University of Queensland. She is the author of several books and book chapters and most recently was co-editor, with Melissa Vickers, of The 10th Step & Beyond: Mother Support for Breastfeeding. She has presented at conferences on five continents.
Mothers who have experienced severe nipple pain when latching their babies may respond to their fear of pain with a behavior that causes the very pain they are trying to avoid. This presentation will provide information for identifying this behaviour, the process behind it, and how this flinching negatively impacts on latch. Strategies are provided to assist the clinician to assist the mother to recognize what she is doing and why, and teach her strategies using more than one of her senses to override the fear response. Finally, as nipple pain may have more than one cause, checking for common or uncommon co-morbidities is discussed.
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Annet Mulder first became interested in breastfeeding in the year 2000, when she became a mother for the first time. During and because of her own breastfeeding experiences, in 2002 she became a volunteer with the Dutch breastfeeding Organization and in 2008 sat for and passed the exam administered by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. As an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, she now
Annet Mulder first became interested in breastfeeding in the year 2000, when she became a mother for the first time. During and because of her own breastfeeding experiences, in 2002 she became a volunteer with the Dutch breastfeeding Organization text text text text more name mulder first became interested in breastfeeding in the year 2000, when she became.
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