Human Lactation Center Conferences

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Past

A Closer Look at Successful Breastfeeding Promotion Interventions: What, Why & How (October 26-27, 2006)

In October we met to discuss the cost and outcomes of successful breastfeeding promotion projects in hospital, public health, and community settings. Faculty involved included :

• Anne Merewood, MA, IBCLC (Boston Medical Center)
• Caroline Chantry, MD, FABM (Univ. of Calif., Davis, Medical Center)
• Karen Dietzen, RN, MA, IBCLC (Univ. of Calif., Davis, Medical Center)
• M. Jane Heinig, PhD, IBCLC (Univ. of Calif., Davis, Dept. of Nutrition)
• Laurie Rivers, MS, IBCLC (Univ. of Calif., Davis, Dept. of Nutrition)

The meeting touched upon:

• Rates, Respect, and Revolution: Increasing Breastfeeding in the Hospital Setting (Anne Merewood)
• Baby Steps: CQI in a Non–Baby-Friendly Hospital (Caroline Chantry)
• Big Business vs Little Babies: The National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign (Anne Merewood)
• Milk and the Media: Promotion of Positive Images of Breastfeeding through News Events (Jane Heinig)
• Using Scientific Research to Develop Clinical Guidelines (Laurie Rivers)
• Getting More for Your Money: Cost and Outcome Comparison of Breastfeeding Promotion Programs in California (Jane Heinig)
• Time Study of a Hospital-based Lactation Consultant: Towards More Effective Breastfeeding Interventions (Karen Dietzen)
• Promotion of Breastfeeding in Public Health Settings: Lessons Learned from Mothers Participating in the WIC Program (Jane Heinig)

A Closer Look at Breastfeeding Myths and "Heresies": Facing the Facts and Fiction (February 11-12, 2005)

The UC Davis Human Lactation Center, your source for unbiased, cutting edge information, held its third leadership conference February 11-12, 2005. Using the findings from the latest research studies, we took a closer look at the “truths” that mothers and professionals believe about breastfed babies. Participants included public health nurses, lactation consultants, registered dietitians, licensed vocational nurses, lactation educators, midwives, and others. Topics included:

• Early infant weight gain and risk for childhood obesity, including indicators for possible interventions during an assessment of infant weight
• The impact of feeding "just one bottle" to a breastfed baby , including 5 key points for counseling mothers who are deciding whether or not to give a bottle to their breastfed babies
• Sleep-wake patterns of breastfed babies: influences, issues, and interventions
• An overview of methods for calming a fussy baby

On Day 2, participants also received training in adult education techniques to help them more effectively give infant feeding advice and other prenatal and postnatal health care "lessons". Participants learned to:

1. List the steps of the experiential learning cycle.
2. Describe the elements of a motivational interview.
3. Demonstrate the ability to create individualized health and nutrition "lessons" using the experiential learning cycle.
4. Demonstrate the ability to create individualized health and nutrition "lessons" using motivational interviews.       (top)

Additionally, participants learned how to use some of the same "marketing" techniques that the formula companies use, but to their benefit. By the end of the second day of the conference, particpants were able to:

1. Compare and contrast the elements of "focus group" techniques versus interviews as a means to gain "consumer" information.
2. List the steps needed to develop effective maternal and child health and nutrition messages from qualitative research outcomes.
3. List the steps needed to evaluate the effectiveness of messages developed for individualized maternal and child health education.       (top)

Leadership Conference for Lactation Professionals - Part 2 (February 2003)

By the end of Part 2 of the conference, attendees could:

1. Identify the characteristics of effective teams and practice the skills necessary to develop and lead influential and dynamic coalitions and groups.
2. Describe how breastfeeding provides protection against childhood obesity and learn how to cite this important relationship when building support for breastfeeding promotion.
3. Demonstrate specific skills using a step-by-step method of evaluation that may be employed to justify funding for a variety of outreach and intervention projects.
4. Describe the association between birth experience and breastfeeding outcomes in the early postpartum period and list related interventions that may be used to improve breastfeeding rates.
5. Learn and practice methods used by successful grant writers to write well-organized, concise, winning proposals.       (top)

Leadership Conference for Lactation Professionals - Part 1 (November 2002)

By the end of Part 1 of the conference, attendees could:

1. Recognize and develop their own leadership skills to build more effective personal and working relationships.
2. Demonstrate specific skills in dealing with difficult and confrontational situations in their personal and professional lives.
3. Follow a step-by-step approach to determining underlying clinical lactation issues and developing care plans when initial interventions fail.
4. Learn methods to effectively target real needs of adult learners in the health care setting.
5. Target and organize grant writing efforts to maximize chances of funding.  (top)