Basics of Breastfeeding Support for Health Care Professionals

Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Plaza 3 - Classroom #3 (Old OI Building), Sioux Falls, SD

The Basics of Breastfeeding Support for Healthcare Professionals course will help identify standard practice of care expected from healthcare staff caring for a breastfeeding patient. This will include topics such as anatomy and physiology of the breasts, early interventions to help with successful breastfeeding like skin to skin and breast pumping, barriers/challenges to NICU and high risk infants, maternal challenges to lactation such as medications, mental health, milk supply, and mastitis, special situations such as surrogacy and infant loss, and breastfeeding/pumping after discharge and in the workplace. These topics will be presented by our experienced IBCLC and lactation staff through a variety of teaching methods such as lectures, videos and hands on skill stations. This will be a fun and interactive day filled with the basic knowledge to help you and your patients be successful!

1. Identify standard practice of care expected from healthcare staff caring for a breastfeeding patient.
2. Identify at least 3 reasons to consult IBCLC.
3. Discuss 2 stimulation techniques to help wake a baby for feeding.
4. Identify 2 hormones in lactation.
5. Describe at least 3 reasons for potential delayed Lactogenesis.
6. Identify 2 risk factors with breast anatomy.
7. Identify 2 reasons for the importance of skin to skin care.
8. Identify hypoglycemia and understand appropriate ways to treat it.
9. Discuss at least 2 different breastfeeding holds/positions.
10. Describe how to demonstrate hand expression to a patient and the importance of this with milk supply.
11. Define the difference between preterm, late term and term infants.
12. Describe the proper times for use of the 2 different modes of the Medela Symphony breastpump.
13. Identify strategies for the management of the breastfeeding baby with problems.
14. Identify at least 3 substances that are not compatible with lactation.
15. Recognize the difference between plugged ducts and mastitis and devise a plan to assist mom.
16. Identify 2 signs or symptoms of Post Partum Depression.
17. Identify 2 things a mom can do to assist with comfort measures for suppression when choosing to formula feed.
18. Describe two ways to be comforting to a mom with infant loss.
19. Discuss pumping and milk storage guidelines for the woman using an electric breastpump for after discharge.

All educational materials provided during and after the course are for your personal use only and should not be reproduced or distributed in any manner.

 

ADA Statement:

ADA accommodations will be made in accordance with the law.  If you require ADA accommodations, please indicate what your needs are at the time of registration.  We cannot ensure the availability of appropriate accommodations without prior notification.

Accreditation

In support of improving patient care, Avera is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Continuing Education Credit Designation(s)

Nurse CE: Avera designates this activity for a maximum of 7.50 ANCC contact hour(s). Nurses should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Medical Assistant: This program has been granted prior approval by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) for 1.0 administrative continuing education unit(s). Granting approval in no way constitutes endorsement by the AAMA of the program content or the program provider.  Attendance for this activity will be submitted directly to the AAMA.

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Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Avera adheres to the Joint Accreditation’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.

Individuals in a position to control the content of this CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies. An ineligible company is any entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. All of the relevant financial relationships listed below have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.