Welcome to the Medela University

This course discusses the value of human milk for both term and premature infants and the importance of mother’s own milk (MOM) vs donor human milk (DHM) especially for the vulnerable infant population. It focuses on the importance of initiating, building, and maintaining sufficient volumes of MOM.  This is an effort to reduce economic impact as well as concerns with DHM use, which will also be reviewed. Education and support for the clinical professional as well as for the family will be offered. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenters Jenny Murray, BSN, RN, IBCLC began her career over 20 years ago as a neonatal nurse in neonatal intensive care. She has since served in a variety of nursing leadership roles within the NICU. Her experience in those roles has driven her love for education and research, especially educating and supporting clinicians in the advancing, innovative world of neonatology. Jenny currently works as a Clinical NICU Specialist for Medela LLC.   Angela Groshner, MSN, RN, CCRN, CBC began her career 11 years ago in neonatal intensive care. She has been a neonatal nurse for the past 9 years and has served in nursing leadership roles within the NICU. Angela also provided community nursing for low income pregnant women, and children birth to three years, if effort to promote healthy prenatal outcomes and improve the development of young children. Her experience in those roles has driven her love for improving clinical practice and educating clinicians, especially as it relates to advancements in practice and outcomes in the neonatal population.  Angela currently works as a Clinical NICU Specialist for Medela LLC. Read more

This course will briefly review the biology of early lactation, the evidence and feasibility behind measures and biomarkers of lactation success, and explore how biomarkers might be utilized clinically to improve lactation outcomes. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Rebecca Hoban MD, MPH Dr. Rebecca Hoban is a staff neonatologist and the Director of Breastfeeding Medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children (“SickKids”) in Toronto, and an Assistant Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. Dr. Hoban graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed a pediatric residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship at Tufts University, and a MPH at Harvard before joining the neonatology and human milk research team at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Hoban joined SickKids in 2017 as neonatology staff, with a focus on human milk. Current projects include improving mother’s milk provision in the NICU, milk biomarkers to predict lactation success, inflammatory markers in human milk, and fresh milk as potential stem cell therapy in premature infants with intraventricular hemorrhage. Read more

This one hour course will outline the educational gap of exocrine breast physiology among health care providers. It will discuss risk factors for hypolactation and include management strategies to treat suboptimal milk volumes. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Laurie Jones, MD, FAAP, IBCLC, FABM Dr. Laurie Jones is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Arizona Phoenix School of Medicine and teaches second and fourth year medical students. She is the founder of  Dr. MILK which is a 32,000+ person international support network for physician parents that are breastfeeding, and she is a presenter and speaker for the non-profit IABLE organization that trains physicians in competency-based knowledge and care of lactating parents and their children. Read more

In this course we will discuss the breastfeeding journey of the very low/extremely low birth weight baby in the NICU. Breastfeeding for these tiny babies starts at birth. Early oral care with colostrum, skin-to-skin care, early and consistent exposure and time at the mother’s breast, infant-driven feeding, and prioritization of at-breast feeding will be discussed. Discussion on engaging mother, family, NICU staff and providers to create an environment and culture of breastfeeding inclusiveness and support of exclusive human milk will be infused throughout this presentation. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Lori Wood MSN, CNS, RNC-NIC, IBCLC Lori Wood is a Neonatal/Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, CA. A neonatal nurse for 36 years, Lori is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Promoting the use of human milk in the NICU and sharing evidence-based knowledge is a primary focus. Lori participates in numerous community based groups promoting breastfeeding and the use of human milk, neonatal nursing, and nursing education and professionalism. Read more

This course will provide the learner with examples of how to use this research in clinical practice and help families identify and build breastfeeding support teams. In addition, an emphasis will be placed on the need to change the current prenatal care paradigm to help families prepare for lactation so they can meet their personal goals for the provision of human milk and breast/chest feeding. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Diane L. Spatz, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN Diane L. Spatz, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN is a Professor of Perinatal Nursing & the Helen M. Shearer Professor of Nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing sharing a joint appointment as a nurse researcher and director of the lactation program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the clinical coordinator of the CHOP Mothers’ Milk Bank. Read more

In some vulnerable populations, such as late preterm, lack of effective breastfeeding may not be recognized, resulting in delayed or impaired milk production. This course will cover the evidence behind appropriate lactation initiation, especially in at-risk populations, and how we can best support parents to meet their lactation goals. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692. This course is CPD (Continuing Professional Development) certified.    Presenter Rebecca Hoban MD, MPH Dr Rebecca Hoban is a staff neonatologist and the Director of Breastfeeding Medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children (“SickKids”) in Toronto, and an Associate Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. Dr Hoban graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine and completed a paediatric residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship at Tufts University, and a MPH at Harvard before joining the Neonatology and Human Milk Research team at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Dr Hoban joined SickKids in 2017 as neonatology staff, with a focus on human milk. Current projects include improving mother’s milk provision in the NICU, milk biomarkers to predict lactation success, inflammatory markers in human milk, and fresh milk as potential stem cell therapy in premature infants with intraventricular haemorrhage. Read more