Breastfeeding Complications Online Course(s) & Continuing Education

The stresses faced by each new mother will reflect her unique experience of conception, pregnancy and birth and these stresses can significantly influence the mother-baby bond. Even the most well researched birth plan can be subject to variations and complications that will inevitably put additional stress on the mother. Difficulty breastfeeding is often one of the first signs of stress on the mother-baby unit; it’s success or failure can drastically influence the early bonds made between the dyad. The neuroendocrine system has many ways of responding to these stresses and knowledgable manual therapists have an opportunity to support both the mother and baby towards optimal physiology.

Breast or bottle refusal can be distressing for parents and present a significant challenge for professionals. There are many underlying reasons why infants may display feeding aversion. These are often multi-layered and typically include emotional as well as anatomical or physical difficulties. During this presentation we will consider the causes of both breast and bottle refusal, looking at how these may present under different circumstances. We will explore how refusal impacts the parent – infant relationship and maternal self-efficacy. Once we have a clear, holistic picture regarding the complexities of feeding aversion, we will look at ways to support the dyad to overcome their difficulties including through working with other professionals. For those parents who find they cannot overcome the challenges they face, we will look at ways to help them reframe the experience and shift feelings away from failure and towards success.

Designing a sustainable proposal of lactation care involves many components. The parents are the main leaders in constructing this plan. Family dynamics that include the physical, emotional and mental health of both parent and child make up the key layout. Setting client-centered goals, developing strategies, outlining tasks and setting up routines are important to accomplishing their personal goals. Families often seek a holistic integrative approach that includes personal goals, support networking, comfort, and collaborative resources that make up their action plan of care. This program will review several complex case studies and how the families designed their plan of care with the guidance and understanding of a team approach.

As a health professional you may find yourself supporting a mother who is breastfeeding or requires support to breastfeed her baby with Down syndrome. Babies with Down syndrome can often have additional health needs, which may affect how successful they are with breastfeeding. Down syndrome or trisomy 21 is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability for around 1 in 700 births worldwide. People with Down syndrome are not all the same but may have similar characteristic physical features, health and developmental challenges and some level of intellectual disability. Research has shown many benefits associated with breastfeeding a baby with Down syndrome. It contributes to establishing long term skill development, particularly with speech and feeding skills, as well as aiding brain growth. It also provides an opportunity for mother baby bonding during stressful periods after learning of their baby’s diagnosis. Regardless of these known benefits, some mothers may nevertheless be told their baby will not be able breastfeed. This presentation will explore some of the common challenges mothers may face when breastfeeding a baby with Down syndrome and tips on how to address these for the mother and baby. The material presented will also assist health professionals to support mothers with babies who may have similar health/developmental needs.