Patient Care: Breastfeeding Support

Learners will be able to provide peripartum breastfeeding support for routine care and common problems.

Learner Objectives

Obtain a relevant past medical history for breastfeeding parents and infants
Perform a breast assessment and learn conditions that may impact milk supply
Facilitate skin-to-skin care in the delivery room or operating room and assist with the first feeding as needed
Perform infant oral assessment, and evaluate breastfeeding latch, attachment, and effective infant suckling and feeding patterns
Evaluate parental infections and potential risk of transmission to the breastfed infant
Develop management plans incorporating the use of expressed human milk or pasteurized donor human milk when clinically appropriate after monitoring for delayed lactogenesis, inadequate milk production or insufficient milk transfer, and implement supplementation when medically necessary (including adoptive parents)

Start Here

Essential Activities

Objective #1 Breastfeeding Medical History:
View this 8-min video of a pediatrician collecting a maternal and infant breastfeeding history

and this 8-min video of a pediatrician conducting an infant exam and feeding assessment.

Additionally, you could use this script in the classroom “Collecting a Breastfeeding Medical History” to roleplay a provider obtaining a relevant medical history for breastfeeding.
Objective #2 Milk Supply: View this interactive PowerPoint slide to match conditions that may impact milk supply.
Objective #3 First Feeding: View the video: Successful Breastfeeding Begins Right at Birth (6:00-12:00).
Objective #4 Perform an Oral Assessment: Review or show in class this short PowerPoint on performing an oral assessment.
Objective #4 Evaluating an effective infant latch: Watch the following videos to understand how to evaluate an infant latch:
- Global Health Media video Attaching Your Baby at the Breast (0:00 - 2:12)
- Successful Breastfeeding Begins Right at Birth
- A Perfect Latch (4:09 - 5:05) to review positioning.
Objective #4 Suckling and Feeding Patterns of Breastfeeding:
- Watch the 4 min video- Breastmilk production ( 1:49-2:13).
- View FirstDroplets - Breastfeeding in the First Hour, It’s in Your Hands: “listen for swallows” (9:28 to 9:34).
- Review and discuss the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention How Much and How Often to Breastfeed.
Objective #5 Parental Infections and Impact on Breastfeeding: Read and discuss in class these 2 short cases on parental infections with attached follow up questions.
Objective #6 Donor Milk: Read the first case about two fathers who adopt a newborn before class and use the case questions to lead a class discussion focused on providing infant feeding counseling focusing on donor milk.

Continue to Goal C

See More Curriculum

Medical Knowledge

Your learners will understand the anatomy of the breast, the physiology of lactogenesis and the challenges of breastfeeding.

System Based Practice

Learners will be able to coordinate services with other professionals, laypersons and community groups, consistent with an interprofessional and team-based approach to care.

Practice Based Learning

Learners will educate themselves and others about breastfeeding.

Interpersonal Communication Skills

Learners will communicate effectively with patients, families and other medical providers regarding breastfeeding as well as understand the concept of cultural humility and how to provide culturally effective breastfeeding care.