Welcome to the Medela University

Breastfeeding is recommended by all major organizations as the standard for infant feeding. While many families intend to breastfeed, many families do not meet their goals and stop breastfeeding earlier than they planned. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Jenny Thomas, MD, MPH, IBCLC, FAAP, FABM Dr. Jenny Thomas is a pediatrician and breastfeeding medicine specialist in Franklin, Wisconsin and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Community and Family Medicine and Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). She received her MD from MCW in 1993, and her MPH in 2011. She has been an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) since 2003. She is now serving on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Breastfeeding Executive Board after spending several years as the Chief of the Chapter Breastfeeding Coordinators. She recently stepped down after 6 years on the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Chapter of the AAP. She is a founder and an Immediate-past Chairperson of the Wisconsin Breastfeeding Coalition. She has received national awards for teaching, advocacy for children, and innovation within her practice and community. She is one of only a few physicians internationally to be recognized as a Fellow of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (FABM) for her expertise on breastfeeding. Read more

Tremendous disparities in breastfeeding rates exist in the United States, with Black women having the lowest initiation and continuation rates.  Yet, some black women do breastfeed beyond one year. This presentation will discuss a recently completed research study conducted by Dr. Spatz and her Ph.D. student Stephanie Acquaye. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Diane Spatz, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN Diane L. Spatz, Ph.D., 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 scientist in lactation at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the Center for Pediatric Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice. Dr. Spatz is the Founder of the CHOP Mothers’ Milk Bank.   Read more

Infants born with congenital surgical anomalies face significant challenges within the new-born period, and human milk/breastfeeding may not be viewed as a priority. In many hospitals, nurses refer families to lactation consultants for all breastfeeding assistance and support. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenters Taryn Edwards, MSN, APRN, NNP-BC Taryn Edwards graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2004 with her BSN and from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010 with her MSN. She has been a neonatal nurse for 19 years and works as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner at Nemours Children's Health Delaware and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Her passions include the surgical neonate, human milk and breastfeeding science, nutrition, and quality improvement.   Diane Spatz, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN Diane L. Spatz, Ph.D., 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 scientist in lactation at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the Center for Pediatric Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice. Dr. Spatz is the Founder of the CHOP Mothers’ Milk Bank.   Read more

Wearable or Hands-free in-bra pumping is popular amongst women who seek flexibility and/or efficiency of milk removal.  However, this new modality of expression involves several design feature considerations that may have the potential to impact performance compared to traditional pumping systems, although to-date the efficiency and effectiveness of this modality has not been tested. In order to address this gap we have developed new protocols to explore hands-free in-bra pumping and used these methods to  investigate the impact on the efficacy of a hands-free in-bra double pumping system, including effectiveness (volume expressed, percentage available milk removed, how well the breast was drained), milk ejection characteristics (timing stimulation of milk ejection and milk flow), nipple changes (nipple temperature, and size) and comfort ratings. Furthermore, we will present data on the increased flexibility of maternal mobility, perceptions, and confidence of the pumping experience. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Prof. Donna T. Geddes, DMU, PhD Professor Geddes, from The University of Western Australia, is internationally renowned for her novel work with ultrasound imaging that has revolutionized the our understanding of the anatomy of the lactating breast, milk ejection and blood flow, as well as the infant’s sucking technique, suck-swallow-breathe co-ordination, gastric emptying and body composition of both the term and preterm infant. She has since expanded her range of research interests to include the synthesis and removal of milk from the breast, the composition of human milk and its impact on the growth and body composition of breastfed infants, the investigation of human milk metabolites and the search for biomarkers that are indicative of breast dysfunction. Read more

This is the fourth module in the physiology of the lactating breast series. Following secretory activation, the lactating breast enters the build phase of lactation. You will learn how daily milk production rapidly increases through a dynamic of supply and demand, with a full milk supply being established between 2 and 4 weeks post-partum. The module with also cover best practices to support building and establishing a copious milk supply. These include frequent and effective milk removal, how oxytocin plays a key role in milk transportation and factors that inhibit and support milk ejection. Relevance to practice for both breastfeeding and pump-dependent mothers will be described.  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.  Read more

On February 26, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a key report on  the 55-billion-dollar formula industry and its negative impact on breastfeeding decisions. This webinar highlights key findings of the report and provide clinicians with tools to teach families why human milk matters. It is critical that families are presented with scientific evidence about the differences between human milk, donor milk and infant formula. This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Diane 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