Medela Americas Symposium 2025 Empowering Perinatal Team Session 1

Advances in neonatal care are transforming how we understand and use human milk as a dynamic, biologically active therapy. Emerging science highlights the role of bioactive components and individual variability—such as maternal and infant differences—in shaping infant outcomes. At the same time, innovations in NICU practice focus on optimising the use of mother’s own milk and building reliable systems that translate evidence into consistent, high-quality care for vulnerable infants.

In this session, three leading experts share the latest insights into neonatal care, combining cutting-edge science with practical approaches to improve outcomes in the NICU.

• Dr. Lars Bode explores the emerging science of human milk oligosaccharides and the role of maternal and infant genetics, highlighting how individual variability shapes the infant microbiome and opens the door to personalized nutrition.
• Dr. Rebecca Hoban focuses on optimizing the use of mother’s own milk in clinical practice, presenting evidence on fresh milk, colostrum, and handling strategies that preserve the biological value of milk and improve outcomes for preterm infants. 
• Dr. Jae Kim addresses the critical gap between evidence and practice, demonstrating how system-level approaches, standardization, and teamwork can ensure that scientific advances are translated into consistent, high-quality care.
• Jennifer Canvasser brings a powerful family perspective, sharing her personal experience with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and the urgent need for change. Through her story and advocacy work with the NEC Society, she highlights the critical importance of early family education, access to human milk, and partnership with parents as essential elements in preventing NEC and improving outcomes for vulnerable infants.