Bright Future Clinical Lactation Management Seminars

Lectures and Presentations by Linda J. Smith, BSE, FACCE, IBCLC

This is a selection of my favorite and most popular presentations. Most presentations are based on 90 minutes and can be modified to meet the the needs of the group and time available. Other topics are available upon request. 

Updated October 4, 2005

Courses

Exam Preparation Course / Lactation Management Course: A comprehensive 36-hour course designed to prepare candidates for the IBLCE exam, serve as an introduction to professional breastfeeding care, and/or update and expand lactation management skills. Six full days of instruction  an exam simulation, and many interactive activities, clinical slides, videos, skill-building techniques are presented in a uniquely warm and supportive learning environment. For 2006, course tuition includes a 400+ page syllabus and 10% discount on all products carried by BFLRC . Additional Independent CERPs can be earned by completing and self-grading the exams in the Exam Review Book. Course awards 43.2 CERPs from IBLCE and 44.7 contact hours for nurses.

Practical Breastfeeding Management: An 18-hour Course for Community Health Professionals.  Meets criteria for didactic portion of Step 2 of UNICEF’s the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative© in the US and Canada. This program can be arranged at your location on three consecutive days. 

 

Current Controversies and "Hot Topics"

The Co-Sleeping Controversy: Reducing SIDS deaths and Increasing Breastfeeding are Compatible Goals: Safe bedsharing is a time-honored and evidence-based practice that supports, protects and promotes breastfeeding. Research on SIDS, infant mortality, public policy and skin-to-skin contact are presented, with examples from several countries, states, and communities. Similar to "Sleeping Through;" also presented as "Forbidden Bedfellows: Breastfeeding Babies and their Mothers" and "Whose Bed is This Anyway? Science, Statistics, and Hidden Agendas."

Sleeping Through: New Research on Infant Sleep Patterns and Risk of SIDS: Research evidence of safety and desirability of co-sleeping; history and risks of separate sleeping and "sleeping through," infant sleep-wake cycles, arousal mechanisms, and pathologies; feeding practices and impact on sleep, arousal, and development. (Also see "The Co-Sleeping Controversy").

Impact of Birthing Practices on Breastfeeding has evolved into numerous presentations based on the book I co-authored with Mary Kroeger, CNM, MPH: Impact of Birthing Practices on Breastfeeding: Restoring the Mother-Baby Continuum, published by Jones & Bartlett Publishers 2004. Mary Kroeger's death in December 2004 expanded my available presentations on topics we collaboratively researched for the book:

Impact of Birth Practices on the Infant's Ability to Feed Normally (former titles: “Why Johnny Can't Suck;” “It Takes Two To Tango: Infant Suck and its Role in Breastfeeding,” “Open Wide: Infant Oral Development and its Impact on Feeding in the First Week of Life;” and “First Feedings: The Influence on Birth Practices on Breastfeeding Initiation.”) Infant oral structures including internal and external muscle groups; 6 cranial nerves that affect suck; suck-swallow-breathe cycle; effects of birth medications and procedures; visual and physical assessment skills; management strategies.

Impact of Birth Practices on the Mother's Willingness and Ability to Breastfeed (former titles "Why Janie Can't Breastfeed" and "Impact of Birth Practices on the Mother's ability to breastfeed"). Symbolism of common practices; maternal risks of birth medications and procedures; birth stress on mother and baby; Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative; initiation and maintenance of milk secretion; management of early breast problems; new research on milk storage capacity and impact on lactation maintenance.

Actions and Attitudes: Long-term Consequences of Birth and Breastfeeding Practices discusses long-term affects on mothers, babies, post-traumatic stress responses in both mother and infant, relationship to violent behavior, and other psychological sequelae of birth events. Also presented as “Continuous Support or Sabotage: Lifelong Effects of the Early Hours and Days of Breastfeeding.”

Overview of the Problem: Historical Perspectives on Birth and Breastfeeding explores policy, clinical, and professional issues that led to the current segmentation (birth-breastfeeding disconnect) of maternity care. This presentation was originally developed and presented by Mary Kroeger.

Immediate and Sustained Skin-to-Skin Contact after Birth: Non-negotiable for Normal Mothers and Babies explores the crucial first hours and days after birth in detail, including the origin and evolution of Step 4 of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. This presentation was originally developed and presented by Mary Kroeger.

Debunking Breastfeeding Myths: a summary of new research that contradicts older ideas about breastfeeding or lactation management, including “what makes milk” (milk synthesis); treatments for early breast engorgement; the relative difficulty of breastfeeding and bottle feeding, alleged risks of nighttime breastfeeding, and the notion of equivalence of human milk and manufactured infant formula.

Teaching or Preaching? Reframing the "Breast is Best" Message in Light of New Research: Explores the fine art of effective, proactive strategies for promoting breastfeeding without alienating mothers who do not breastfeed. Addresses the "guilt" issue and documented facts about infant feeding outcomes. 

 

Breastfeeding Management

ABC’s of Solving Breastfeeding Problems is a model for breastfeeding support that efficiently and effectively utilizes community resources, and serves as a “triage tool” for solving breastfeeding problems. Includes Linda Smith’s  “ABC Protocol,” cultural and social barriers to “access,” co-sleeping is normal and safe for breastfeeding dyads, and a healthcare and social “safety net” for breastfeeding. Includes some specific guidelines for resolving problems.

Common Speed Bumps In The First Week Post Birth: evidence-based strategies for minimizing and managing predictable lactation-related crises during the first week post birth. Includes causes and remedies for early breast and nipple pain; early and continuous skin contact, rooming-in, and bedding-in; and community system for triaging breastfeeding problems.

The Pain Issue: Prevention and Management of Breast and Nipple Problems: Causes of nipple pain in early lactation, differences between early and late-onset nipple pain, mechanisms that cause milk stasis and engorgement, infectious conditions of the breasts and nipples during lactation; research-based and theory-driven treatment options. Also presented as “Comfort in Early Lactation.”

Yeast Infections in the Breastfeeding Dyad: a Hidden Culprit: Prevalence; nature of the organism; modes of transmission; common sites; common triggers; natural inhibitors; signs and symptoms; treatment options during lactation.

Reach out and Touch: Hands-On Skills for Managing Labor Pain, Facilitating First Feedings; and Fine-Tuning Positioning and Latch. This interactive, participatory workshop is ideal for smaller groups or groups with co- instructors available.

The Co-Sleeping Controversy: Reducing SIDS deaths and Increasing Breastfeeding are Compatible Goals: see "Hot Topics."

Sleeping Through: New Research on Infant Sleep Patterns and Risk of SIDS: see "Hot Topics."

Impact of Birthing Practices on Breastfeeding - see "Hot Topics"

Debunking Breastfeeding Myths: see "Hot Topics"

Problems with Pacifiers: Alleged benefits and therapeutic uses; general risks and consequences; risks and consequences related to breastfeeding. Includes a "hands-on" segment and relationship of pacifiers to SIDS.

Restoring the Continuum (Back to the Breast): Working with the mother whose baby doesn’t latch. Prevention and recovery strategies, long-term implications for the mother and baby.

Breastfeeding Case Studies: Analysis of several complicated breastfeeding situations, designed for interactive, small-group workshop-type sessions.

Gadgets and Tools: Alternative feeding devices, Therapeutic interventions, and Restoring normal breastfeeding

When Mother is Sick: Breastfeeding management during maternal illness, injuries, accidents, and health crises. Includes maternal diet, use of maternal medications and allergic responses in the baby to the mother’s environment.

 

The Science of Breastfeeding & Human Lactation

What Makes Milk: a Fresh Look at What Matters and What Doesn't: Analysis of published information and theories on human lactation. Includes lactation at the cellular level; development of the mammary gland; new research on milk synthesis and its application to breastfeeding management. Strategies to increase, decrease and maintain supply based on current research.

Journey from Placenta to Pizza: What "Readiness to Eat" Means to the Baby: The transition from placenta to breast; early feeding and stooling patterns; biochemistry of human milk, oralmotor development, and psychosocial issues surrounding infant feeding. This presentation is especially well-suited for those who need a comprehensive view of why breastfeeding matters. 

Fostering the New Normal: Breastfeeding for Two years and Beyond: protection and clinical support of the breastfeeding mother-infant dyad during the second week post birth and beyond. Includes the concept of the mother-baby dyad as more than the sum of its parts; common barriers to recommended breastfeeding practices; and natural, child-led weaning.

Lifecycle of the breastfeeding Mother-Baby Dyad: growth, development, maturation, and interactions: Describes a developmental continuum for the breastfeeding mother-baby dyad from preconception through natural, child-led weaning. Includes the transition from placental development to early “external gestation," developmental changes during the first six months of exclusive breastfeeding, and breastfeeding interactions fostering infant growth & development from 6 months through 24 months or longer.

The Making of a Mother: maternal role acquisition and the role of professionals. Describes maternal role acquisition and the role of lactation care providers and other health care professionals in this process, including factors involved in maternal role acquisition, different processes by which women acquire knowledge and change behavior, and supportive strategies for health care professionals.

The Matrix of Breastfeeding: The Milk, the Breasts, and the Mother-Baby Relationships. This explores the elegant physical, psychological and hormonal interrelationships that connect the motherbaby dyad. Updated in 2004.

Wondrous, Magical Mothers' Milk: Biochemistry of human milk; epidemiological research on risks of artificial feeding; breastfeeding as a public health issue; growth patterns in exclusively breastfed babies; use of language to establish breastfeeding as the norm. This lecture has also been called "First Do No Harm." (More fun than it sounds!)

Breastfeeding and Birth Control: the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) of Family Planning.

 

 Political, Legal and Ethical Issues

Ethical Issues for LC Practice: It’s All About Money. Clinical Issues including informed consent, Professional Ethics including conflicts of interest, and Business Ethics including intellectual property laws for lactation care providers. Includes actual case stories and examples.

Legal Issues Related to Lactation Consultant Practice: Legal and ethical principles including being an expert witness in family law cases, legislation related to breastfeeding, conflicts of interest, business practices, and legal responsibilities of LCs.

Politics of Breastfeeding: Organizations and coalitions working to protect, promote and support breastfeeding, including the United States Breastfeeding Committee; Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, and Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative. Global meetings and documents which affect breastfeeding. Labor, Legal, and Commercial organizations having an effect on breastfeeding. The World Health Organization Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. Forming local coalitions; preparing testimony; and networking with other coalitions with compatible goals. Also titled “Political Influences on Infant Feeding: Breastfeeding as a Public Policy Issue”

Good News on the National Scene: update on contemporary US issues including the Strategic Plan for Breastfeeding in the USA; United States Breastfeeding Committee; government programs and publications that support breastfeeding; and new statements from professional associations.

The Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative: Consensus document outlining the Ten Steps for Mother-Friendly Childbirth developed by the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS). Principles: Birth is normal; Women and babies, fathers, and families are affected by birth; Women should have access to options; Interventions should be evidence-based; and Everyone must take responsibility for addressing the need for change.

 

Counseling, Teaching, and Promotion of Breastfeeding

Leave 'Em Wanting More: Teaching Games for Breastfeeding Classes: Interactive games for professional or parent audiences. Adult learning principles applied to BF; core content areas that should always be included; development of content and teaching strategies for classes. Themes include motivation, skills of breastfeeding, guilt, benefits, infant feeding behaviors, and more. Based on my book Coach's Notebook: Games and Strategies for Lactation Education (2002). (This has been the most popular workshop of them all!)

Pop Beads, Jelly Beans and Golf Balls: The Art of Presenting the Science of Breastfeeding.  Interactive teaching exercises; similar to “Leave ‘Em Wanting More.”

Listening Between the Lines: Counseling Skills for Lactation Consultants: Identification of feelings underlying mother's reports; practice using empathetic and interchangeable responses; defusing the angry or upset client or colleague.

What's Hot, What's Not: Evaluating Breastfeeding Educational Materials: Step-by-step method of evaluating videos, pamphlets, and other media for accuracy, attitude, and presentation of breastfeeding information. Includes the Scoresheet for Evaluating Breastfeeding Materials published in the Dec. 1995 Journal of Human Lactation.

Supporting Breastfeeding in a Multicultural Setting: Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding Women from various cultures. Includes the Global Initiative for Mother Support and how to develop and foster Mother-Support groups.

ABC's of Baby-Friendly Communities: Clinical and political approaches to preventing and solving breastfeeding problems from a systems perspective. Access (relationship issues); Breastmilk transfer (basic lactation support); comfort issues (advanced clinical lactation support). Includes a sequential approach to management of breastfeeding problems; telephone triaging including prioritizing questions; identifying critical situations by phone; referral protocols. Includes some specific guidelines for resolving problems. Similar to and overlaps with ABC’s of Solving BF Problems.

Breastfeeding is a Contact Sport: A lively, outside-the-box look at breastfeeding in the context of other adult behaviors, society's values, and economic priorities. Presented by Coach Smith. 

Breastfeeding is Good for Business: Impact on neurological development necessary for work skills; health differences; issues pertinent to large and small businesses; and win-win solutions for mothers and employers; legislation and voluntary programs.

Teaching or Preaching? Reframing the "Breast is Best" Message in Light of New Research: Explores the fine art of effective, proactive strategies for promoting breastfeeding without alienating mothers who do not breastfeed. Addresses the "guilt" issue and documented facts about infant feeding outcomes. 

Fish Can't See Water: Enhancing Cultural Diversity in Lactation Support Settings. How to "get outside your box" in lactation support settings.