Author: Galactablog

FREE Lactation Training from Breastfeeding Basics

/ Galactablog / Leave a comment

Breastfeeding Basics – Developed based upon lectures and courses given by Mary O’Connor MD, Linda Lewin MD and colleagues at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), University Hospitals of Cleveland. Covers 7 topical modules complete with individual learning objectives and pre and post tests:

1) Breastfeeding Benefits & Barriers
2) Anatomy & Physiology
3) Growth & Development
4) Breastfeeding Around the World
5) The Breastfeeding Couple
6) The Term Infant with Problems
7) Breast Milk and Drugs

Happy learning!

Gold Lactation Conference offering FREE Presentation on HIV & Breastfeeding

/ Galactablog / Leave a comment

Gold Lactation Online Conference is offering free access to a presentation given by Pamela Morrison, IBCLC, titled “Back to the Future on HIV and Breastfeeding: The findings that transformed policy.”

“When mothers diagnosed as HIV-positive can receive full antiretroviral therapy for their own health, and when when they exclusively breastfeed to six months and continue partial breastfeeding to 12 months, then the risk of transmission of HIV to their babies can be reduced to between 0-1%.”
~Pamela Morrison, IBCLC

Make sure to check out Gold Lactation Online Conference for upcoming conferences and presentations, news and updates. Online CERPS, L-CERPs, E-CERPs, R-CERPs, CEUs are provided for a fee. 

Students and volunteers get 50% off registration.

Free Webinar: “Talking to your children about things that matter”

/ Galactablog / Leave a comment

sue finalDuring December 2014, iMothering is offering FREE on-going access to a talk on“Talking to your children about things that matter“ by Sue Jameson. Take advantage of it now before the end of the month.

Sweet-SleepDue to the popularity of La Leche League’s Sweet Sleep: Nighttime and Naptime Strategies for the Breastfeeding Family, for a $10 fee, you can have on-going access for 1 month to Sweet Sleep’s co-author Diane Wiessinger’s Sleep TALK.

 

Don’t forget to join iMothering’s mailing list to be kept up to date of the latest webinars offered. New talks begin January 2015 and include the talk “Baby-led Weaning: The best-kept secret of parenting” by Gill Rapley. You can also be kept in the loop by following Galactablog by email to receive the latest notifications and updates.

 

Free Handout: “Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergency Situations”

/ Galactablog / Leave a comment

wellstart logoHere’s a free handout on “Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergency Situations” from Wellstart International. Definitely worth downloading, reading and keeping for a “what if” situation. It covers misconceptions about breastfeeding during emergencies, special assistance that nursing mothers DO need, the fact that human milk substitutes are not always necessary, optimal feeding practices and a triage diagram detailing steps to take for infants under 6 months of age. This is very relevant and timely information – particularly for those of us in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and other countries in experiencing emergency situations.

Wellstart International FREE Lactation Management Self-Study Module

/ Galactablog / 5 Comments
8x10 contents

Table of Contents for Wellstart International Lactation Management Self-Study Module, 2014. Click to enlarge.

Wellstart International has released it’s current evidenced-based Lactation Management Self-Study Modules (Level 1). 4th ed. Edited by Audrey J. Naylor & Ruth A. Wester (2014). This 151 page lactation training manual consists of 3 modules, a pre and post test to test knowledge gained, case studies for application of knowledge and a comprehensive annex full of useful resources such as an extensive list of lactation management and breastfeeding promotion websites, guidelines for topics like milk storage, guidelines for hand expression, Provisions of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and infant feeding in emergency situations (and more). The information is certainly not limited that that merely mentioned, there is more. Best yet, this training module is FREE! 

You can find the Spanish version here.

Not only is it a excellent training resource for lactation managers, but it can also be utilized as a study tool for those of us preparing for the IBCLC exam.

Wellstart International points out that:

“This educational tool is downloadable without charge.  Visitors are invited but not required to help this tool to continue to be available by donating any amount they wish to Wellstart International, a US based 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization.”

This Self-Study Module can be used by physicians, nurses and other maternity care staff to satisfy a portion of the 20 hour Baby Friendly® Hospital by Baby-Friendly USA, Inc. (BFUSA) training. Please refer to the Important Notice for U.S. Users of Wellstart International’s Lactation Management Self-Study Modules, Level 1, Fourth Edition 2013 for further details.

Did I mention that the annex has little cheat sheets you can print off and take along with you on home or hospital visits? Very helpful! Here’s a quick peek, but download the actual module for higher quality formats.

wellstart cheat sheets 4 up

Click to Enlarge. If saving or printing, do so from original source for best quality.

Free Access to Top Health & Nursing articles of 2014

/ Galactablog / Leave a comment

SAGE is offering FREE access to some of it’s most popular nursing and health articles of 2014.

Click here for access.SAGE News

Here’s a quick screen shot of all the articles SAGE is offering up for free. Specifically related to lactation, you’ll find in published in the Journal of Human Lactation (2014) an article titled, “Relationship between Use of Labor Pain Medications and Delayed Onset of Lactation“ by Jennifer N. Lind, Cria G. Perrine & Ruowei Li. But don’t stop there! Several more FREE articles are waiting there for you to check them out.

Happy reading!

Free Journal of Human Lactation Podcasts

/ Galactablog / Leave a comment

The Journal of Human Lactation has released 5 FREE podcasts.

Check them out here.journal human lactation

“The Journal of Human Lactation is pleased to present podcasts related to selective published articles. Each podcast features a Q&A discussion between the journal editor and corresponding author, expanding upon the topics researched in the article. Along with a link to the recording, each description includes a link to the complete published article.”

Titles of podcasts included are:

1) The Galactogogue Bandwagon – Q and A with Dr. Philip Anderson

2) Establishing an Online and Social Media Presence for Your IBCLC Practice

3) What Do Kramers Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative PROBIT Studies Tell Us? A Review of a Decade of Research

4) Challenges and Successes: The Baby-Friendly Initiative in Norway

5) Human Colostrum and Breast Milk Contain High Levels of TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL)

Free Podcast(s): “Born to be Breastfed” & 62 Others

/ Galactablog / Leave a comment

born to BF marie biancuzzoMarie Biancuzzo, RN MS IBCLC has published 62 audio podcasts related to breastfeeding on iTunes. Yes! You read that right – 62! And guess what? They are all FREE! You can access them here. She passionately explains:

“Every new mother hears that breast is best. Many decide to breastfeed so their baby has the best. But soon after birth, the days are often fraught with sleep deprivation and conflicting messages from peers, family members, and health care professionals. Later, negative messages from the media and critical comments from family members and others may trigger mothers to question their decision. Feelings of inadequacy, intimidation and societal pressure to wean can cause mothers to give up breastfeeding before meeting their goals. The aim of this show is to empower parents to overcome the barriers that keep them from beginning or continuing to breastfeed. Through discussion of hospital practices, milk supply, medications, returning to work, milk storage options, and more, this show will provide an informed and supportive voice for new families and established families, so that they can take charge of their breastfeeding experience from conception through weaning.”

Thank you Marie Biancuzzo and Breastfeeding Outlook for providing all of us aspiring to help breastfeeding families around the world for the wealth of FREE resources you’ve provided.

Free Webinar: “Skin to Skin & the Impact on Exclusive Breastfeeding”

/ Galactablog / Leave a comment

In this FREE 1 hour webinar, Dr. Susan Ludington discusses the effects and influence kangaroo care has on skintoskinwebinar_injoyphotobreastfeeding and how to do skin-to-skin safely after birth. All it requires is registering (free), providing the usual personal information and you get access to the webinar either by streaming it online or downloading it.

Make sure to download the nifty corresponding handout that goes along with the presentation.

injoy logo

It doesn’t end here! InJoy offers quarterly free webinars on a wide array of topics pertinent to health professionals including, but not limited to prenatal care, birth, breastfeeding, postpartum and more. Click here for free past webinars that are still accessible.

*Disclaimer* I’m in no way affiliated with InJoy, nor am I a tech expert. So if you experience technical difficulties, please contact them directly.

 

 

 

Welcome to Galactablog

/ Galactablog / 3 Comments

Hello-Welcome-Picture

Welcome to Galactablog! Have a look around, make yourself at home. There are lots of free resources: webinars and podcasts, handouts, journal articles, training modules, DYI breastfeeding tips, tricks and products, CERPs/CEUs and more. Topics relevant to lactation will be blogged about and shared – not only by myself, but also by lactation specialists and those aspiring-to-be from around the world.

guest postIf you have a special topic that you’re passionate about – consider writing a Guest Post. I’d love to feature it and of course, give you all the credit. Plus, you’ll have a free opportunity for shameless self-promotion. Send me your ideas here.

Galactablog has some fun weekly series – so keep your eyes out for ‘Freebie Friday,’ ‘Tuesday’s Tips & Tricks,’ ‘Words from the Wise‘ and ‘The Sunday Review.’

Check out Galactablog’s Pinterest Boards and YouTube Channel, both full of social-media-design-concept_1284-5151free breastfeeding-related videos for parents and professionals. All are free resources you can use to further your own lactation knowledge and to help those around you breastfeed. Galactablog is also on Twitter and Facebook, both as a ‘Community Group‘ and a closed, private group open to lactation professionals, those aspiring-to-be and breastfeeding supporters.

If you’re interested in furthering your lactation training, check out the various lactation training opportunities under the “Lactation Training” tab in the header. I’m not in any way affiliated with any of the programs, nor do I earn any money or incentives – I just want to disseminate the information out to those who need it. If you know of a program I’ve left out, please send the info my way so it can be included.

final the sunday review lactation programsGalactablog is the ONLY blog in the world to publish reviews of lactation training programs in the weekly ‘Sunday Review’ series, so for those of you who’ve taken these trainings and/or finished lactation training programs, consider writing a review so we can help others decide what program and will best fit their needs. You can use your name or go anoymous – up to you. You can find the review form here. Lactation programs ARE reading the reviews published and your review can help create change.

I look forward to working collaboratively in order to create FREE resources accessible worldwide to help not only my fellow Lacties, but to help encourage breastfeeding.

Stay tuned for more,
Tamara