Resources for IBCLC Day


Resources to help you Celebrate IBCLC Day

Downloadable Graphics:

ILCA Marketing Toolkit: https://ilca.org/ibclc-day-2023/#:~:text=on%201%20March%202023!,form%20their%20circle%20of%20care.

Free Webinars and Educational Events:

USLCA

Finding your Resilient Powers to Combat Fatigue & Burnout Live webinars 11:00-12:00 EST & Nurturing with Awareness 12:00- 12:30 EST https://uslca.org/providers/events/virtual/live-webinars/#!event/register/2023/3/1/finding-your-resilient-powers-to-combat-fatigue-and-burnout

Gold Lactation Free Webinars:

Breaking the Silos: Understanding the Connections Between Labor Interventions and Lactation 1 free L-CERP https://www.goldlearning.com/ce-library/all-lectures/labor-interventions-and-lactation-detail

How to be Part of the Solution: The Effects of Intergenerational Trauma on Perinatal Persons of Color 1 free R-CERP https://www.goldlearning.com/lecture-library/intergenerational-trauma-perinatal-persons-of-color-detail

Breastfeeding Conference AU

New Insights into Milk Production 3 free CERPS https://www.breastfeedingconferences.com.au/about/Lactation-Revisited

iLactation

Milk exosomal microRNAs in the prevention and treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis (1.5 L CERPs- free IBCLC Day only) https ://edu.ilactation.com/seminars/132/register

Discounted Events and Products

USLCA Membership $30 off all membership Levels Use Code ibclcday2023 https://uslca.org/ibclc-day-2023-2/

Gold Lactation Academy Lactation Course 15% discount thru March 5th Use Promo Code: IBCLCDAY15 95 CERP Lactation Training and IBCLC Exam Prep program https://www.lactationacademy.com/pages/lactation-training-certification-prep-course

Lactation Hub - 15 % discount on lactation supplies March 1

Disclaimer: info about free products/events is provided as a a service to our members. MLCA has no relationship to any vendors listed and receives no monetary benefit from providing this info. Listing here does not imply endorsement of service or vendor.

Boston Celebrates Black Breastfeeding Week

Black Breastfeeding Week was celebrated locally this year on August 31st in front of the Boston Children’s Museum. Vital Village Network and the Boston Breastfeeding Coalition both organized the event to raise awareness of the disparities and lower breastfeeding rates families of color face in the United States.This is the 5th year for the national Black Breastfeeding Week celebration. It was started by Kimberly Seals-Allers, Kiddada Green, and Anaya Sangodele-Ayoka, all leaders in the field of maternal health. Across the country, families and advocates have been celebrating by social gatherings, social media awareness, art, photography, fundraising, blogging, and news articles.“Bet on Black” was the theme for this year’s celebration which ran from August 25th-through August 31st. The gathering of moms, babies, and advocates who attended Boston’s event this year participated in a Black Breastfeeding Week tradition to “lift every baby”. (Across the country families typically lift their babies to the sky at 3 pm on the Saturday that falls during the event. The Boston gathering took place on a Thursday, to link the event with a breastfeeding support group on that day. Local event attendees took the opportunity to enjoy this tradition together on this day instead). “Lift Every Baby” is an homage to the poem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” written by James Weldon Johnson and later set to music by his brother John Rosamond Johnson. This song became the Black National Anthem in 1905. The lyrics start out:Lift every voice and singTill earth and heaven ring,Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;Let our rejoicing riseHigh as the listening skies,Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,Facing the rising sun of our new day begunLet us march on till victory is won.The attendees gathered and socialized by a large sculpture of a milk bottle that stands outside of the museum. When the event concluded, some attendees proceeded to attend a breastfeeding support group held inside of the museum.At blackbreastfeedingweek.org , nationwide event leader Kimberly Seals Allers, has listed five reasons to advocate for, and support this event:1. To reduce the high black infant mortality rate through the lifesaving benefits of receiving breastmilk.2. To reduce the high rates of diet related diseases by providing breastmilk as the first food.3. Increase awareness for the diversity needed in lactation leadership.4. Address the cultural barriers that are specific to black women.5. Create communities that are filled with support and breastfeeding role models, and eliminate environments that are “first food deserts”.Local Black Breastfeeding Week event organizer and Vital Village blogger Waetie Sanaa Cooper Burnette, has put together this list of ways that we can support this movement throughout the year on a local level.1. Offer your Boston space that is baby friendly and “T” accessible as a meeting site for one of our breastfeeding groups.2. Earmark a donation to the Boston Breastfeeding Coalition to support the training, education, and travel of the many women of color seeking to become IBCLC's.3. Volunteer your time to translate lactation materials into some of the popular local languages that our populations speak. Being able to have reference materials and study materials in a home language can make a huge difference in our ability to connect with a variety of populations.4. Become familiar with your local breastfeeding resources and share that information with new moms who are breastfeeding. We need all the encouragement we can get to counteract the negative messages that tell us that breastfeeding isn't all that important or should be done only in private.5. Cheer on moms you don't know when you see them breastfeeding and note how proud you are that they are figuring out how to stick with it.6. For those who already have an IBCLC, choose to mentor a person of color or someone who would otherwise have significant barriers in attaining this credential. If every person with an IBCLC did this, the ripple effect would be really huge!7. Employ lactation professionals that look like and reflect the target community. Train them and then hire them if you are not finding them or they are not aware of this opportunity.You can support these goals locally by following the Boston Breastfeeding Coalition and Vital Village Network’s facebook pages (https://www.facebook.com/bostonbreastfeeding/ and https://www.facebook.com/vitalvillagenetwork/ and receive updates on ongoing advocacy and Black Breastfeeding Week 2018 events. You can also contact them by messaging these pages. You can follow the movement nationally by visiting these websites: blackbreastfeedingweek.org and blackwomendobreastfeed.org . To review current information on racial and geographic differences in breastfeeding rates among populations in the U.S. visit the CDC page https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6627a3.htmA special thanks to Waetie Sanaa Cooper Burnette for her help in providing insights and information that were contributed to this article.

Message from the President

The pandemic has shown how important breastfeeding support is to the health of Massachusetts parents and babies while also exposing the problems of access to that care.

Throughout the pandemic MLCA has worked to advocate for increased access to lactation care and recognition for the role of lactation consultants in serving the most vulnerable little ones.

MLCA has:

  • participated in hearings on maternal health disparity and the impact of Covid

  • advocated for inclusion of Lactation Consultants in the home healthcare worker category for vaccine eligibility.

  • offered resources to MA Lactation Consultants as they shifted to offering care via telehealth.

  • supported changes to mentorship requirements to include participation in virtual consults.

  • provided exam review sessions via Zoom for aspiring and recertifying IBCLCs preparing for the IBLCE exam.

  • updated members and the broader lactation community about new COVID guidance and research pertinent to their work.

We look forward to offering additional support, resources and advocacy going forward. If you would like to help or have suggestions for additional ways we can support IBCLCs please be in touch at president@masslca.org.

Maire MacLean, IBCLC

President, Mass Lactation Consultant Association

Important: Vaccine for Home Based Healthcare Workers

Hi all, It's official!

As of today all home based health care workers are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines. Please see the message from the MA Executive Office of Human Services re: this important announcement and a phone in Town Hall for Home Based Healthcare workers happening this evening at 7 pm.

MA Telephone Town Hall about vaccine safety and efficacy will take place tonight Thurs., Jan. 21 at 7 pm.

Call in 833-946-1566 mass.gov/teletownhall

Also attached is the list of vaccinations sites available.

We will update with more info as we get it.

Maire MacLean

Vaccine Sites

Call for Research Participants

Calls for Research Participants

Several people have reached out with requests to help find participants for their research.  Please find proposals below and be in touch with the researchers with any questions.

From Robin Snyder-Drummond, past president of MLCA and IBCLC in private practice in Maine:


I've made a survey with questions about insurance coverage for Lactation Consultant services. It's based on the survey that was published in Clinical Lactation in 2017. I will compare these answers to the original study.  I would like this to go to families in all parts of MA. Please feel free to forward the information to clients and other IBCLCs.

Here's the link:
https://forms.gle/4o8qvq22hwiRQdns9

This will be an article, not a controlled study. I also welcome your insights about what has changed in MA since 2017 that has helped or hindered insurance coverage/payment for services.

 

Though it would be good to know more about coverage during COVID-19 quarantine, I added only two short questions about that mostly because  that's a fairly new situation that could be delved into in another survey.

Please forward this link to families you know who live in MA and have contacted IBCLCs about services from 2017 to present. Let me know if you  have any trouble with this link or have questions.

Robin@birthready.com

From UMASS Amherst. Screening tool for early detection of breast cancer. Nationwide:

We are researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who are conducting a funded study of the cells in breastmilk with the goal of developing a screen for early detection of breast cancer and a tool for individual assessment of breast cancer risk.

We have two target populations in the project: high-risk asymptomatic women who are nursing, and have tested positive for a pathogenic BRCA variant (mutation), and any lactating women (regardless of BRCA status) who have a post-partum diagnosis of breast cancer, OR are undergoing a biopsy. The latter group will establish a reference cancer profile. This is necessary because the study participants who are asymptomatic BRCA-carriers are likely to seek mastectomies after completing their families to avoid cancer development. 

We are reaching out to you because we hope you would be willing to help us in getting the word out about our study to women who are breastfeeding and have these issues.

We are hunkered down right now because of the Corona virus but the timings across the country are going to vary, and we are reaching out now in anticipation that this will pass. We would be able to handle samples from cancer cases whenever they occur.

If have questions about the study, please contact us directly or visit our website (BreastmilkResearch.org).
We would be happy to provide informational materials.We thank you for considering our request and trust you stay safe.

Kathleen Arcaro, PhD

karcaro@umass.edu

 

413-577-1823

Brian Pentecost, PhD

bpentecost@umass.edu

Also from UMASS Amherst. Diet related.  Must be local:

We are conducting a clinical trial to determine the effects of a diet that includes 8 – 10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables – outcome measures include cytokine levels in breastmilk, DNA methylation in breast milk cells, and maternal weight. For this study women need to live within 25 miles of Amherst MA.

Kathleen
Arcaro, PhD
karcaro@umass.edu

413-577-1823

Brian
Pentecost, PhD
bpentecost@umass.edu

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USLCA Chapter Highlight

We are excited to announce that MLCA was chosen as a Chapter Making a Difference by USLCA. We are honored to have our hard work highlighted. If you would like to help further the mission and goals of MLCA, please considering joining us either as a member or through volunteer work on of our committees.You can read more here!

Virtual Lactation Appointments - Tips for Parents 

By: Theresa Moutafis, MA, RD, CDCES, IBCLC

In these uncertain times, many healthcare providers are turning to telehealth, or virtual, appointments. This includes lactation consultants, which can be a life-saver for new parents who don’t or can’t leave their homes. 

 

Some resources like Breastfeeding USA counselors or hospital warm lines have been around for awhile are often used for minor breastfeeding concerns or a way to access other in-person resources. 

 

Having eyes on you and your baby is necessary in more complex or complicated issues, and when you can’t be physically in person, video chats can bridge the gap and provide a useful way to assess any concerns you may have. 

 

IBCLCs, or International Board Certified Lactation Consultants, in private practice may offer their services via video now (or have been for awhile), or you may be able to access an IBCLC  virtually through programs your hospital or health insurance have. There are also telelactation apps and services online. Below is a list of IBCLCs in Massachusetts who are offering virtual services at this time (COMING SOON).

 

Once you have a video appointment set up, here are some tips to make the appointment efficient and as helpful as possible!

 

  • Make sure all technology is working ahead of time. Test your webcam if you are using a laptop. If you are accessing services via app, make sure you are logged in and the app is working and doesn’t need to be updated. Also make sure you have a strong WiFi signal.

     

  • Also make sure you are in a room with good lighting, if possible. The more the lactation consultant can see the more we can help!

     

  • As much as you can (it’s understandably hard, especially with a newborn), try not to feed right before your appointment. Your IBCLC needs to see that feed in most cases!

     

  • Enlist a “cameraman” to help maneuver your phone or computer to catch different angles of the feeding.

     

  • Have pediatrician and/or hospital discharge paperwork handy, as your IBCLC might be asking you questions such as birth weight, discharge weight, etc.

     

  • Have any supplies you are using, such as a pump or nipple shield, close by.

     

  • If your IBCLC is not looking at the screen or keeps looking away, it doesn’t mean we are distracted - it means we are taking notes on paper or on another monitor. Or we are looking at you on our screens versus the webcam.

     

  • Send pictures of any concerns you have beforehand if you’d like. If the platform or communication method your IBCLC uses allows it, feel free to send videos or photos of baby’s mouth or pumping or a dirty diaper whatever else you feel is relevant!

     

  • It’s OK if you are uncomfortable getting undressed or feeding via webcam. Just remember that this is part of how we help and we may not be able to do a full assessment.

We are all in this together, and IBCLCs are just beginning to learn the limits and benefits to telelactation. Bookmark this article, reach out when you need help, and stay safe!

 

Special thanks to my Sonder Health telelactation colleagues Mary Unangst and Stephanie Johnson for their ideas and tips!

Virtual Lactation Appointments - Tips for Providers

By: Theresa Moutafis, MA, RD, CDCES, IBCLC

Although telelactation has steadily been gaining traction, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an even greater need for families to receive professional lactation care while keeping in line with social distancing recommendations.

There is some good research on telelactation, and a simple Google search brings up many of these studies. In this article we are going to focus on the practical aspects of telelactation as many IBCLCs may be jumping into this for the first time.

Legalities, Legislation, and Licensure

Legalities and licensure are hot topics within this arena. This section will be upated as new information becomes available.

Resources

There are also a number of helpful resources for conducting telelactation visits. These include:

 

Let us know of any other resources that you think would be valuable to include here!

 

Practical Tips

Virtual consults require a slightly different set of skills than in-person. Below are a few suggestions and thoughts from my and others’ experiences providing telelactation services.

Keep in Mind:

  • You are not going to be able to get the best visuals. Encourage mom to have a helper nearby to move the phone or laptop for you to be able to get a better view of latch or baby’s mouth.

  • Have good lighting! Test this beforehand.

  • Encourage parents to send photos or videos of whatever they feel is relevant beforehand, whether it be a feed, pumping session, questionable tongue tie, etc.

  • Remind parents to try not to feed before the appointment starts - we need a visual on that feed if at all possible! I’ve found that many moms make sure baby is settled in and sleeping soundly so they can have an uninterrupted consult, without realizing that it defeats the purpose and inhibits our assessment.

  • Pay extra attention to your counseling skills. We don’t have the benefit of full body positioning and language for cues, so it’s important to listen and observe carefully.

  • Have all your demonstration tools at the ready - I’ve had to run out of the room multiple times to grab a baby doll!

  • Make sure your internet connection is good and that all technology works beforehand.

  • Have a contingency plan for technical issues (call back, rescheduling, etc.).

  • Clearly communicate how the appointment will be conducted and ask what the parent’s expectations are for the appointment.

  • Take notes, but let your client know you’ll be taking notes, as it can be disconcerting to see the provider looking off-screen. 

  • Try to look at the camera lens rather than the patient’s face on your screen, although this can be hard and unnatural to do.

 

We hope these are helpful, and please let us know if there are any other tips or questions that you have. Stay safe!

Special thanks to my Sonder Health telelactation colleagues Mary Unangst and Stephanie Johnson for their ideas and tips!

MLCA volunteers have gathered/shared this info and will continue to offer additional resources to support the work of IBCLCs in assisting breastfeeding families in MA through this pandemic. If you benefit from and appreciate MLCA resources please consider donating or volunteering now or when you are able. 

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