Welcome to the Medela University

This course contains three separate lessons, with a short quiz at the end of each lesson. The course presents a brief overview of breastfeeding management that is evidence-based.   Much of the breastfeeding information clinicians learned in school is outdated and a lot of current practice is based upon old, incorrect information. This program is the first step in standardizing breastfeeding management for a clinical unit. Due to the short length of the program, it is easily presented to nursing and other staff while on the Unit.   This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Outline Research-based benefits for mother and infant In-hospital strategies for breastfeeding success Indications and use of a breast pump Discharge planning issues Read more

The breast shield is a key component for successful pumping. Investigating 3D scans of the lactating breast led to new insights, forming the basis of a new breast shield design. A new RCT that demonstrated improved milk flow with the newly designed breast shield flange will be described.  This course contains three separate lessons, with a short quiz at the end of each lesson. Quizzes may be taken more than once for an improved score. You will be required to complete an evaluation at the end of this course. A certificate will be available after the completion of the course evaluation.   This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Danielle Prime PhD Danielle completed her PhD in Biochemistry in 2010 at The University of Western Australia with Professor Peter Hartmann and the Human Lactation Research Group. The focus of her research has been centred on understanding more about the basic physiology of human lactation, to provide evidence-based knowledge to clinicians and mothers. Danielle is a member of the Medical Research team at Medela, Switzerland since May 2012. One of her major roles is to keep abreast of the latest research into human milk and lactation, and endeavour to communicate this knowledge both internally (within Medela) and externally (medical and research community). Read more

This one-hour recorded webinar details how mothers’ milk volumes are initiated, built, and maintained throughout the breastfeeding journey. The 2017 WHO guidelines that update the original 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and their implications for practice changes in birthing facilities are examined. Recent discoveries in lactation science that link infant behavior and maternal physiology to long term breastmilk production are presented. A review of significant maternal health risk factors and trends associated with delayed onset of lactogenesis and/or suboptimal milk production are discussed.  Evidence-based technologies and strategies that can positively impact lactation outcomes and integrate current WHO guidelines into clinical practice are offered in the presentation. This course contains three separate lessons, with a short quiz at the end of each lesson. Quizzes may be taken more than once for an improved score. You will be required to complete an evaluation at the end of this course. A certificate will be available after the completion of the course evaluation.   This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Presenter Jean Rhodes, PhD, CNM, IBCLC Jean Rhodes has been involved in the care of women and infants for over 30 years. After completing her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing in 1979 and a Master's of Science in Nursing in 1983, Jean joined the faculty of the Nurse-Midwifery Program at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). While teaching and practicing nurse-midwifery, she earned her PhD in Nursing Science in 1990 at the University of South Carolina. She has practiced full-scope nurse-midwifery in academic and private practice settings. Over the years Jean has taught-both at MUSC and Brown University School of Medicine-students from many disciplines including nursing, midwifery, and medicine as well as medical residents in obstetrics, pediatrics and family medicine. With nurse-midwifery as the philosophical base of her practice, Jean developed a postpartum home follow-up program at the MUSC tertiary care hospital to improve the continuity of care and provide better support of new mothers and their infants. She became an IBCLC in 2001 and, since then, has focused her clinical practice on lactation support of normal and high risk mother and infants. Her areas of research and publication include a wide range of topics from the philosophy of art and aesthetics as it applies to the art of nursing practice to the more clinically-based issues of the refrigerator shelf life of human milk and the process of test weighing to accurately determine infant intake at breast. Read more

This one-hour course presents an in-depth look at human milk. It reviews the unique components which are precisely engineered to provide optimal nutritional, protective, and developmental outcomes for the human infant. Beautifully animated slides aid the participant in understanding the process of milk synthesis. Also discussed are important new research and discoveries which impact health outcomes of infants not only in the short-term but also throughout their lifetimes. This course contains three separate lessons, with a short quiz at the end of each lesson.   This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692.   Outline The uniqueness of human milk The process of how breastmilk is made How components of human milk are constantly changing to meet the needs of the growing infant. Importance of human milk in infant’s immune system development and the growth and maturation of the brain and central nervous system Relevance of these new discoveries and how it will affect clinical practice. Research update – the importance of these findings to evidence-based practice Read more

This course will address why the current prenatal care paradigm is inadequate to prepare families for their lactation journeys and present solutions.  Antenatal lactation risk assessment is essential as well as a proactive approach to lactation initiation. Research, case studies and tools will be shared with the audience.   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 Dr. Spatz 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. She is an active researcher, clinician, and educator who is internationally recognized for her work surrounding the use of human milk and breastfeeding particularly in vulnerable populations. Read more

When mothers consider the options on how to feed their infants, they need to be aware of the differences in short- and long term health outcomes between infant formula and breastfeeding.  Research regarding the management of normal breastfeeding has influenced changes and health care providers are often challenged to provide the most current, up to date information and support. This program will explore common questions that health care providers often get asked by their breastfeeding clients and will review evidence-based recommendations to help mothers achieve their goals.  This course contains three separate lessons, with a short quiz at the end of each lesson. Quizzes may be taken more than once for an improved score. You will be required to complete an evaluation at the end of this course. A certificate will be available after the completion of the course evaluation.   This program has been approved for 1.0 contact hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP 13692. Read more