Slow Weight Gain in the Early Days of Breastfeeding
- Duration: 60 Mins
- Credits: 1 CERP, 1 L-CERP, 0.1 Midwifery CEU, 1 ACM CPD Hours, 1 ACNM
- Handout: Yes
Abstract:
The early days of a breastfeeding journey, especially if it is the first one and there is not enough breastfeeding culture or support of the new family, bring challenges and risk factors for an unwanted early termination. Among all the causes for an early abandonment of exclusive breastfeeding, there is the ghost of insufficient milk supply, associated in popular belief (and unfortunately) sometimes also in professional health provider’s belief, with little or no evidence-based information on human lactation.
In order to make an appropriate and timely approach to a slow weight gain baby, we must take into consideration anatomical, functional and behavioral/emotional factors. Learn more about how to establish an appropriate nutritional diagnosis, based on the use of globally standardized anthropometric index, for exclusively breastfed children, factors that may contribute to a misperception of slow weight gain in a breastfed child, the difference between failure to thrive and slow weight gain and how to establish safe nutritional recovery strategies, focused on the dyad and aimed at preserving breastfeeding.
Learning Objectives:
Objective 1: List three risk factors for unwanted early cessation of lactation, related to slow weight gain.
Objective 2: Describe how to establish an appropriate nutritional diagnosis, based on the use of globally standardized anthropometric index, for exclusively breastfed children.
Objective 3: Describe factors that may contribute to a misperception of slow weight gain in a breastfed child.
Objective 4: Explain the difference between failure to thrive and slow weight gain.
Objective 5: Describe how to establish safe nutritional recovery strategies, focused on the dyad and aimed at preserving breastfeeding.
